The List: Wild Card weekend, plus Hall of Fame finalists and All-Pro teams named
The List: Wild Card weekend, plus Hall of Fame finalists and All-Pro teams named
The NFL postseason began with four games on Wild Card weekend, including the Patriots appearing in this round of the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Plus, there were several coaches changing locations, Hall of Fame finalists and All-Pro teams announced and the death of a longtime coach.
WINNERS
Overtime thriller in Houston - Anyone wondering if Bills quarterback Josh Allen would show any signs of being nervous in his first playoff game, the second-year player answered those questions in the first four minutes of Saturday afternoon’s contest. Allen took off for a 42-yard run deep into Houston territory, then fooled the Texans with a little trickery two plays later. After faking a handoff to running back Devin Singletary, Allen flipped the ball back to wide receiver John Brown, who had come across for a reverse. Allen found space along the sideline and Brown lofted a pass that Allen caught and dove into the end zone to give the Bills an early lead.
Buffalo jumped out to a 13-0 lead at halftime and almost extended the lead on a wild second-half kickoff. Houston’s DeAndre Carter put up his hands in a “safe” sign in his own end zone, signaling to his blockers that he would not return the kick. He caught the ball and tried to flip it to the referee, who moved out of the way. The Bills scooped up the ball in the end zone and officials awarded them a touchdown at first before conferring and determining that Carter “gave himself up” and ruled the play a touchback.
Down 16-0 late in the third, Deshaun Watson led the Texans back, scoring both a 20-yard touchdown run and the two-point conversion to cut Buffalo’s lead in half. After a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal moved Houston closer, Watson drove his team down the field. The Texans took the lead on a Watson to Carlos Hyde touchdown pass and went up three on a two-point conversion pass to DeAndre Hopkins.
The Bills turned the ball over on the next drive after sacks on back-to-back plays (including one by the returning J. J. Watt on fourth down), but Allen was able to get the ball back. He took off on an 18-yard run and tried to lateral the ball to tight end Dawson Knox (for some strange reason). Thankfully for Buffalo, Knox batted the ball out of bounds, allowing the Bills to keep possession. Eventually, Allen moved the Bills into field goal range, and Stephen Hauschka nailed a 47-yard attempt with five seconds left in regulation.
The teams traded punts in overtime, but on his second possession, Watson somehow escaped a Siran Neal sack and found running back Taiwan Jones, who scampered 34 yards against his former team for a first down to set up Fairbairn’s game-winning 28-yard field goal. Watson was sacked seven times, but threw for 247 yards and a touchdown and ran for 55 yards and another score. Allen threw for 262 yards and ran for 92 more in the loss. Hopkins had six catches for 90 yards to lead Houston, who won despite receiver Will Fuller being out with a groin injury. On Sunday, linebacker Lorenzo Alexander retired after 13 seasons with Washington, Arizona, Oakland, and Buffalo. The two-time Pro Bowler played in all 16 games this season and had two sacks for the Bills.
Birthday boy helps Titans pull an upset - Derrick Henry did not quite match the 211 yards and three touchdowns he put up against the Texans in Week 17, but he led the Titans to a 20-13 victory over the Patriots on Saturday night. Henry ran for 182 yards and the go-ahead touchdown on his 26th birthday, and also caught a 22-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill. He is just the fifth player to score a playoff touchdown on his birthday in NFL history, and the yardage total is the most allowed by a team coached by Bill Belichick in the playoffs. Tannehill finished with just 72 yards, the fewest passing yards in a playoff victory since Baltimore had 34 against New England in 2009.
Tennessee did not sack Tom Brady, and New England had 307 yards in total offense, but the Titans made key defensive stops when needed. Brady threw for 209 yards, but a pass as time ran down was tipped before being intercepted and returned nine yards for a touchdown by former Patriot Logan Ryan. New England scored its lone touchdown on a five-yard run off a sweep by receiver Julian Edelman, who became the fourth player in NFL history to have passing, rushing and receiving scores in the playoffs (joining Freeman McNeil, Kordell Stewart, and Nick Foles).
Speaking of upsets… - Kirk Cousins proved all the doubters wrong after leading the Vikings to an overtime win in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon. Cousins threw for 242 yards and a touchdown as Minnesota pulled out a 26-20 victory.
Alvin Kamara put the Saints up, 10-3, with a four-yard scoring run early in the second quarter, but the Vikings scored the next 17 points, thanks to a pair of Dalvin Cook touchdown runs. Early in the fourth, Drew Brees was struggling before the all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage found jack-of-all-trades player Taysom Hill with a 20-yard scoring pass to cut the deficit to 20-17. Earlier in the game, Hill completed a 50-yard pass to Deonte Harris to set up the Kamara touchdown.
New Orleans tried to tie the score late, will Hill going on a 28-yard run to the Minnesota 20 with 4:35 left, but on the next play, Brees was sacked by Danielle Hunter and fumbled. The Saints forced a punt and got the ball back at the two-minute warning. Brees completed five straight passes to set up a 49-yard field goal by Will Lutz that went through the uprights with two seconds to spare.
The Vikings won the overtime coin toss and drove down the field. The big play saw Cousins launch a pass that Adam Thielen caught at the New Orleans two-yard-line. Three plays later, “Captain Kirk” found tight end, Kyle Rudolph, in the back corner of the end zone for the game-winning score. Rudolph was mismatched against cornerback P. J. Williams on the play, but there was a question of whether or not Rudolph pushed off.
Minnesota won its second straight playoff game against New Orleans, although this victory was not quite as memorable as the previous contest, which ended with the “Minneapolis Miracle,” a 61-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Stephon Diggs as time expired in early 2018.
Seahawks knock out Wentz, then take out Eagles - The game started out well for Philadelphia after Vinny Curry blocked Jason Myers’ field goal attempt, but things got bad in a hurry. Late in the first quarter, Carson Wentz was being tackled on a run when Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney charged in and hit the back of Wentz’s helmet with his helmet, pushing the quarterback’s head into the turf. Wentz left the game and was diagnosed with a concussion.
Enter Josh McCown, the 40-year-old who was coaxed out of retirement before the season to play for Philadelphia, his ninth NFL team. McCown was playing in his first playoff game, but he was not overmatched. The teams traded field goals before Marshawn Lynch turned into “Beast Mode,” running through the Eagles for a five-yard touchdown and a 10-3 halftime lead.
Seattle was able to grind out a win, but Russell Wilson completed key passes when needed, especially on third downs. He found rookie D.K. Metcalf seven times for 160 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown that gave the Seahawks a 17-3 lead around the midway point of the third quarter. The two also hooked up on a 36-yard pass in the closing moments that allowed Seattle to run out the clock.
Wilson threw for 320 yards and had 45 more rushing for the Seahawks. McCown had 174 yards passing, Miles Sanders totaled 69 yards rushing and tight end Dallas Goedert caught seven passes for 73 yards to lead the Eagles. Seattle became the first road team to win an NFC playoff game that featured a “Battle of the Birds” (the Seahawks, Eagles, Cardinals, and Falcons had been 10-0 at home when facing one of the other three).
Division Round Playoff Game Schedule
Minnesota at San Francisco, Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (NBC)
Tennessee at Baltimore, Saturday at 8:15 p.m. (CBS)
Houston at Kansas City, Sunday at 3 p.m. (CBS)
Seattle at Green Bay, Sunday at 6:40 p.m. (FOX)
Hall of Fame finalists named - The 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame class will include a record 20 players to end the NFL’s 100th season. Among those enshrined will be 15 players, coaches, and contributors from the 38-finalist “Centennial Slate,” along with the usual five Modern-Era players. The final five will be named on the night before the Super Bowl, but the Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists on Thursday. Here is a rundown of the players and their accolades:
Steve Atwater, S - He had 24 career interceptions and was one of the hardest hitters of his era. Atwater was selected to eight Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams, and he was a part of two Broncos championship teams in the late 1990s.
Tony Boselli, T - He starred for the Jaguars beginning in their 1995 expansion season, and he was selected to five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. Boselli played just seven seasons in the NFL thanks to an ACL tear and several shoulder injuries.
Isaac Bruce, WR - The four-time Pro Bowler had eight seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards (including an NFL-high 1,338 in 1996) and totaled 15,208 in his career. “The Reverend” also had 1,024 career catches and won a title with the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
LeRoy Butler, CB - He was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro four times each. Butler had 38 interceptions and won a title with the Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.
Alan Faneca, G - Faneca went to nine straight Pro Bowls and was a six-time All-Pro in 13 seasons with the Steelers, Jets, and Cardinals. He started 201 career games and won a title with Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL.
Torry Holt, WR - He was Bruce’s partner in crime for nine years in St. Louis, including 1999, when the Rams defeated the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. The man nicknamed “Big Game” had nine 1,000-yard campaigns and led the league in the category twice. Holt had 920 catches, 13,382 yards and 74 touchdowns in 11 seasons.
Steve Hutchinson, G - He split his career between the Seahawks and Vikings, and was named to seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams from 2003-09. Hutchinson started for Seattle in Super Bowl XL.
Edgerrin James, RB - The four-time Pro Bowler led the league in rushing his first two seasons (1,553 in 1999 and 1,709 in 2000). James was an All-Pro as a rookie and had seven 1,000-yard seasons, totaling 12,246 yards and 80 touchdowns in 11 years.
John Lynch, S - Maybe the only player who hit harder than Atwater was Lynch, who had 26 career interceptions and was a nine-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro over 15 seasons with the Buccaneers and Broncos. He was a key member of that stout defense in Tampa Bay that toppled the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Sam Mills, LB - The four-time Pro Bowler made a name for himself as part of the “Dome Patrol” linebacking corps in New Orleans. However, Mills earned his lone All-Pro nod in 1996, when he led the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game in their second season. Mills totaled 1,265 tackles, 20½ sacks and 11 interceptions in 12 seasons, but he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2003, when he was Carolina’s linebacker coach. He inspired the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII that season, but died on April 18, 2005, after battling the disease for nearly two years.
Troy Polamalu, S - Known for his hard-hitting style and legendary hair, Polamalu was selected to eight Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams in 12 seasons with the Steelers. He was a part of two title teams in Pittsburgh and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010 after posting 63 tackles and seven interceptions.
Richard Seymour, DE - He was named to seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and won three titles in four years with the Patriots. Seymour amassed 57½ sacks in 12 seasons with New England and Oakland.
Zach Thomas, LB - The seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro was a tackle machine throughout 13 years in Miami and Dallas. Thomas had 10 seasons with 100 or more tackles, including leading the NFL twice. He added 17 interceptions and 20½ sacks.
Reggie Wayne, WR - Wayne joined James and Marvin Harrison to give Peyton Manning one of the most potent offenses in NFL history. He was a five-time Pro Bowler who had eight seasons with 1,000 or more yards, including a league-leading 1,510 in 2007. A champion with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI, Wayne totaled 1,070 receptions, 14,345 yards and 82 touchdowns in 14 seasons with Indianapolis.
Bryant Young, DT - He was a four-time Pro Bowler who spent his entire 14-year career with San Francisco and helped the 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX against the Chargers as a rookie. Young sustained a gruesome injury late in 1998 and had a metal rod inserted into his leg. He responded with 11 sacks the following season and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors. Young finished his career with 89½ sacks.
Jackson, McCaffrey, Thomas highlight All-Pro team - Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson may be the NFL’s MVP this season, but although he was named to the All-Pro first team, he was not one of two unanimous choices. Earning that honor on offense was Michael Thomas, the Saints wide receiver who set the single-season record with 149 catches in 2019. Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey followed up a second-team selection in 2018 with a two-position honor this season (as a running back and a flex option, thanks to his position-record 116 catches). On defense, the lone unanimous selection was Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who tied for the league lead with six interceptions. Here is a look at both All-Pro teams.
First Team
QB - Lamar Jackson, Baltimore; RB and Flex - Christian McCaffrey, Carolina; WR - Michael Thomas, New Orleans, and DeAndre Hopkins, Houston; TE - George Kittle, San Francisco; T - Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore, and Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans; G - Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis, and Zack Martin, Dallas; C - Jason Kelce, Philadelphia. Edge - Chandler Jones, Arizona, and T. J. Watt, Pittsburgh; Interior - Aaron Donald, L.A. Rams, and Casey Heyward, Pittsburgh; LB - Bobby Wagner, Seattle, Demario Davis, New Orleans, and Eric Kendricks, Minnesota; CB - Stephon Gilmore, New England, and Tre’Davious White, Buffalo; S - Jamal Adams, N.Y. Jets, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, Miami/Pittsburgh; DB - Marcus Peters, L.A. Rams/Baltimore, Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City, and Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore. K - Justin Tucker, Baltimore; P - Brett Kern, Tennessee; KR - Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago; PR - Deonte Harris, New Orleans; ST - Matthew Slater, New England.
Second Team
QB - Russell Wilson, Seattle; RB and Flex - Derrick Henry, Tennessee; WR - Julio Jones, Atlanta, and Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay; TE - Travis Kelce, Kansas City; T - David Bakhtiari, Green Bay, and Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City; G - Joel Bitonio, Cleveland, Joe Thuney, New England, and Marshal Yanda, Baltimore; C - Rodney Hudson, Oakland. Edge - Shaq Barrett, Tampa Bay, and Cameron Jordan, New Orleans; Interior - Grady Jarrett, Atlanta, and DeForest Buckner, San Francisco; LB - Luke Kuechly, Carolina, Darius Leonard, Indianapolis, and T. J. Watt, Pittsburgh; CB - Richard Sherman, San Francisco, and Marcus Peters, L.A. Rams/Baltimore; S - Justin Simmons, Denver, and Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City. K - Josh Lambo, Jacksonville; P - Tress Way, Washington; KR - Mecole Hardman, Kansas City; PR - Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh; ST - Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago, and J. T. Gray, New Orleans.
Redskins hiring of Rivera among coaches in new places - Although he started off the press conference by wishing reporters “Happy Thanksgiving,” Redskins owner Daniel Snyder was rightfully pleased with his new hire. Ron Rivera went 76-63-1 in nine seasons with Carolina, including a 15-1 mark in 2015, when the Panthers reached Super Bowl 50. Rivera was fired after a 5-7 mark in the first 12 games of the 2019 season, but it didn’t take him long to find a new destination. He already started filling out his coaching staff, naming Jack Del Rio as Washington’s new defensive coordinator. Del Rio went 68-71 in nine seasons in Jacksonville and also spent three seasons as head coach in Oakland. One position still open is general manager, which the team says will not be filled until after the Draft.
Brian Flores has a lot of work to do to make the Dolphins into a contending football team, and the work started with the naming of Chan Gailey as offensive coordinator, marking his second stint with the club (he also held that position from 2000-01). Gailey has a long and extensive coaching history that includes runs as offensive coordinator in Denver (1989-90), Pittsburgh (1996-97), Kansas City (2008) and with the New York Jets (2015-16). He was also the head coach of the Cowboys from 1998-99 and the Bills from 2010-12.
One coach not out of a job is Doug Marrone, who was given a vote of confidence by owner Shad Khan. Marrone has compiled a 22-28 record in three-plus seasons within Jacksonville. The Jaguars had 10 wins in Marrone’s first full season in 2017, but has had double-digit losses in each of the past two years. Jacksonville will also bring back general manager David Caldwell, but will not name a new Executive Vice President of Football Operations after the team fired Tom Coughlin two weeks ago.
Bears commit to Trubisky, make Jackson the highest-paid safety - Eddie Jackson, a fourth-round pick in the 2017 Draft, signed a four-year contract extension with the Bears worth $58.4 million, with $33 million guaranteed. The contract not only makes him the highest-paid safety in the NFL, but it keeps him in Chicago through the 2023 season. Jackson was an All-Pro in 2018 after registering six interceptions and returning two for touchdowns. He made his second Pro Bowl this season and has 10 career picks.
In addition to signing Jackson, general manager Ryan Pace said Mitchell Trubisky will remain the team’s starting quarterback for 2020. Trubisky threw for 3,223 yards and 24 touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 12-4 record and earn a Pro Bowl selection in 2018. However, he regressed in every major category as the Bears failed to make the playoffs this year.
LOSERS
Patriots not at fault in taping scandal, but could face penalties - By the time you are reading this story, that all could change, I don’t know, and apparently, neither does the NFL. On Wednesday, the NFL cleared the Patriots staff of any wrongdoing in the December 15 taping of the Bengals sideline during their game against the Browns. The video company is not affiliated with the team, but rather with Kraft Sports, which is controlled by Patriots owner, Robert Kraft.
Late Saturday morning, ESPN’s NFL insider, Adam Schefter, reported that New England could be facing punishment from the league for the incident similar to the original “Spygate” incident against the Jets in 2007, in which the team was fined $250,000 and lost a first-round pick (and head coach Bill Belichick was also fined $500,000). During the Bills-Texans game, the NFL issued a statement calling Schefter’s reporting “pure speculation” and saying its investigation is still ongoing.
Browns fire general manager, will name new coach first - Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslem has yet to learn a lesson many professional sports owners already know…hire great people and let them do their jobs without interference (paying attention, James Dolan?). Haslem and general manager John Dorsey parted ways on New Year’s Eve after just two seasons, including a 2019 that started with playoff aspirations but ended with a 6-10 record. Haslam says the Browns will hire a head coach before naming a new general manager, and he is looking for options with NFL experience for both positions.
Apparently, some people inside the Cleveland locker room saw the team the same way as many of the fans. Todd Monken functions as the team’s offensive coordinator, but in name only since recently fired head coach Freddie Kitchens called all the plays. The two were not in agreement on how the offense should be run, and Monken told opposing coaches the team was a “total mess.” According to the report, Monken also said Cleveland’s offensive gameplan different from what was installed during the week.
Cowboys (finally) let go of Garrett, quickly hire McCarthy - After 20 years with the Cowboys, including two Super Bowl titles as a player, three years as offensive coordinator and the past 10 as head coach, Jason Garrett will not have his contract renewed by the organization. Garrett finished with an 85-67 regular-season record, three NFC East titles and a 2-3 mark in the playoffs. The decision not to bring back Garrett was reported by multiple media outlets, and comes after a week of the team interviewing veteran head coaches Marvin Lewis and Mike McCarthy while not making an official decision about his status.
Less than 12 hours after a decision about Garrett, Dallas announced McCarthy was his replacement. McCarthy led the Packers to a 125-77-2 record, six NFC North titles and a Super Bowl XLV win over the Steelers in 13 seasons. He was fired after Week 13 of the 2018 season.
McCarthy takes over a Cowboys team that has starts on both sides of the ball. Dallas’ offense features quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup and a stellar offensive line. On defense, the Cowboys have several talented players on the line (ends DeMarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn and tackle Maliek Collins), at linebacker (Jaylon Smith, Sean Lee and Leighton Vander Esch) and in the secondary (cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and safety Xavier Woods).
More coaches out of jobs around the league - While many NFL rosters are remade before the Draft, January is the month when NFL teams undergo the most drastic changes thanks to the movement of coaches. The changes don’t just occur at the top, but with coordinators and position coaches. While the Lions will keep general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia, defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and offensive line coach Jeff Davidson are stepping away from the team. Patricia also fired six assistants on New Year’s Eve, most notably special teams coordinator John Bonamego.
The Bears got into the act as well, firing four coaches on December 31. Chicago parted ways with offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride and assistant special teams coach Brock Olivo.
Finally, the Rams fired defensive coordinator Wade Phillips after the team went from an appearance in Super Bowl LIII to posting a 9-7 record and missing the playoffs. Phillips, the son of legendary Oilers coach Oall “Bum” Phillips, is one of the NFL’s most respect coaches. His career began with his father in Houston in 1976 and has now spanned 43 years and 10 teams. Phillips tweeted that he still wants to be on an NFL bench, and Rams head coach Sean McVay still thinks highly of the 72-year-old, despite making the change.
Strange situation in New York - Le’Veon Bell held out for the entire 2018 season in Pittsburgh before signing with the Jets. He ran for 789 yards and three touchdowns in 2019, which were both career-lows for a full season. First-year coach Adam Gase was disappointed with the four-year, $52.5 million contract that former general manager Mike Maccagnan signed Bell to before the Draft. Apparently, he is still disappointed in his top running back. When asked if he WANTS Bell back next season, Gase responded with: “He’s under contract for three more years.”
Current general manager Joe Douglas said that if teams were interested in trading for Bell, he would listen to offers, much like he did before the trade deadline in October. Douglas has a few other issues to worry about this offseason, including reworking safety Jamal Adams’ contract, whether or not to offer wide receiver Robby Anderson a free-agent deal and what to do about receiver Quincy Enunwa, who suffered a neck injury for a second straight season.
Dolphins cornerback arrested for domestic battery - Xavien Howard was arrested on December 29 following an incident involving his fiancée, with whom he has three children. According to police, the two got into an argument over the purchase of a purse. Howard grabbed both her arms and pushed her up against a mirrored glass wall before letting go, causing his fiancée to fall onto her right arm and land on his crutch. Howard is recovering from a knee injury that required surgery and caused him to miss the final 11 games this season. He made the Pro Bowl after leading the NFL with seven interceptions in 2018.
Former Bengals coach Wyche dies at 74 - Sam Wyche, who led the Bengals to the first Super Bowl in franchise history, died on Thursday, three days before his 75th birthday. He was diagnosed with melanoma last year.
Wyche amassed a 61-66 record over eight seasons in Cincinnati. He led the Bengals to a 12-4 mark in 1988, then dispatched the Seahawks and Bills in the AFC playoffs. His team held a 13-6 lead on the 49ers in the third quarter of Super Bowl XXIII before San Francisco stormed back to win on a Joe Montana to John Taylor 10-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds left.
After being fired by the Bengals three years later, Wyche landed in Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers only amassed a 23-41 record in his four seasons at the helm. In 2002, he had his vocal cord severed during a biopsy on his lymph nodes, but he recovered and volunteered his time as a quarterbacks coach for Pickens High School in South Carolina. He suffered congestive heart failure and underwent a heart transplant in September 2016.
-By: Kevin Rakas
Writer