The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the comeback kids of the NBA this season. Tonight they almost pulled off a huge comeback as the Raptors had them down by 30 points at one point in the game. The Raptors had an answer for every Thunder run that would get them close in the game. The Raptors got back Marc Gasol tonight and Pascal Siakam recently after their injuries. It looked like they didn’t miss any beats as both combined for 36 points on the night. It was an all-around performance from the Raptors as they had 7 players in double figures on the night. Norman Powell had a huge night from the field shooting 9-11 for a team-high 23 points. Powell was able to hit on a lot of open opportunities that were given to him when the Thunder were doubling. The Raptors took advantage of the fact that Steven Adams only played 6 mins before getting sidelined. The Raptors were able to attack the paint for 62 points in there without a true rim protector. Without Adams and Noel, the Thunder leaned on Mike Muscala to give some big minutes throughout the game. The Raptors were making some tough shots all night and they capitalized on the Thunder missing a lot of open shots they usually make. The Raptors role players were able to come through for them in big minutes as OG Anunoby had 21 points on the night and made it tough on Terrance Ferguson after he switched off Pascal Siakam. The player that was able to carry the Raptors early in this game was Serge Ibaka as he finished with 15 points but 13 of those points were in the 1st quarter. Tonight the Raptors showed how deep they can be when everyone’s healthy and they didn’t even have Fred Van Fleet. Kyle Lowry was able to put in 17 points and 8 assists on the night. Kyle Lowry’s an amazing leader and he leads this team vocally and in most games as well. Kyle Lowry presented some problems for the Thunder tonight because he can get his shot off while creating for his teammates. Every time the Thunder got close enough to try and take the lead it was Norman Powell or Pascal Siakam that made a big shot to help them keep the lead. The Raptors were up by 30 points in this game and let the Thunder back in the game as they trailed by 3 points late in the 4th.
The Thunder lost this game but it shows how much heart this really has overall. OKC missed a lot of shots that they usually hit and you can tell it frustrated them early. The great thing about this Thunder team is the fact that they have the best leader in the NBA in Chris Paul. Every time this Thunder team gets down CP3 gets into his teammates and gives them the confidence to play to that higher level. Chris Paul didn’t have his best night in the stat sheet but he was able to make some plays defensively down the stretch that helped OKC get extremely close. Chris Paul finished with 16 points, 11 assists and 4 steals on the night. The tale of this game was the fact that OKC only hit 38% of their 3 pointers combined to 55% from the Raptors. Sometimes this team gets happy with the 3 pointers and it has backfired the last two home games that they were able to play. The Thunder were energized by the game that Dennis Schröder was able to bring to the table. Schröder finished the game with 25 points on the night and the Raptors didn’t have an answer for his first step. Dennis plays the game with a lot of energy and he used that energy to get steals while creating his own shots. The Raptors had no answer for Dennis Schröder tonight as they had Lowry guarding him and he was able to blow right by him. The Thunder guards of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dennis Schröder, and Chris Paul didn’t have their best night and it showed. Tonight Shai was able to finish with 21 points but he turned it on a little too late in the game. When Shai gets aggressive as he did in the 4th quarter he’s unstoppable, especially with that length. The Raptors were making sure they were able to take away the inside passage and tried to force them to shoot the 3 pointers instead. It seems like teams are slowly catching on to what the Thunder is trying to do but this team continues to fight. This Thunder team continues to fight and they’re exciting to watch because they play together. When the Thunder got in trouble throughout the game they were able to lean on Danilo Gallinari who’s been consistent all season long. Tonight Gallinari was able to go for 23 points on the night and had his shot working when it was needed. The Thunder fought back into this game and Danilo Gallinari was able to get it down to 3 points after his And-1 dunk. After that moment in the game, the Raptors were able to make some tough shots but the Thunder also put up some 3 pointers that didn’t go down. The NBA is a miss or make league and tonight it proved to be that way the last 3 minutes of this game as the Thunder dropped this one.
The Thunder will be back in action on Friday as they have Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat coming into town. Jimmy Butler will be a handful to guard and the Thunder will need to be up to the challenge in order to get their 24th win before this back to back coming.
The Oklahoma City Thunder played one of their best games on Thursday against the Rockets. Coming into tonight’s game against the Lakers the news broke out that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were going to be out tonight. Once that news came out the Lakers knew other players would have to step up for them to be victorious. Rajon Rondo took the challenge tonight to help his team get the win as he came out looking like vintage Rondo from Boston. Rajon Rondo set the tone for the Lakers with his offense and was able to get other players involved early. The Lakers played with freedom and played unselfishly tonight as a whole which helped out big time. The Lakers had a well-balanced attack against the Thunder and they couldn’t miss from the 3 point line in the first half. At one point in the game, the Lakers were shooting 88% from the 3 point line and that helped them maintain a double-digit margin throughout the night. The Thunder were down by 32 points in the game and it looked as though it was going to be tough to crawl back in this game. The OKC Thunder were getting the good looks that they usually do but the shots just didn’t fall tonight.
The Thunder got caught up in the LA Lakers 3 point shooting and failed at attempting it tonight as they only shot 9-31 for 29%. Every time the Thunder would try to make a run the Lakers would make a crucial shot that would stop the momentum. One player that had it going for the Lakers all night from start to finish was Kyle Kuzma. On the night Kuzma finished with 36 points which were a season-high. It seemed like Kyle Kuzma couldn’t miss anything that he put up from inside or outside it didn’t matter. With LeBron and AD being out Kyle Kuzma stepped his game up and made the most of the opportunity. The Thunder tried to put Gallinari and Bazley on Kuzma tonight but he was feeling it as he hit 15-24 from the field. Kyle Kuzma had the points but Rajon Rondo set the tone from start to finish as he dropped 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Lakers bench players had bigger roles tonight and stepped up in a major way in a game that most would have given to the Thunder from the beginning. The Lakers had seven players in double figures on the night and shot 51% from the field as a team. The Thunder just didn’t have it from the start of the game and it showed as the Lakers jumped on them right away. The Thunder tried to fight back in this game but the time was running out on that attempt.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a bad game overall as a unit especially after the big win against the Rockets. This was a game they started out the game flat and it came back to get them. All night the Thunder were trying to slow down the Lakers and catch up in the score but it didn’t work in their favor. Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a combined 48 points on the night as they tried to shoot the Thunder back into the game. This was a prime example of shooting yourself in the foot because the Thunder as a unit is better than the Lakers team that played tonight. Dennis Schröder wasn’t himself tonight as he missed some shots that he usually makes as well. Schröder gives the Thunder team some added energy and tonight he wasn’t able to get into a true rhythm offensively. Chris Paul was able to get his game going but it was a little too late. The Lakers didn’t have anyone that can guard Chris Paul but the opportunities just weren’t there overall as a team. It’s easy to say that the Thunder looked over the Lakers without their stars but sometimes it happens. The Thunder lived by the three and died by the three tonight. This team has been able to bounce back all season and this game will be one of those moments that help them regain that focus. The Thunder were playing really good defense but the Lakers were just making some tough shots all night long. The Thunder will look to bounce back as they play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. Tonight was one of those nights where the three guards just didn’t have it going and all season long they’ve been playing at a high level. Look for the Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schröder to bounce back in a major way.
The Minnesota Vikings will be heading into San Francisco today trying to pull off another miracle. Last weekend against the New Orleans Saints on the road no one gave them a chance in that one. The Vikings knew they were a true underdog and went into NOLA and upset the Saints on the legs of Dalvin Cook and the arm of Kirk Cousins. The Minnesota Vikings have all-pro type players on the offensive end that can get the job done. If the Vikings are going to get the job done they will need to continue to set the tone with Dalvin Cook on the ground. Last weekend against the Saints Cook rushed 28 times for 94 yards with 2 touchdowns. The way that Dalvin Cook has been running opens up the passing game for Kirk Cousins so that he has some time to get the ball to Thielen and Diggs. Kirk Cousins will have to get the ball to Diggs or Thielen if he’s going to be successful in the passing game. Last week Adam Thielen had 7 catches for 129 yards receiving and Stefon Diggs had only 2 catches for 18 yards. Both will need to bring their A+ game today to get the Vikings to the NFC Championship game. The 49ers defense will be coming after Cousins all day long with that front seven so look for the Cousins to hit his safety blanket Dalvin Cook in the screen pass plays. When the Vikings have the run game going they’re tough to beat but they will be depending on the defense this game. Look for Griffin and Hunter to try and get after Jimmy Garoppolo so they can slow down that passing attack. It’s going to be a tough day for the Vikings secondary with Sanders, Kittle, and Samuels emerging as true weapons on every down. The toughest part about that is the 49ers have stud receivers and have a 3 headed running back by committee Mostert, Breida, and Coleman who you don’t know will have the hot hand. So if the Vikings are going to be successful they will need a full game of all phases of the defense showing up as they did in NOLA. This Vikings team is loaded but have been inconsistent if they can get some turnovers on the defensive end to give their offense more opportunity anything is possible.
The 49ers are coming into this game healthy and have shown growth throughout the season as a unit. This team continues to get better on the offensive end and the defensive. The backbone of this team is their defense because once Nick Bosa gets to the quarterback he’s usually forcing a turnover or disrupting the play overall. When Bosa rushes the quarterback it causes mistakes and that’s where the 49ers have been able to have the upper advantage is in the takeaway department. Look for the pass rushers to get some pressure on Kirk Cousins to force him into turnovers and it also helps the 49ers that they have Richard Sherman over there at corner. When people face Richard Sherman they barely throw to his side because of his IQ and techniques. Look for the Vikings to try and go the other way to get the secondary receiver Diggs more looks if Sherman is all over Adam Theilen. The play of Jimmy Garoppolo has been special this season as he has been able to put this offense on his back throughout the season. On the season Jimmy G has thrown for 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns so look for him to continue that air raid against the Vikings secondary that’s been a little shaky as of late. Xavier Rhodes hasn’t been himself as of late so look for the 49ers to try and attack him early in this game. The running game for the 49ers has been special all year long with their three running backs and it seems as if it doesn’t matter who gets the ball they produce. This 49ers team is extremely stacked and well balanced so if they can shake up Kirk Cousins early in this game with pressure it could be a long game for any Vikings fan. The 49ers will be at home and playing with a lot of energy with that crowd behind them. This will be a good game overall in San Francisco and it will come down to who makes the first mistake and who’s offense can capitalize on it first.
Score Prediction: Minnesota Vikings Win (24 – 17)
6:15 PM EST
Tennessee Titans @ Baltimore Ravens
The Tennessee Titans knocked out the reigning defending SuperBowl Champion Patriots last weekend in Foxboro. Nobody saw this coming from the Titans as they were able to dominate the clock on the ground. Derrick Henry was a complete beast in that game against the New England Patriots last week rushing for 182 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries. It seems as if the Titans will be moving at the pace that Derrick Henry moves because he’s been able to carry the load and this team all season. Coming into tonight’s game against the Ravens the Titans will need to make sure that they get some production from Ryan Tannehill as the Ravens will try to load the box on Derrick Henry. There’s no way that Ryan Tannehill can throw for 72 yards and beat the Baltimore Ravens. This is the game where the Titans need that play-action working with Tannehill and AJ Brown because it can’t be all Henry. This has been a huge bounce-back season for Ryan Tannehill and to continue that success he will need to make the right decisions against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Tannehill will be trying to outsmart Marcus Peters and Earl Thomas in the passing game tonight. If Tannehill can produce while Derrick Henry is carrying defenders on his back the Titans can have a good chance to come out of this game victorious. The Titans defense will have their hands full so if they can do anything to stop or slow down Lamar Jackson it will help. It’s going to be a tough task for the Titans defense to stop the run game of Jackson and Ingram but they will need to limit big plays in this one. The Titans secondary has stepped up as of late but this will be their biggest task dealing with a dual-threat at quarterback who can deliver the ball to his weapons. If the Titans can limit Jackson to one dimension of his game whether it is the run or pass they can be successful but it will take a full team effort on both ends.
The Baltimore Ravens are the number 1 seed and it’s been because of the play of Lamar Jackson. It’s safe to say that he’s going to be the league MVP after the season is over. Lamar Jackson has 3,127 passing yards with 36 touchdowns in the air and 1,206 rushing yards with 7 touchdowns on the ground. Overall Jackson’s a cheat code and it’s going to be tough to slow down this high powered offense. The Titans will have their hands full because Jackson can throw the ball and run it like no other. Some of the plays Jackson made this season were video game-like and never seen before. Look for Jackson to get his game going early in this one as he leads the NFL’s most high powered offense to victory. Lamar Jackson by himself is already tough to stop but when he has Mark Ingram to run the RPO with it makes it even tougher. Mark Ingram has been a great addition to the Ravens this year and his ability to run as hard as anyone in the NFL gives Jackson the freedom to be himself. This RPO that the Ravens run is tricky and the Titans defense will be in trouble if they guess wrong. Another aspect of Lamar Jackson’s game that people slept on this season was his deep ball. Jackson has been able to find his playmakers in the secondary with ease because of the separation and size difference. The two players that Lamar Jackson looks for in this passing game are Hollywood Brown and Mark Andrews both are products of the Oklahoma Sooners NFL branch. The speed of Brown and the size of Andrews makes it tough on other teams and easier for Lamar Jackson with every pass to that receiver. The Ravens offense is dominant and the Titans will need to limit them or force them into turnovers to have any chance in this game. The Ravens defense will have their hands full on the ground trying to stop Derrick Henry and if they can stack the box that will make it easier to defend Tannehill. The Ravens want to make Ryan Tannehill beat them with his arm and not have the running game beat them. The Ravens are a complete team and have shown that all year long so look for that to continue at home against the Titans tonight.
This game had emotions running wild with the return of Russell Westbrook. This was the first game that Russell Westbrook was playing in OKC as a member of the Houston Rockets. From the walk into the arena to the tip of the game everyone had their eyes on Russell Westbrook. It was weird for everyone to see Russell Westbrook in a Houston Rockets jersey in Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Oklahoma City Thunder had played a special tribute for Russell Westbrook pregame which got everyone in their feelings. Westbrook waved at the fans and acknowledged them as he went for his pregame routine of running and yelling to the crowd to hype them up.
Russ returns to OKC. Here's our tribute video he watched in the arena tonight. pic.twitter.com/tNsf3J8nGe
Once the game started it was OKC from the start to finish as the Thunder could do no wrong. With all the emotion around the return of Russell Westbrook, the crowd was hyped and ready to cheer on their team. It would be Danilo Gallinari who would get the scoring party started for the Thunder as he scored a quick 10 points to get the offense going. The Rockets had no one that was able to guard Gallinari on the mismatch all night and he led the OKC Thunder scoring. It didn’t matter if it was inside or outside Gallinari was making the Rockets pay as he finished the game with 23 points. The Thunder three guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chris Paul, and Dennis Schröder made it tough on the Rockets all night as well. Shai was able to use his length to create his offense and he was extremely crafty to the rim. When Shai plays with this type of confidence he feels unguardable and his play energizes the rest of the team. Shai finished with 20 points on the night and made the best of every opportunity the Rockets gave him. Dennis Schröder came in and was able to set the tone for the bench as he’s been special all season long. The way that Schröder plays the game and the pace he plays with he was no match for Austin Rivers who was guarding him. Schröder finished with 16 points on the game and he was able to bring that energy to the game that the Thunder needed. Schröder plays with a chip on his shoulder and kept attacking the Rockets players inside the paint with ease. Dennis Schröder has one of the quickest first steps in the NBA and when he decides to make his move he usually blows by the defender. The last of the three guards for OKC that have put this team on their backs is Chris Paul. CP3 has been able to put this team on his back in the second half of a lot of these games as of late and tonight was no different. CP3 finished the game with 18 points but was able to showcase a lot of his talent as he tried to show his old teammates in Houston he still has it. Dennis Scott said “Flashback CP3” the other night and you can tell that CP3 wanted to show he has a lot more in the tank. The Thunder proved it tonight that if they play as a team and a unit that nothing can get in the way of their success. People doubted this team coming into tonight’s game against the Rockets and they proved yet again that anything is possible. The defense from Terrance Ferguson on James Harden was amazing as Harden was held to only 17 points on the night.
Tonight was all about Russell Westbrook as he was able to return to the city that he loves. Westbrook had one of his better games on the year as he was the only Rockets player that was able to do anything on the evening. Russell Westbrook finished with 34 points on the night and was attacking the rim like it did something to him. Westbrook said “I felt like I was home” and that’s the way he played as well tonight as he was the Rocket offense. Westbrook had his way in the paint against Shai and was able to hit his mid-range jumper but that wasn’t enough as the Thunder were blowing out the Rockets throughout the game. Overall this was what the Thunder fans wanted and they got exactly what they paid for tonight. They wanted to get all the Westbrook moments that they could get with a Thunder win and that’s what they got tonight.
NFL Playoff time starts this weekend and we have 4 big games to preview to get you ready. The Saturday games will be all about the AFC as the Texans & Bills will meet up in H-Town. The late-game for Saturday will be the Patriots vs Titans in a matchup where Mike Vrabel will face his old head coach Bill Belichick. Those games should be very good and should live up to the hype built up to see who advances to the second round. On Sunday we get to be treated with some NFC battles that start in NOLA as the Saints will be hosting the Minnesota Vikings at home. The late-night matchup will be in Philadelphia as the Eagles will host the Seattle Seahawks in what should be a cold classic. Travis Singleton and Brandon Jefferson will get you all ready for the games as we preview them with predictions.
Saturday – 4:35 PM EST
Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans
The first game of the 2019 NFL Playoffs will feature two teams that are looking to leap into championship contention full time. For the Buffalo Bills, this marks their second trip to the postseason in the three seasons that Sean McDermott has been their head coach.
The former defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles (2009-2010) and the Carolina Panthers (2011-2016) has taken the Bills out of the basement of the AFC East and molded them into a thorn in the side of the New England Patriots dynasty of late.
As a defensive-minded coach, McDermott built this roster to his liking and has managed to put together one of the more formidable units on that side of the ball. With Tre’Davious White operating as a shutdown cornerback, the rest of the defense is free to attack and play aggressively elsewhere on the field without fear of giving up big plays.
They also have second-year quarterback, Josh Allen, playing at a confidence level that is hard to match. The word on him coming out of the draft was that he had a rocket for an arm but still needed to make strides as a decision-maker and with his accuracy. While he’s been better in those areas during the second half of this year, his ability as a runner has truly opened up Buffalo’s offense this year.
Listed at 6’5” and 238 pounds, he’s not your average quarterback. His sheer bulk makes him tough for non-defensive linemen to bring down on their own. Combine that with the 4.75 40-yard dashes and he has the speed to run past the behemoths upfront and wreak havoc at the second level of the defense and beyond.
Allen won’t be the only dual-threat quarterback on the field as Houston has Deshaun Watson on its sideline. Watson has been a winner at every stage. He was a top recruit coming out of high school and then he went to Clemson and brought down Nick Saban and the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide in a 2017 national championship upset.
Watson can—and will—do everything a coach wants out of their quarterback. This season, he made headlines courtesy of his postgame press conference breakdowns of opposing team’s defenses.
He gets to throw to weapons that include DeAndre Hopkins, Kenny Stills, and Will Fuller V in the receiving corps. When those three are all on the field together, it’s hard for defenses to cover all three well. Hopkins usually commands a double team. Stills is a solid possession receiver capable of slipping past defensive backs. However, it’s Fuller V that really puts the group over the top.
Defensively, the team will welcome back J.J. Watt from the injured reserve. Watt tore his pectoral muscle on October 27 but has made enough of a recovery to be available for this weekend’s Wild Card game. Even if he’s not 100 percent healthy, just having him on the field will be impactful for the Texans.
It has been an up-and-down season for them and they brought in Vernon Hargreaves and Gareon Conley during the season to try and sure up their secondary. They finished the year as the 26th ranked defense in the NFL. They’ll need to be much better than that if they are to make it past the opening weekend of the 2019 NFL Playoffs.
Ultimately, this game will be a match of strength against strength. Whichever side wins the battle between the Texans’ offense and the Bills’ defense will likely decide which of these two teams move on and which goes home.
Score Prediction: Buffalo Bills Win (20-17)
Saturday – 8:15 PM EST
Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are coming into this 1st round matchup against the Titans off a loss to the Miami Dolphins. All the Patriots had to do was beat the Dolphins and they wouldn’t be playing on Wild Card Saturday. Since the Patriots lost that gave the Chiefs the 1st round bye and this leaves the Patriots in unfamiliar territory. This will be the Patriot’s first Wild Card round game since 2010 and they will look to get a victory out of this game for the New England faithful. Coming into this game against the Titans everyone is wondering if this will be Tom Brady’s last game if the Patriots were to lose the game but he’s not worried about the chatter. In order for Tom Brady and the Patriots to be successful, they will need to depend on that defense with an amazing offensive gameplan. The Patriots defense has come back down to earth but they can still force some turnovers on the Titans. The defense will be trying to make sure they can have Ryan Tannehill seeing some ghosts as they did to Sam Darnold in the regular season. This was clearly one of Ryan Tannehill’s best seasons in his career as he took the job from Marcus Mariota early in the year. Tannehill has thrown for 2,742 yards passing and 22 touchdowns on the season so the Patriots defense will have their hands full. Look for Stephon Gilmore to be shadowing AJ Brown all day long in Foxboro tonight. The Patriots defense has stepped up in big moments throughout the season and they will need to do that once more. If the Patriots defense can stop the passing game and limit the Titans to trying to run the ball all day with Derrick Henry this could be a good day. One thing about Bill Belichick’s defense is the fact that he takes the best player out of the opposing team’s offense. Derrick Henry has been a complete beast all season racking up 1,540 rushing yards with 16 touchdowns. Look for the Patriots to stack the box and try to bait the Titans into playing the way they need them to play.
The Patriots have the GOAT in Tom Brady on the team and his season was up and down. Brady finished with 4,057 passing yards and 24 touchdowns on the year with limited help. This season Brady had to deal with life without Gronk in the offense and it was very challenging as you can see in the offenses play. Julian Edelman and James White have been the top targets for Tom Brady all season as both combined for 172 receptions for 1,762 and 11 touchdowns. The good thing for the New England Patriots is the fact that both Edelman and White step their game up in the postseason. Both Edelman and White have had huge games in some of the biggest Superbowls and that experience of being in these moments can put them over the Titans. If the Patriots will win this game they need to make sure they get the ball to both of them ASAP. This game could depend on the running game and that’s something that the Patriots definitely need with Sony Michel. It’s been a rough season for the Patriots running game all season but this is a new year now in the postseason. The Patriots will be leaning on Sony Michel to get the running game going to create some play-action opportunities for Tom Brady. The Titans defense has been MIA most of the season and the Patriots will look to exploit their run defense and ground and pound. If the Patriots can get that run game going that will open up some trick plays and it could also help build the confidence. The Patriots will be a tough out especially at home but you can’t count out the champions until they’re officially out. Overall this is a game between two coaches that know each other and two teams that want to prove they belong in the Super Bowl in February.
Score Prediction: New England Patriots Win (27-20)
Sunday – 11:05 AM EST
Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints
Just two years ago, these two teams met in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs and produced one of the most memorable games in NFL history.
The Minnesota Vikings pulled off the impossible and in the process, they added to a laundry list of postseason disappointments for the New Orleans Saints franchise. Fast forward to today and the organizations will meet again but this time in the Wild Card round and it will take place in the Superdome.
Being at home makes a big difference for the Saints, it’s almost as if the New Orleans’ voodoo infects the opponent at times. The crowd is persistent, loud, and raucous for the full 60 minutes of game time.
The Baltimore Ravens had the best record in the league and the San Francisco 49ers secured the number one seed in the NFC but there were moments during the year that the Saints looked like the best team in the NFL. Armed with two record-breaking talents in Drew Brees (career passing yards and career touchdown passes) and Michael Thomas (most receptions in a single season) they have one of the most formidable offensive attacks.
Add in Alvin Kamara in the backfield and as a pass-catcher and there are few flaws to this team’s offense. Sean Payton has been a dynamic play-caller since he took over in New Orleans.
It’ll be the play (and health) of their defense that will make or break them during the playoffs. The group has been better this season than past seasons with Payton at the helm, yet, they enter the Wild Card game banged up. Eli Apple has already been ruled out of the game but they also list Vonn Bell and Marcus Williams on their most recent injury report—though both were full participants on Thursday.
If their secondary isn’t at full strength that opens the door for the Vikings to exploit them via the talents of wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Minnesota remade itself into a run-first team this season but with Dalvin Cook nursing injuries throughout the year, Kirk Cousins and his wideouts were able to develop a nice connection that could pay huge dividends now.
But, first things first, a healthy Cook will be the biggest key for this offense. His speed and burst stand out in a league full of world-class athletes. If the Vikings are able to establish the run it will open up everything for their offense.
Like New Orleans, Minnesota also is dealing with a bunch of injuries to top-end talent. Cornerbacks Mackensie Alexander and Mike Hughes both have been ruled out for this game and Xavier Rhodes is dealing with an ankle issue.
It will be the next man up for the Vikings as it is now or never for this group. Despite entering the playoffs as the six seed in the NFC, Minnesota has looked much better than that during the 2019 regular season. The standings might call this an upset but these two teams are much closer in talent than they look on paper.
Score Prediction: New Orleans Saints Win (37-24)
Sunday – 4:40 PM EST
Seattle Seahawks @ Philidelphia Eagles
The Philidelphia Eagles fought hard to get to the playoffs as they were in a division battle with the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles came out on top of the division and with that, they get to host Russell Wilson and the Seahawks at home. It’s simple if the Eagles are going to win this game against the Seahawks they will need to have Carson Wentz show up with the spotlight on. This will be the first time the Eagles fans will get to see Wentz in the playoffs in a big spot without Nick Foles. Carson Wentz has been without a lot of his receivers this year and he’s been able to depend on his tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. On the season they were his safety blankets while piling up 146 receptions with 1,523 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns. Both of the tight ends have been special for the Eagles this season and with Zach Ertz still banged up Goedert has been able to step his game up. This team has been hurt all year long but one thing that hasn’t been hurt is their pride. The Eagles play a lot of ground/pound and they’ve been able to grind out some wins down the stretch. In order to win this game, they will need to stop Clowney/Wagner from getting to Carson Wentz. On the season Carson Wentz has thrown for 4,039 with 27 touchdowns on the year and he will need some more TDs against the Seahawks. The Eagles have a great offensive line and that has grown over the season with the emergence of Miles Sanders and his play. Sanders has become a true playmaker as he’s been able to run the ball and catch the ball out the backfield. A lot of the offense has been going through Sanders, Ertz, and Wentz with all the injuries. One player that has become a crucial part of this offense has been Boston Scott. The two-headed monster at the running back position of Scott and Sanders will make it tough on the Seahawks. The Seahawks defense will be busy on Sunday but they will try to limit the Eagles and keep them within the confines of the gameplan.
The Seahawks, on the other hand, have Russell Wilson who’s been in the MVP discussion all season long as he’s been able to carve up defenses with the ease. On the season Russell Wilson has thrown for 4,110 and 31 touchdowns on the season. The Seahawks lost their running backs, Carson and Penny, for the season. The Seahawks went back in the time machine to help Russell Wilson as they brought back Marshawn Lynch who signed back last week and scored a TD. The Eagles run defense is one of the best in the NFL but with having Marshawn Lynch back on the field anything is possible especially if he goes “Beastmode” on them. Adding Lynch back to the mix will open things up for Wilson in the passing game as he tries to find DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. One of the things that will be tough for the Philidelphia Eagles on Sunday is the fact that Russell Wilson can get out of the pocket with ease. When Russell Wilson gets out the pocket he’s a magician and it will be the Eagles priority to stop him no matter what if they want a chance. Both teams have had some injuries that hurt them throughout the season but the coaching will be key in this matchup as Pete Carol and Doug Pederson will look for the mismatches early. If Zach Ertz and Jadeveon Clowney aren’t 100% it will hurt but them being available for this big game will boost their team moral. This game will be neck and neck for most of the afternoon in Philly.
