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3 Things to Watch For in Wild Card Weekend

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The NFL’s second season starts tomorrow with some excellent matchups to look forward to. Wild Card weekend never disappoints and you can expect some surprising upsets before it’s all said and done. Before the games kick off let’s take a look at three storylines we can’t wait to see play out.


Is Jalen Hurts Healthy?

Hurts has missed the last two games for the Eagles after he suffered a concussion in the game against the Commanders. The good news for Philadelphia is that Hurts is practicing this week and is set to make his return. But is he 100%?

Concussions are always tricky to navigate and Hurts’ was significant enough that he missed the last 3 weeks. He is also dealing with a broken finger in his non-throwing hand. His health has to be a concern considering how much he likes to run. There is also the fact that quarterbacks in their first game back from concussions often struggle.

How Will the Rookie QB’s Fare

Wild Card weekend will feature two rookie quarterbacks making their playoff debuts. Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have impressed in their 1st year helping to lead their teams to huge turnarounds. Both are road underdogs with Nix having the daunting task of trying to upset the Bills in Buffalo.

Daniels will look for revenge when the Commanders head to Tampa Bay on Sunday night. Washington played the Bucs in Week 1 and that game was mostly dominated by Tampa. The Commanders are a much different team now and I expect Daniels to shine in this one. He seems to play his best when the lights are the brightest.

Are the Steelers One and Done?

Pittsburgh has lost 4 straight games and their once promising offense has faded. Russell Wilson hasn’t looked the same the past month and the Steelers are in danger of a complete collapse. Up next, they head to Baltimore in hopes of knocking off their rival but it will be a tall task if their offense doesn’t get into gear.

The Steelers amassed just 193 total yards last Saturday against a weak Bengals defense. If Pittsburgh has any chance of pulling the upset they need to get George Pickens going again. Pickens had 0 yards on 6 targets last week and hasn’t broken 100 receiving yards since October. If the Steelers lose again will Mike Tomlin’s job be in jeopardy?

Written by
Justin Fuhr

Justin is the Owner of Pro Football Mania. He is an NFL and fantasy football fanatic who enjoys analyzing data and analytics in sports.

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