NFL Wildcard Snoozers and Weekend Recap

     The NFL Wildcard Weekend was full of hype and promises of exciting and close played games that would come down to who had the ball at the end of the game to win it. Instead we saw 4 games in which the closest game was decided by 13 points. Unlike last year when all 4 road teams won in the Wild Card games, this year it was all 4 home teams that won and they all won in convincing fashion.
     In the first game on Saturday, the Houston Texans behind arguably the best defense in all of the NFL, dismantled the Oakland Raiders who were playing with a rookie QB and with some of the decisions the Raiders made in this game, it seemed like Raiders HC Jack Del Rio was also a rookie coach.  The Raiders didn't seem ready to play evidenced by numerous dropped passes, penalties, and a defense that also dropped 2 sure interceptions and were beat on the ground and in the air by the Texans QB Brock Osweiler. The Texans now travel to New England to face the Patriots in a game that has the making of a one sided blowout, but it is the NFL and the Playoffs and anything can happen when teams play one another.
     In the Saturday night game between the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks,  it was a game totally dominated by the Seahawks but was still somehow close at halftime.  In a game that everyone knew would be decided by which team could run the ball, the clear winner was Seattle and RB Thomas Rawls. Rawls chewed up the Lions defense as the Seahawks OL which was terrible for most of the season opened up huge holes. Once again, the NFL officiating crew was brutal and why the NFL used 7 officials from different crews is beyond me. Even though the Lions cost themselves this game, there were numerous missed calls against the Seahawks and calls on the Lions that were bad. This game was reminiscent of the Lions last playoff game 2 years ago when the Officials made a game costing call that hurt the Lions chances of beating Dallas that year.  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was at this game and hopefully but I doubt Goodell will do anything to ensure that important games like this one are determined by the players and not the Officials. Detroit will be an elite in a couple of years once it acquires some FA's and solid drafts to add depth on both sides of the ball. QB Matt Stafford will also become one of the top paid QB's this off season as the Lions will sign him to a new multi year contract.
      Sunday's early game was played in Pittsburgh where the Steelers hosted the Miami Dolphins. The game couldn't have started out any better for the Steelers then it did as Pittsburgh was up 14-0 before most were settled into their seats. Miami had a chance to keep close at the end of the first half and make a game out of it but a costly fumble inside Pittsburgh's 10 yard line ended the half and the Steelers behind WR Antonio Brown and RB Le"Veon Bell rolled over the Dolphins. There is no doubt the Steelers are the hottest team in the AFC right now but near the end of this game, QB Ben Roethlisberger injured his ankle and as of right now, no one knows what his status or how mobile he will be next week when the Steelers travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs.
     The last Wild Card game of the weekend was billed as the best of the Wild Card games and was suppose to be an exciting and close game that would come down to the end. Well the experts were partially right in that it did come down to the end,  but the end of the 1st half where once again the Packers and Aaron Rodgers connected on a Hail Mary pass that put Green Bay up by 8 points and they never looked back. The Giants could argue that WR Cobb of the Packers pushed off to catch the ball but I would argue that while he did, no flag was thrown but the Giants secondary should of never allowed him to have a chance to catch the ball. In the 2nd half after the Giants closed the game to one score, the Packers steam rolled them the rest of the 2nd half and blew out the Giants. Packers QB Rodgers is healthy and probably the best QB in the playoffs right now but Green Bay suffered 2 big injuries in Jody Nelson and Ty Montgomery that will hurt their chances against the Cowboys if neither one is able to play.
     The Wild Card games were very one sided in favor of the home teams to say the least.  Twelve teams started the Wild Card weekend and we are now down to 8 in the Divisional Round.  The 4 winners of these games will head into their respective Championship game. So after a weekend of 4 Snoozers, Roger Goodell and the NFL should stop all the nonsense of looking to add more playoff teams to the mix. We all know it is about money and more money but with ratings declining at an alarming rate, it is time for the NFL to fix all its glaring problems and stop trying to dilute its product with too much parity. Cooper was 1-3 in his Wild Card game picks, his first losing week of picks this season after He was 189-65-2 with his NFL weekly picks this season.  He is looking to rebound with a perfect Divisional Round.
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NFL Analyst Cooper reflecting on His Wild Card Predictions and contemplating His picks for the Divisional Round