The 2018 NFL regular season came to a close last weekend, which mercifully closed the book on the Jacksonville Jaguars disappointing season, and gave way to the highly-anticipated playoffs. This weekend will feature four Wild Card matchups showcasing the reigning champions, top-tier quarterbacks and high-profile coaches.
In the AFC, the Houston Texans will host the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, January 5th and the Los Angeles Chargers will travel to Baltimore on Sunday, January 6th to contend with the Ravens. The Texans will be led by quarterback Deshaun Watson and running back Lamar Miller while the Colts will try to keep up with Houston through the aerial attack of quarterback Andrew Luck and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. The Ravens will unleash the former Heisman Trophy winner and rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson against the talented Chargers defense led by defensive end Joey Bosa.
“I came in to learn [this season],” Jackson said at a press conference referencing his start on the bench this season. “I got my ticket in the middle of the season … we’ve been having success.”
In the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys will take on the red-hot Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, January 5th in the prime time slot and the Chicago Bears will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Windy City on Sunday, January 6th. The Seahawks, a team familiar with the postseason, will hope to move on with star quarterback Russell Wilson commanding the birds against talented Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and infamous coach Jason Garrett. The Chicago Bears, anchored by a stout defense featuring stud defensive end Khalil Mack, will matchup against the defending champions in the Philadelphia Eagles with the former super bowl MVP quarterback Nick Foles at the helm.
“Everything picks up a little bit more in the playoffs,” Foles said at a press conference. “I’m just a small piece of the puzzle that goes in there and does my job.”
In the AFC, the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, the two and one seeds respectively, will relish this well-deserved bye week. In the NFC, the steamrolling New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams squads will avoid games this weekend, too.
The postseason will conclude at Super Bowl LIII, which will be held on February 3rd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The game will feature the two winners of the NFC and AFC brackets along with pop rock band Maroon 5, who will be starring in the halftime show.