“It is just a game.” That is a common phrase we all tell ourselves when watching football becomes too distressing. Your team lost, everything is awful, your disappointment is immeasurable and your day is ruined. But even still, it is just a game, and a game should never dwarf real life.
This past week, the game of football was very much dwarfed by real life, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made what looked to be a routine play before collapsing on the field, needing to be reportedly resuscitated twice on the turf at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Monday Night Football. It was a moment that shook the league to its core and reminded everyone that, even though these are some of the strongest and toughest athletes on the planet, they, just like you reading this and me typing it up, are human beings. We all hope that Hamlin makes a full recovery, and adds a happy ending to this dark chapter in the 2023 NFL season.
Life has a way of continuing to move forward though, and this week is no different. As we keep Damar Hamlin and his family in our thoughts, this week on the playoff picks, we take a look at when each team's low moment was this season.
Note: These are not power rankings. These are not picks based off any analytical data or insider knowledge. These are picks based off what I have seen during the season so far. I could be wrong, just like I could be right. Either way, I will be back again next week to offer an updated projection to cover any of my past mistakes. Check out the projections from weeks past here:
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16
AFC
1 Seed: Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) AFC West Winner
Low Moment: 9/25 loss to the Colts
Jeff Saturday was not the coach of the team yet, so this moment could have been a lot lower. And we were not as aware of how washed Matt Ryan was either. But for a Chiefs team that has been flying high all season, this moment wins by default.
2 Seed: Buffalo Bills (13-3) AFC East Winner
Low Moment: 11/13 loss to the Vikings at home
The Bills blew a 10-point lead at home to the comeback kids, and Josh Allen threw 2 interceptions in a game for the third straight week. If there was ever a time to doubt the Bills, it was then.
3 Seed: Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) AFC North Winner
Low Moment: 10/31 loss to the Browns
The Bengals fell to their cross state rivals and looked horrible doing it, and Joe Burrow threw a pick and was sacked five times while the Browns racked up 440 yards with Jacoby Brissett under center. So low was that moment that the Bengals haven’t lost since.
4 Seed: Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) AFC South Winner
Low Moment: 10/30 loss to the Broncos
The Jaguars became just the second team to allow the Broncos to score 20 points, and Trevor Lawrence had his worst game of the year, with a season low 133 yards passing and two interceptions to fall to 2-6.
5 Seed: Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
Low Moment: 12/4 loss to the Raiders
The Raiders have blown every double-digit lead they’ve had this year, except the 24-13 lead they had on the Chargers. Ouch.
6 Seed: Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
Low Moment: When Lamar Jackson began the season without a contract
Whether or not Jackson comes back next year is yet to be seen, but allowing the season to start with your franchise quarterback not under contract is never a good thing.
7 Seed: Miami Dolphins (9-8)
Low Moment: Right now
The Dolphins are collapsing into the playoffs, assuming they can handle business against a Jets team that got a head start on their collapse, leaving this Sunday’s contest meaningless for them. Lucky for the Dolphins I guess, except that Skylar Thompson is expected to be starting for Miami this week. Yikes.
NFC
1 Seed: Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) NFC East Winner
Low Moment: Right now
The Eagles are feeling the hurts without their quarterback Jalen Hurts. Two straight losses with
The MVP candidate out and suddenly the City of Brotherly Love has a bit of Brotherly Uneasiness to it.
2 Seed: San Francisco 49ers (13-4) NFC West Winner
Low Moment: 10/23 loss to the Chiefs
The 49ers were outclassed on all sides of the ball in a 44-23 beatdown at home by the team that beat them in the Super Bowl just three years ago. The Niners last two drives included 17 plays, 94 total yards, and ended in a fumble and an interception respectively. A rather large oof to say the least.
3 Seed: Minnesota Vikings (13-4) NFC North Winner
Low Moment: 11/20 loss to the Cowboys
Everyone’s favorite comeback kids became everyone’s favorite frauds after the Cowboys dropped a 40-3 smashdown on the Vikings at home.
4 Seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9) NFC South Winner
Low Moment: 10/27 loss to the Ravens
The loss capped off a three-game losing streak for the Bucs that left them 3-5, and suddenly we were all wondering if all of THIS was worth Tom Brady getting divorced.
5 Seed: Dallas Cowboys (13-4)
Low Moment: 12/18 loss to the Jaguars
Could the Cowboys steal the top seed in the NFC? That question was effectively put to bed after two horrid performances by the Cowboys defense against the Jaguars the week after a similarly bad performance against the Houston Texans.
6 Seed: New York Giants (9-7-1)
Low Moment: 12/4 tie vs the Commanders
The Giants had a chance to notch a major division win that would give their playoff chances a major boost. Instead they tied against Washington and everyone began hoping on the Commanders bandwagon.
7 Seed: Green Bay Packers (9-8)
Low Moment: 11/6 loss to the Lions
The NFL’s worst defense held the mighty immunized Aaron Rodgers-led offense to a measly 9 points, leaving the 3-6 Packers season on life support with three weeks to go before Thanksgiving.
AFC WILD CARD ROUND
(2) Bills over (7) Dolphins
I just hope the Dolphins don’t try and force Tua Tagovailoa to stumble on to the field just to get ramrodded by the Bills all afternoon in negative a billion degrees weather.
(3) Bengals over (6) Ravens
Bengals do the merciful thing and put the Ravens season out of its misery quick and early.
(5) Chargers over (4) Jaguars
The Chargers are once again healthy and spend an afternoon looking like the team we all thought they could be: good enough to win maybe one playoff game.
NFC WILD CARD ROUND
(2) 49ers over (7) Packers
A game that will be much closer than it should be, but the Packers defense stinks, so the second half will look more like the game we expected it to be.
(3) Vikings over (6) Giants
The Fraud Bowl gives us the most fun playoff football game no one will ever care about.
(4) Bucs over (5) Cowboys
I have had to haggle with this pick all year more than the Chiefs-Bills AFC Title Game pick, and the idea of Tom Brady leading one last comeback win over the Cowboys is just too funny to not want.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
(1) Chiefs over (5) Chargers
“Hey, it’s a divisional opponent, anything can happen.” No, it can’t. Chiefs roll.
(2) Bills over (3) Bengals
The emotions in this game will run high in their first meeting since Damar Hamlins horrific injury. Bills sneak away with one of the most charged playoff games ever.
(1) Eagles over (5) Bucs
I trust Tom Brady in the cold weather. I don’t trust the rest of his team.
(2) 49ers over (3) Vikings
49ers win 39-36 in OT after leading 33-3 at halftime.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
(1) Chiefs over (2) Bills
I have been picking at least one of these teams to make the AFC Title Game all year, so it’s very likely neither team is actually still playing on Championship Sunday.
(2) 49ers over (1) Eagles
The 49ers were not ready for the legs of Jarrett Stidham. They will be ready for the legs of Jalen Hurts.
SUPER BOWL
(1) Chiefs over (2) 49ers
No one likes reruns, but sometimes that is simply the life we must live.
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