As the NFL regular season comes to a close, some playoff matchups are taking shape. While there are still some playoff spots to be decided, there could be some interesting games coming in the postseason.
Those potential matchups include the possibility of Joe Flacco taking his Cleveland Browns into Baltimore to face the Ravens, while Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams could go into Detroit against the Lions in the Wild Card round.
Andrew Fillipponi and Danny Parkins of the Audacy original podcast “1st & Pod” had a spirited debate about whether Flacco beating the Ravens or Stafford beating the Lions would be more painful for those fanbases.
“You’ve been all over this whole Rams - Lions thing for weeks. The idea of Cleveland going into Baltimore in the divisional round with Flacco is titillating to me,” Fillipponi said (13:20 in player above). “I think it’s even better.”
The Browns have clinched a playoff spot and could play the top-seeded Ravens if they get past their wild-card round opponent. The Lions are set to host either the Rams or Packers in their first-round matchup.
“It’s the first playoff game at Ford Field. It’s the first Lions home playoff game in 30 years. The Ravens won a Super Bowl with Flacco,” Parkins said. “There’s no bad blood between Flacco and the Ravens.”
“What?” Fillipponi interjected. “He was not in the prime of his career per se but he was in his early 30s, they drafted another quarterback in the first round and replaced him after he had won a Super Bowl there. That is absolutely a slap in the face.”
“I’m saying Ravens fans would cheer Joe Flacco in general. They like Joe Flacco,” Parkins said. “Joe Flacco’s not a guy who strikes me as a guy who strikes me as ‘I got grudges against the Baltimore Ravens.’”
The Ravens selected Lamar Jackson in the first round (32nd overall) in 2018, which was also Flacco’s last year in Baltimore. Flacco went on to spend some time with the Broncos and Jets before coming back to lead the Browns to the playoffs this year.
“If Joe Flacco wins in Baltimore to get the Browns to the AFC Championship Game,” said Fillipponi, “they’re going to burn that city down.”
“No they will not,” Parkins replied. “It will be more painful for Lions fans if Stafford wins in Detroit than for Ravens fans if Flacco wins in Baltimore.”
Of course, Stafford won a Super Bowl during his first season with the Rams after spending the first dozen years of his career in Detroit.
“Totally disagree with you on that because Detroit looks at what they’ve done this year as their season’s already been made,” Fillipponi opined. “This is icing on the cake if they win a playoff game, even if it’s against their old franchise quarterback.”
“I’m saying the Ravens losing a playoff game to anyone is very painful for them,” Parkins concluded. “The Lions losing a playoff game specifically to Stafford is extra painful.”