Burning Questions for NFL's Divisional Weekend
You’ve got questions, I’ve got questions, we have all got questions that need to be answered regarding the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
Obviously, there are no definitive answers to be found until the games are actually played, but just knowing some of the major concerns going into the game can help filter the way we process and observe the action this weekend. In addition, the questions posed in this slideshow offer a fun way to get the football juices flowing as the excitement for the big games ahead draw closer.
Listed in this slideshow are some of my biggest questions about the upcoming contests and some of the more interesting ones as well.
Is Luck as Valuable to His Team as Manning?
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Regardless of who wins the Denver Broncos-Indianapolis Colts matchup, we can all concede that Denver is the more complete team at this point. But which quarterback means more to his squad?
Andrew Luck is 13 years younger than the man he replaced in Indianapolis three years ago, Peyton Manning. Over these last few seasons, we’ve watched Luck grow into one of the best QBs this league has to offer and can clearly see that his ascension is far from finished.
Meanwhile, the savvy veteran, Manning, whom many wondered if he would ever be the same after sitting out his final year in Indianapolis due to nerve damage in his neck, continues to forge an unimaginable legacy at the quarterback position.
Manning’s 2013 season will go down as one of the greatest ever played. But as the light begins to fade on Peyton’s career, Luck’s seems to be getting brighter with each game. Obviously, this is a natural process and not at all surprising.
According to a recent edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter, Luck tops the list among remaining playoff quarterbacks in accounting for a whopping 77 percent of his team’s offense this season.
Luck has basically had to keep a team riddled with holes afloat for the last three years to allow management to build around its star QB.
But when these two signal-callers step onto Sports Authority Field Sunday evening, only one will be victorious. If by some chance that QB happens to be Luck, there will be no doubt that the torch has officially been passed.
Which Former Cal Running Back Will Have the Best Day?
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Remarkably, half of the remaining playoff teams are starting former Cal running backs: Marshawn Lynch for Seattle, Justin Forsett in Baltimore, Shane Vereen for the Patriots and C.J. Anderson over in Denver. What are the chances that something like that could happen?
Even though I'm a Cal alumnus, it’s pretty incredible that this is actually a thing in the playoffs.
In any case, the running back most in need of a big game this week is sure to be Forsett. He has experienced a breakout season and has morphed into one of the Ravens' most valuable players. On the year, he ran for 1,266 yards, averaging 5.4 yards a carry.
Forsett had 235 carries this season, but it wasn’t until last week against the Steelers that he fumbled for the first time. That fumble came at a critical juncture at the start of the fourth quarter and had the potential to unravel the team, but the Ravens didn’t let that happen.
But even though Forsett needs to carry the biggest load, Anderson is the former Cal RB who is most likely to have the best weekend.
He has played incredible football recently, bringing life and a nasty attitude to the Denver offense that wasn’t there before. He'll go up against a vulnerable Colts defense that struggles to stop the run and will probably be preoccupied with trying to limit Peyton Manning and his horde of receivers, even though the QB hasn't been at his best over the past six weeks.
Not only will Anderson run for over 100 yards, he should also catch several passes while wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas soften up the secondary.
What Can the Panthers Do to Beat the Seahawks?
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All indications point toward the Panthers losing to the Seahawks in Seattle. Pete Carroll's team gave up only 39 points in its final six regular-season games and are 24-2 in their last 26 home games.
To make matters worse, the Panthers are ranked No. 19 in points per game, averaging 21.2, while the Seahawks are allowing a league-best 15.9 on the season.
It seems clear that Cam Newton and the Panthers will have to fight for every yard they get Saturday night.
But can they really pull off the incredible upset?
Newton will have to do some of the spectacular things we saw him do back at Auburn when he single-handedly guided the Tiger offense to a national championship.
With the Seahawks defense able to shut down Newton’s options downfield, it’ll be up to his legs to win the game. With his big frame and ability to break tackles, Newton will be tough for the Seahawks to wrangle in.
On defense, linebackers Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly have to somehow force Russell Wilson to pass without allowing him to take off and run. Shadowing Wilson with either Kuechly or Davis on every play could be a solution for the Panthers, but nobody has been able to stifle every aspect of Wilson’s game.
He is essentially the equivalent of the Whack-A-Mole of the NFL. When you stop one area, he just takes over in another.
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How Will the Tony Romo Narrative Change After This Postseason?
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So far in his career, Dallas' Tony Romo has appeared in five playoff games and has lost three. Last week’s win was easily his best postseason performance to date. Romo has a career passer rating of 87.0 in the playoffs yet had a mark of 114.0 last week while averaging a career-high 9.45 yards per pass attempt, as opposed to his usual 6.78 in postseason action.
The chances are fairly good that he will lose again this weekend at Lambeau Field against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. If one assumes he does, the much-maligned QB will fall to 2-4 in postseason play dating back to 2006.
By contrast, Russell Wilson is only in his third year and has already won four postseason games, including a Super Bowl. He's also posted a 102.0 postseason passer rating.
Obviously, these two teams have completely different strengths and weaknesses. But this is about perception. Another disappointing playoff loss by Romo, during a year that has given so many Cowboys fans hope, could end up backfiring on him. People could very quickly return to the view that Romo always screws everything up in big games and at the worst possible times.
If the Cowboys win at Green Bay, we could be looking at the birth of a new legend in the Lone Star State.
I guess you can say there's a lot of pressure on Romo this weekend, and you better believe he feels it.
Which Flacco Will Show Up in This Game?
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After Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco put together his remarkable postseason run that culminated with a Super Bowl two years ago, many people were asking whether he was an elite NFL quarterback. Later that offseason, the Ravens paid him as if they believed he was.
But let’s save the “elite” debate for another time, when there isn’t football left to be played, because it doesn’t really matter.
With the Ravens now just a few critical games away from returning to the Super Bowl, it’s impossible to ignore the role Flacco has played in this organization’s success.
However, it’s incredibly hard to know which Flacco will show up for the game against the Patriots. The last time these two teams met in the postseason was back in the 2012 playoffs, and the Ravens won that game, 28-13. Flacco threw for 240 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
But when they faced off during the regular season in 2013, Flacco played terribly, and the Ravens suffered a 41-7 loss. Flacco completed 57.9 percent of passes for 260 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
Beyond just his recent bouts with the Patriots, Flacco’s inconsistencies have been well-documented. In his seven-year NFL career, Flacco has a passer rating of 84.8 and has thrown 148 touchdowns against 90 interceptions.
The version of Flacco the Ravens get will likely determine whether the team moves on.
How Serious Is Aaron Rodgers’ Injury?
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The bye week for the top-seeded Green Bay Packers gave Aaron Rodgers some extra time to heel a calf injury that has plagued him since Week 16 when he hurt it against the Bucs. Since then, he has been getting treatment on the calf regularly.
"It feels better," Rodgers said Tuesday on his ESPN Milwaukee radio show (via ESPN.com). "We'll see what happens this week as far as practice reps. Everybody's so concerned about them. I'm not, and thankfully my teammates aren't, either."
However, Rodgers did sit out of practice on Wednesday, which was supposedly part of the team’s plan for him heading into the week, according to head coach Mike McCarthy, as per Marc Sessler of NFL.com: “McCarthy told reporters that his star quarterback simply sat out Wednesday's practice as part of a pre-planned day of treatment.”
McCarthy indicated then that Rodgers may not return to the practice field until Thursday at the earliest, which might be the team’s most important day for on-field work.
Even though we can fully expect Rodgers to play this weekend against the Cowboys, there could be a chance that his slight calf tear prevents him from accessing the full repertoire of his abilities.
One of the things that makes Rodgers so dangerous is the way he can maneuver in the pocket and buy time with his legs. If he is unable to do those things, the Cowboys could end up seeing a much more mortal, beatable opponent.
Who Will Emerge from the Divisional Round as a Hero?
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The NFL postseason is a place where legends can be born, and this weekend's division round is as good a time as any. Who can we expect to come through in these matchups?
Expect Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to play a key role in the game against the Ravens with at least one TD and over 100 yards receiving. Not only will he put up solid stats in Saturday’s game, but he will also draw a lot of coverage and free up some other targets as well.
Another player who will emerge from this weekend with his reputation enhanced is Andrew Luck. Luck is already a star in the NFL, but when his dilapidated roster struggles, Luck will be forced to take over and single-handedly keep this game competitive.
In the end, however, Luck’s contributions will not be enough for the victory over the Broncos.
Lastly, there’s a little-known cornerback on the Green Bay Packers named Casey Hayward, who is in his third year as a pro. Hayward is one of the most underrated CBs in the NFL and could come up huge against the Cowboys. He has great instincts and has the ball skills to snag one away from one of Tony Romo’s intended targets during a critical moment of the game.
During his rookie campaign in 2012, No. 29 picked off six passes and shut down nearly every receiver he faced.
In 2013, Hayward missed all but three games due to injury but has returned this year healthy once again. This season, he posted three picks and has continued to dominate whomever he lines up against.
He hasn’t had an interception since Week 10 and is long overdue for one. Based on his abilities, it's possible Hayward has a huge day against the Cowboys and launches himself into a whole new stratosphere of popularity.
Ryan Riddle is a former NFL player who writes for Bleacher Report.
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