SBK Edge Rush: Nat Coombs dissects Super Wild Card weekend playoff games

As the playoffs get underway with Super Wild Card weekend - never forget the super - both conferences offer some interesting match-ups and broader narratives when weighing up the runners and riders. 

The NFC is wide open. A case can be conceivably made for six of the seven playoff teams, all with upside and fragility intertwined. Let’s start with the Philadelphia Eagles, who will sit out the opening weekend as the number one seed but have concerns despite blazing through the regular season. 

The loss of lineman Lane Johnson has been significant, while MVP contender Jalen Hurts is just back from injury with questions over his health and recovery from a shoulder injury. Timing is everything in the playoffs and Hurts may not be close to his best just when Philly needs him to be.

Second seeds are the San Francisco 49ers, who seem to be gelling at the right time. Kyle Shanahan is painting a bright canvas with versatile playmakers zipping around the field, re-upped with the returning Deebo Samuel and more recently Elijah Mitchell. Rejuvenated tight end George Kittle has further assisted rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who just needs to be composed enough to make his plays. 

The only team that I can’t make a viable case for in the NFC is the Seattle Seahawks, who face the 49ers this weekend. As much as I love the Geno Smith redemption story and evergreen head coach Pete Carroll going again despite the odds, San Francisco will roll on to the next round comfortably.

Monday Night Football brings with it a clash between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both teams with big-hitting stars stumbling sluggishly into the post-season. 

Dak Prescott is being fast and loose with the ball, forcing the issue and leading the NFL in interceptions. It’s the high risk moves that will mean Dallas are boom or bust in the playoffs - ballhawk Trevon Diggs echoes this in the secondary - but if they can’t get their ground game going against the Bucs fast and lean Run D, Tom Brady could swoop. 

The Bucs’ own running game is lamentable, but maybe “playoff” Lenny Fournette has one more run in the tank. This is the intriguing thing about Tampa Bay, especially with TB12 lighting up the Mike Evans tandem in recent weeks. Beat Dallas and they’re two games for the Super Bowl. The ceiling is apparent, if the line can hold up. 

Tom Brady: back in the playoffs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Perhaps the most underrated team in the NFC are the Vikings. Minnesota has had a bizarre term for a 13-4 outfit and I like them to silence their critics with a win over the Giants on Sunday. 

The success of New York, much like Seattle, has been a terrific story this season. Brian Daboll is surely in the box seat for Coach of the Year given the magic he’s generated with a limited group, right? But I think they’re coming to the end of the line. 

Much has been made of the Vikings winning 11 games by one score, as if that’s a deficiency, but I read it as if they are clutch, clinical and impressive. Few have them going deep, the perceived shortcomings of Kirk Cousins front and centre, but I see comparisons with the Rams’ Super Bowl with Jared Goff under centre a few years back.

With coach Kevin O’Connell showing similar offensive flourish to Sean McVay, the Vikings are my dark horse in the conference and I like them to cover against Big Blue.

Over on our podcast SBK Edge Rush, which can be heard here, we’ve made our favourite bets - AKA our ‘Drew Locks of the Week’.