NFL Playoffs 2012: 10 Things We Learned from Wild Card Weekend

The NFL playoffs kicked off with Wild Card Weekend and NFL fans across the world learned a great deal from the action. When the playoffs hit, each team has a clean slate regardless of regular season performance, and it’s a clean slate for fans as well.

Whether fans were disappointed or overjoyed with their respective team’s performances, the Wild Card Round provided a good measuring-stick of where the franchise and players are really at.

From glaring holes being exposed to the shockingly unexpected, Wild Card Weekend was each team and player being heavily examined on a massive national spotlight, and what teams learn from the experience is vital to not only the future but a Super Bowl victory this postseason as well.

The teams still in contention now see what they must improve upon if they are to fulfill their dreams. The teams observing thanks to a bye have had time to analyze and prepare for their opponent in detailed fashion. Finally, the teams sent home now know exactly what it will take to make another postseason appearance next year.

What follows are 10 important things to take away from Wild Card Weekend:

The Bengals Are Still Too Young

The Cincinnati Bengals were a surprise this season, finishing at 9-7 and making a postseason appearance despite starting a rookie quarterback and receiver.

People in the know were aware of the young talent on the Bengals before the 2011 draft—the draft simply added to that in key areas. Quarterback Andy Dalton is in contention for Rookie of the Year and receiver A.J. Green posted better rookie numbers than Jerry Rice in his rookie season.

The Bengals faced off against a Houston Texans team led by a third-string quarterback and were thoroughly whipped up and down the field in every area. The Texans defense smothered the inexperienced offense. The Texans offense took advantage of an overrated defense en route to a 31-10 embarrassment.

The time is not now for the Bengals. The foundation has been laid, and losing in this fashion is invaluable experience for a young squad. The Bengals are almost there, but not quite yet.

Arian Foster Can Carry a Team to the Super Bowl

Speaking of the Bengals-Texans game, Arian Foster had a pretty solid stat line. Foster carried the ball 24 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns. His amazing 6.4 yards per run average helped to bury the Bengals while winning the first postseason game in Houston Texans history.

Foster emerged last season as an elite running back, and this season put to bed any doubts that he had a fluke season. This season Foster accumulated 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns on a 4.4 average.

What Foster did to the Bengals was particularly impressive saying the Bengals were a top 10 ranked defense in the NFL and prided itself on stuffing the run. Foster, who was held in check in the regular season matchup between the teams, came out victorious in the second round.

Foster’s impressive performance should scare the rest of the playoff teams. Yes, most teams at this point have great defenses—but so did Cincinnati. The threat of Foster killing a defense will leave passing lanes wide open for tight ends to torch defenses.

If the Texans are to win a Super Bowl this year, Foster will have to do the heavy lifting.

Drew Brees Proved to Be Worthy of MVP

Many considered Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to run away with the MVP award. Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints has something to say about that.

Drew Brees threw 46 touchdowns and 5,476 yards with a 110.6 rating in the regular season. He cemented his case for the prestigious award in the Wild Card Round against the Detroit Lions by throwing for 466 yards and three touchdowns, which led to a 45-28 victory.

Brees threw for more yards than Rodgers in the regular season and threw one more touchdown. Rodgers’ rating was better and he was intercepted less. It’s hard to tell who deserves to win, but Brees has shined in his playoff attempt while we have yet to see if Rodgers can match.

The MVP race continues to be an interesting debate as the playoffs progress.

Horrible Coaches Continue to Hold Back Promising Franchises

There are certain franchises in the NFL that most fans think are about to win championships. Then the fans realize the team can never win a title with their current head coach. Two of these coaches reared their ugly heads in the Wild Card Round.

The Atlanta Falcons have four consecutive winning seasons under head coach Mike Smith. That’s all well and good, but they are also 0-3 under Smith. Smith made some bone-headed mistakes while his team was embarrassed by the New York Giants last weekend. For example, running back Michael Turner was on the sideline on 4th-and-1. Not to mention they only score two points. Two.

The Cincinnati Bengals weren’t supposed to do anything this year, that much we know. But Marvin Lewis is infamous for his horrible in-game management, and he let his team down in the Wild Card Round. Lewis blew both of his challenges in the first half and had a horrible game plan overall that led to his surprise team being ousted in embarrassing fashion.

Lions Defense Has a Long Way to Go

Yes, yes the Detroit Lions have one of the better defensive lines in the league. That doesn’t mean they are ready for prime time, and it certainly doesn’t mean the rest of the defense is as good.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise really. The Lions were ranked in the mid-20s defensively in all statistical categories and gave up 24 points a game. Also, at the end of the regular season the defense was absolutely shredded by the Packers backup quarterback to the tune of 480 yards and six touchdowns.

Cliff Avril tallied 11 sacks in the regular season, Kyle Vanden Bosch had eight and Ndamukong Suh added four. Against the Saints, Avril and Suh had half a sack each while the entire defensive unit was dismantled by allowing Drew Brees to throw for 466 yards and three touchdowns.

The Lions are approaching being a great team, but the defense prohibits that entirely. Major upgrades are needed at linebacker and in the secondary before anyone takes them seriously as a postseason threat.

Falcons Are a Fluke of a Franchise

It hurts, but it’s the best way to describe the Atlanta Falcons at this point. It’s one thing to continue to compile winning seasons, but it doesn’t say much if the team isn’t winning postseason games. It’s to the point where the Falcons are expected to play great in the regular season, but only postseason victories matter.

Matt Ryan is not an elite quarterback, rather a check-down machine even Joe Flacco could be proud of. “Matty Ice” threw for 199 yards while his defense scored two points in a humbling Wild Card defeat to the New York Giants.

You’d think the offense would be a little more productive with one of the most underrated receivers in the league, Roddy White. Add in the fact the Falcons traded away the future to grab Julio Jones in the last draft, and one has to wonder what exactly is wrong with the Falcons.

The Falcons need upgrades across the board, and it starts with the front office. Unless this happens, the Falcons will simply continue to only be a good regular season team.

Giants Are the Most Balanced Team in the Playoffs

The New York Giants are poised to make a run at a Super Bowl this postseason as they continue to play their best football late in the season yet again. The Giants will easily be the toughest out in the playoffs with an elite defense, two elite receivers, a dual-threat running attack and a franchise quarterback.

The defense was impressive in the Wild Card Round, surrendering no points at all. The pass rush is arguably the best in the league and the secondary is underrated.

Offensively Eli Manning is a great quarterback that has great options in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs have the ability to wear down a defense and make them susceptible to the play action.

The Giants won’t post the flashy numbers like some teams will in the postseason, but they will win games by simply being a great overall team. No one wants to play the Giants, and this continued formula for success has to put fear in all potential opponents.

Tebow Is a Starting Quarterback in the NFL

It’s about time the nation acknowledged that Tebow has the tools to be a starting quarterback, whether observers like it or not. Without looking at his faith or demeanor, it’s easy to see how Tebow succeeds as a football player.

Tebow threw for 316 yards (a very interesting number when looked at in a certain light) and two touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime. The Pittsburgh Steelers touted one of the best defenses in the NFL but had no answer for the Tebow-led assault.

The most interesting part of the game was simply seeing Tebow progress as a player. He made passes against the Steelers that he wouldn’t have been able to hit three weeks ago. The threat of his running ability keeps even an elite Pittsburgh unit on its toes, and with Tebow hitting his passes he might be unstoppable.

The Tebow to Demaryius Thomas era is just beginning, but let’s focus on the title shot the Broncos have this year for now.

Steelers’ Championship Window Is Closing

The Pittsburgh Steelers were bounced from the postseason in the Wild Card Round after making it to the Super Bowl the previous year. There were a plethora of injuries holding the Steelers back, but that excuse is part of a bigger problem the Steelers are facing.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is consistently plagued, and most of the vital players on defense are aging as well. The national media over-hyped the age issue early in the season, and rightfully so.

Pittsburgh faced an easy schedule in the regular season, and the age issue was forced into the spotlight on the national stage of the postseason against the Broncos. If the Steelers don’t reload with the proper young talent soon, things are looking bleak in Pittsburgh.

There Won’t Be a Cinderella Story This Postseason

“Any Given Sunday” is a rule fans like to say in a variety of scenarios. In the Wild Card Round the rule didn’t really apply as the lower seed in all of the games didn’t come out victorious.

Underdog stories are always nice for film adaptions, but that won’t happen this time. The high seeds in this playoff bracket are simply too good, and the majority of the low seeds don’t have the firepower to keep up.

Many would like to think Tebow and the Broncos, or possibly Brees and the Saints, could make a run, but it won’t happen. No one is beating the Green Bay Packers in the NFC, and it’s doubtful that anyone can compete with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC.

If there’s to be a major upset in the postseason, it would have to come from the Texans or Broncos because Eli Manning and Drew Brees wouldn’t surprise anyone. Unfortunately for the Texans and Broncos, this won’t happen.

Regardless of the absence of an underdog success story, this will still be a postseason to remember.