NFL Wild Card weekend disappointments

The first weekend of the NFL postseason shines a bright line on players and teams ready to step up in big moments, and those who aren’t able to get it done. Wild Card Weekend gave fans plenty to cherish and pick apart in this regard, and we’ll take a closer look at those who fell short in round one.

The Dallas Cowboys were one of the best teams at home this NFL season, and their defense would routinely make big plays in front of the crowd. That foundation was thrown out the window on Sunday, as the Green Bay Packers’ young offense did whatever they wanted against Dallas. It was a stunning fall from grace for one of the league’s most impressive units.

The Miami Dolphins had to deal with temperatures 60-70 degrees colder than what they were used to in South Florida on Saturday night, but Tua Tagovailoa didn’t convert any non-believers with his performance. He sailed a pass over Jaylen Waddle’s head for a first half interception, and couldn’t seem to figure out what to do against a sturdy Kansas City Chiefs defense.

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Someone could probably write a whole piece about the Philadelphia Eagles’ disappointing showing on Monday night, but what may be most sobering is the fact that it signified the end of Jason Kelce’s career. Had fans known he was going to call it quits, they probably would have pushed harder for a Philadelphia victory to extend his career.

The Eagles couldn’t get things going on offense, but their defense also did them no favors. Their secondary players were often in good position to make a stop against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they failed to bring the ballcarrier down. It speaks to a lack of execution and desire for an Eagles team that has stumbled badly in the last month.

The spectacle of Detroit’s first home playoff game in 30 years, coupled with the notion of former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford returning as their foe made the matchup must see TV. Lions fans elected to give their former quarterback a healthy dose of boo’s when he was introduced, which was largely unexpected considering his loyalty to the franchise.

The Cleveland Browns were a popular darkhorse pick to make a run to the AFC title game, but their playoff stint was cut short at the hands of the Houston Texans. Two pick-sixes thrown by Browns quarterback Joe Flacco essentially ended Cleveland’s season, after he had played so well to get the team to that point in the first place.

A lot of discussion surrounding Tua Tagovailoa’s future has begun, but it’s also important to note the lack of production Miami had in the run game. With explosive players like Raheem Mostert and Devon Achane, the Dolphins were one of the best ground teams in the NFL. The Chiefs stopped handoffs in their tracks, which put more pressure on Tagovailoa to deliver.

The Steelers had a roller coaster of a weekend considering the weather situation and travel circumstances in Buffalo. They probably didn’t settle in as well as they would’ve liked, but also probably didn’t execute as well as they could have against the Bills either. Pittsburgh couldn’t afford to turn the ball over against a superior team, and they did so twice.

For the first time ever, the NFL decided to air a playoff game exclusively on a streaming service. Although they were in the crosshairs, Peacock managed to deliver a solid experience, even if some users complained about quality. The question becomes whether or not the NFL will continue to stream playoff games in the future, which comes at an added cost for many fans.