Tampa.The Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers are still on a break as the best teams – the play-offs of the NFL are now beginning for the twelve other qualified teams. The fact that quarterback superstar Tom Brady is there in the hot phase of the season is a familiar sight. For his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it is an unfamiliar experience after a 13-year break. On the wildcard weekend, the Florida team is in the group of favorites. An overview:
Day one: Washington Football Team against Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2.15 a.m. Sunday CET): The Washington Football Team has home rights as division winners of the NFC East, but the clear favorites are the Buccaneers around Tom Brady with the significantly better record in the main round. After a stutter start, the Florida team found the most successful quarterback in NFL history as the most important player and recently won four games in a row. Washington has done more than hoped after a season in which the team split from the controversial Redskins name and coach Ron Rivera contracted skin cancer.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams (10:40 p.m. Saturday CET): With 40 touchdown passes, Russell Wilson and Brady are the second best quarterback in the league behind Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. The playmaker of the Seattle Seahawks didn’t like the two main round encounters with the Los Angeles Rams at all. No opponent brought him to the ground more often in his career, eleven times in the two games this season alone. “They just do everything well,” admitted Wilson before the duel. As the third best team in NFC, the Seahawks are still favorites.
Buffalo Bills against Indianapolis Colts (7:05 p.m. Saturday CET): The Bills have also had a long time without a play-off game – and after a convincing main round are now even an easy favorite to start. After a break of 24 years, some of the fans who are considered to be particularly passionate and passionate are even allowed to attend the home game against the Indianapolis Colts. Including the media and employees, around 7,000 people are admitted on Saturday, all of which have to show a negative corona test. It is still unclear whether spectators will also be allowed in the following game in the event of a win.
Day two: Pittsburgh Steelers against Cleveland Browns (2.15 a.m. Monday CET): The Browns have been waiting for a play-off game in the NFL since 2002 – and now have to do without their head coach against the Pittsburgh Steelers and possibly also with players: Corona is fault. Kevin Stefanski is infected, but somehow wants to take the chance. Because the timing is actually good, the Steelers are in a crisis. Long apparently on the way to a main round without defeat, the team around quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lost four of the last five games. The most recent bankruptcy was against the Browns.
New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears (10:40 p.m. Sunday CET): In hardly any other duel on the weekend are the roles so clearly assigned. The New Orleans Saints around quarterback Drew Brees are the clear favorites and have won four more games than the Chicago Bears in the main round. They have had six bankruptcies in a row and have to do without important players. Both defender Roquan Smith and pass recipient Darnell Mooney are absent from the NFC’s second best team.
Tennessee Titans vs. Baltimore Ravens (7:05 p.m. Sunday CET): Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens is one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league. But he is still waiting for a win in the play-offs after two seasons and has to put up with some criticism after the bankruptcies in the first rounds in 2020 and 2019. That should change now against the Titans. With running back Derrick Henry, Tennessee has an outstanding professional on the offensive, but is more weak defensively than almost any other team in the NFL. With eleven wins and five defeats each, the starting situation is closer than in any other duel on the first weekend. dpa
© Mannheimer Morgen, Saturday, January 9th, 2021
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