NFL Playoffs 2013: Biggest Surprises from Wild Card Weekend

The 2013 NFL playoffs are in full swing and already the outcomes have us scratching our heads. These happenings confirm the idea that anything can happen in the postseason.

But what has truly shocked us to this point? What’s happened that has changed the dynamic and outcome of some of these highly contested playoff battles?

Here’s a few things that make you think a little bit when trying to figure out just how much you know, or think you know, about the NFL.

Green Bay shuts down Adrian Peterson, Christian Ponder sits

Adrian Peterson completely gashed the Green Bay Packers during the teams’ first two matchups this season. His 99 yards rushing on 22 carries is not a bad day at the office, by any means, but it was nowhere near the previous two totals.

Potentially the league’s MVP, Peterson ran for 409 yards in two games against the Packers this season. At the end of the year he fell just nine yards short of breaking the single-season rushing record.

But Christian Ponder’s injury thrust backup Joe Webb into the starting QB position and the Packers keyed in on All Day all day.

Peterson was held to under 100 yards just once in the team’s final 10 games.

Andrew Luck fails to throw TD Pass, Bruce Arians in the hospital

There is no denying that the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft inflicted a big change on the makeup of the Indianapolis Colts. The team picked him to replace Peyton Manning, cleaned house from the top to the bottom of the organization and surrounded him with a nice complement of players.

Bruce Arians, Luck’s offensive coordinator and head coach for much of the season, was hospitalized and didn’t make it to the team’s playoff matchup against Baltimore. Chuck Pagano, the team’s head coach, was hospitalized for much of the season while Arians led the team.

Still, coordinator or not, Luck was unable to connect on the big play that has helped his team for much of the season. He also failed to throw a TD pass for just the fourth time this season.

Seattle Seahawks Fall to Early 14-point deficit

The Seattle Seahawks, the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs, were a defensive juggernaut this season. That’s why the beginning to their wild-card matchup in Washington D.C. was so surprising.

Alfred Morris ran right through the heart of the team’s defense and before you could blink the Redskins were up 14-0.

More surprisingly, that 14-point deficit is the first time the Seahawks have fallen in that deep of hole throughout the entire regular season.

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