NFL playoffs: Super Wild Card Weekend tips, Brock Purdy brilliance, terrific Tom Brady and rooting for the Buffalo Bills | NFL News

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What drama will the NFL playoffs ship this yr? Watch all 13 postseason video games reside on Sky Sports activities

Sky Sports activities’ Hannah Wilkes previews the opening spherical of the NFL playoffs, speaking up the hopes of the San Francisco 49ers, the inevitability of a Tom Brady run, the will for the Buffalo Payments to do effectively… whereas she additionally dishes out her helpful tricks to surviving Tremendous Wild Card Weekend!

I joke fairly regularly (too regularly, in case you hearken to the Her Huddle podcast), “What even is time?!”

And as we gear up for the primary spherical of the playoffs this weekend I’ve to ask, fairly severely, the place on earth have the final 18 weeks gone?!

When the season kicks off in September, the 5 wonderful months of soccer stretch out on the calendar earlier than us, however now – in some ways, having barely established who the contenders are and pretenders are – we’re within the playoffs. We have blinked and we’re within the event: 14 groups and 13 video games stay.

Tremendous Wildcard Weekend looms. It is an absurdly massive and sensible weekend of soccer and there is a lot to sink our tooth into. All six matchups are repeats of clashes we witnessed within the 2022 common season, with some groups assembly for a 3rd time even. However the kind information, to an extent, goes out the window when it is knockout soccer. Let the wildness begin!

It is a Brock Purdy celebration (and we’re all invited)

If Brock Purdy, the third-string quarterback who has led the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs, wins a Tremendous Bowl, is he the following Tom Brady? Possibly.

Might San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy take all of them the best way to the Tremendous Bowl in Arizona?

It definitely ought to assure that the terrible ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ tag be consigned to the bin for all future NFL drafts.

Purdy has averaged at the very least eight yards per move try in successful his first 5 profession begins because the Niners trip a 10-game win streak into the playoffs because the quantity two seed within the NFC.

Kyle Shanahan’s crew proceed to appear to be essentially the most full outfit within the NFL. Contemplating the modifications at QB and the accidents the squad as an entire has handled, they should not be this good – and the truth that they’re speaks to the depth of expertise and sensible teaching they’ve.

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Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold talk about the streaking San Francisco 49ers as they head into the playoffs as the shape crew within the NFL, with 10-straight wins

They’re my champion decide from the NFC and it could take one thing immense from Geno Smith, Pete Carroll and co for the Seattle Seahawks to place a dent of their run.

Tom Brady

One other yr within the NFL, one more playoff season for Tom Brady

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is again within the NFL playoffs, albeit with a dropping document for the primary time

And with a dropping regular-season document besides. That definitely is new territory for Brady as he enters the twentieth postseason of his storied profession.

Regardless of a couple of brief weeks in the past labelling them as “Tremendous Bowl contenders”, the wheels have come off the Dallas Cowboys offense with characteristically chic timing and Brady is 7-0 towards Dallas in his profession.

There are such a lot of the reason why Tampa should not make it to the Divisional Spherical, however would not it simply be traditional Brady to get there?

The AFC is ridiculous!

I would like a three-sided coin. As a result of, in the case of which crew out of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Buffalo Payments and Cincinnati Bengals will emerge from the AFC’s prime three seeds and head to the large dance in Phoenix, I really imagine it can come right down to the best of margins.

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A take a look at a number of the greatest performs from Patrick Mahomes this season, in his bid to seize a second league MVP award

Historical past says the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes has had an MVP-worthy season, they obtained the primary seed and it is principally been enterprise as standard no matter who he is throwing to alongside of tremendous tight finish Travis Kelce.

Kind says the Bengals. An eight-game win streak after a 4-4 begin to the season has them getting sizzling at precisely the fitting time and the swag coming from Joe Burrow stays utterly intact. They’re enjoyable to observe, straightforward to root for, and effectively positioned for an instantaneous return to the Tremendous Bowl.

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The Buffalo Payments household present help for Damar Hamlin forward of their sport towards the New England Patriots on the weekend

In terms of the Payments although, is there a single NFL-loving coronary heart who would not wish to see them do it? Given the challenges that town of Buffalo has confronted over the past a number of months, and the terrifying scenes on the sphere with Damar Hamlin in Week 17 (fortunately, residence and effectively on the best way to restoration on the time of writing), this crew is enjoying with a hearth of their bellies that may’t be schemed towards.

The Payments got here shut final yr within the AFC Championship sport, the foundations have since modified, they’re effectively and really within the Championship window they usually actually, actually need it. In case your squad is not within the playoffs, how will you not root for this crew?

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Brian Baldinger says Nyheim Hines’ two kick-off return TDs within the Payments’ first sport again following Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest was a “Hollywood story!”

Tremendous Wildcard Weekend marathon suggestions!

Park your self on the couch Saturday night, inform your family and friends you are incommunicado till Tuesday afternoon (factoring in a restoration nap) and put together your self for a viewing expertise that represents the truest take a look at of stamina for any discerning NFL fan.

It is a mission not for the faint of coronary heart and for which myself and the Her Huddle podcast gang have some suggestions:

1) Tactical naps are a should. We advocate mid-afternoon to make sure you’re conscious and never within the post-nap grump come kick-off.

2) Caffeinate neatly. I like a 10pm espresso to see me by means of to the tip of the late sport.

3) Take into account your snack selections. Crisps, sweets and a few protein are all good. However avoid something too heavy (cheese and chorizo have been each sighted as “dangers”) as this will likely induce sleepiness.

4) Get off the couch. Get up, sit on the ground, principally ensure you’re not fully comfy as we head into the latter phases of the late video games to forestall unintended dozing off. I am additionally a fan of half-time yoga to get the blood flowing… I am nearly fully alone in that, however do not knock it till you have tree-posed it.

Watch Tremendous Wild Card Weekend, with all six video games from the opening spherical of the playoffs reside on Sky Sports activities NFL throughout three days, beginning with Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night time from 9.30pm