Adrian Kraus / Associated Press
The NFL’s extensive Wild Card Weekend began on Saturday with plenty of action, while the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams each advanced to next week’s division round with resounding victories.
Buffalo were the only home team to score a win as the Washington Football Team and Seattle Seahawks were eliminated after winning their respective divisions. The Rams produced the biggest surprise of the day by silencing the Seahawks offense, despite losing one quarter due to a neck injury, and inserting another one just weeks after his thumb surgery.
The playoffs started with a hat-trick for the first time, and none of the matches disappointed. Here’s a look at how the first half of Wild Card Weekend played out and what’s going on next.
Saturday game card results
Nr. 2 Buffalo Bills def. 7 Indianapolis Colts 27-24
Nr. 6 Defeat Los Angeles Rams. No. 3 Seattle Seahawks 30-20
No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers def. 4 Washington Football Team 31-23
Sunday Game Card Schedule
5 Baltimore Ravens no. 4 Tennessee Titans: 1:05 PM ET on ABC / ESPN
Nr. 7 Chicago Bears by no. 2 New Orleans Saints: 16:40 ET on CBS
6 Cleveland Browns at No. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers: 20:15 ET on NBC
Saturday Summary
Buffalo Bills 27, Indianapolis Colts 24
The Bills did not play their best on Saturday, but since Buffalo have not won a playoff game since 1995, it hardly matters.
Josh Allen, the back of the bill, wants to bring his team to a victory after the Colts kept defending for big plays. Allen completed 26 of the 35 pass attempts for 324 yards and two touchdowns while racing for another 54 yards and a score.
Indianapolis was apparently ready to take control after leading 10-7 early, but an inability to convert into the red zone condemned the attack on Philip Rivers. The Colts converted just twice in five games within the 20-yard line, and the play didn’t help anything.
With a three-point lead late in the first half, the Colts were unable to score on the 4th goal as a Rivers pass just out of reach of Michael Pittman Jr. fell. the first half of the second half, the Colts became conservative and tried to kick a field goal that slammed straight up and out.
Buffalo responded with a nine-yard touchdown run of 77 yards to take a 24-10 lead, which closed the door except for a Colts return.
A failed attempt at a Hail Mary does not come close to the end zone and sends Indy home empty-handed.
Rivers passed for 309 meters and penetrated two points of contact what was possible the last NFL game of his 17-year career.
Los Angeles Rams 30, Seattle Seahawks 20
Whatever the question marks over the Los Angeles Rams offense, the defense seems to be compensating for it and more.
Against the Russell Wilson, DK Metcalf and the strong Seattle Seahawks, the Rams went on the road and kept the Hawks up to just 278 yards, while forcing twice. Aaron Donald has proven to be one of the fiercest defensive lineouts in two-pocket football because he kept pressure on Wilson until a rib injury forced him off the field in the third quarter.
When the Seattle offense fell apart, the Rams could barely keep them together.
Second string full-back John Wolford was scheduled to start, but only lasted until the team’s second time when a neck injury forced him out of the game and, temporarily, sent him to hospital for further evaluation. That meant Jared Goff, who underwent surgery on December 28, was forced back into action.
Goff completed nine of the 19 passes for 115 yards and a shot, while fullback Cam Akers put on the most weight with 131 yards and a round on 28 runs.
Wilson finished with 174 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while taking five bags.
The Rams’ quarterback situation and Donald’s health will remain the most important issue for LA over the last few days.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Washington Football Team 23
Washington continued the trend of quarterback issues on Saturday when Taylor Heinicke made his national debut for the football team after Alex Smith was found inactive.
For that, Tom Brady, who oldest QB in NFL history to score a pass in a playoff game, as Tampa Bay never won.
Brady passed for 381 yards and two touchdowns, while Heinicke set up 306 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception to go 46 yards with a different score on the ground. This was despite an apparent shoulder injury that sent the WFT QB back in the third quarter with obvious pain. He was able to return and keep his team in the game, regardless.
The Bucs meanwhile suffered their biggest injury shock during the warm-up when they started fullback Ronald Jones II tweaked sy quad. Jones was listed as active for the game, but did not see the field for any snaps and does not even appear to be an option for Brady’s offense.
Instead, Leonard Fournette rushed 19 times for 93 yards and a score with Jones on the sidelines.
Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown in the Tampa team each dragged a pass rate as the Bucs moved to the division round.
Section round schedule
(The team with the highest rank in each conference plays the lowest remaining seed)
7 Chicago Bears OF 6 Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers no. 1: time TBD
Nr. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at no. 2 New Orleans Saints OF No. 6 Los Angeles Rams by no. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Time TBD
6 Cleveland Browns OF No. 5 Baltimore Ravens OF No. 4 Tennessee Titans at No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs: Time TBD
No.3 Pittsburgh Steelers OF No. 4 Tennessee Titans OF No. 5 Baltimore Ravens by No.2 Buffalo Bills: Time TBD