NFL's Wild Card Weekend 2023: All You Need To Know
The NFL playoffs have finally arrived and it's the wild card weekend 2023. On Saturday night, the San Francisco 49ers and Jaguars punched their tickets to the divisional round.
By Monday evening, four more teams will join them and be one step closer to the NFL’s biggest stage. Here’s what to expect on Sunday and Monday.
#1. Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET
Source: miamidolphins
The Bills will host their AFC East rival, the Dolphins, to kick off the wild card weekend 2023 on Sunday. The No. 2 seed Bills, led by quarterback Josh Allen, are considered strong favorites to win, particularly with the news that the Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will not be playing.
The Bills and Dolphins have previously met twice this season, with each team winning one game. In the first matchup, the Dolphins narrowly won due to the Bills committing careless turnovers and mistakes. However, during their second encounter, the Bills were able to stage a comeback and secure a 32-29 victory in the final minutes.
In both games, Allen performed exceptionally well, racking up a total of 704 passing yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. It's worth mentioning that the Bills held the fate of the game in their own hands in both of those games.
In both previous games, the Bills were the superior team, regardless of their performance. If they bring their A-game, play to the best of their abilities, and avoid mistakes, they should have a successful outcome in this upcoming match.
#2. New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET
Source: CNN
The Sunday 4 pm schedule is filled with historical moments. The Giants, led by first-year head coach Brian Daboll, will travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings. The Giants quarterback, Daniel Jones will make his debut in playoffs and also it will be the first playoff appearance for the team in six seasons.
Despite being the underdog on the road, the Giants are well-prepared to match or even defeat the NFC North champions. The teams have previously met on Christmas Eve, and the game ended with a field goal by Justin Tucker. Most of the Vikings' victories during the season have been by a single score and this week's game could be just as close.
If the Giants are successful in winning and advancing beyond the Wild Card stage, it's unlikely that they will progress much further. They have a lower probability of defeating the 49ers or Eagles in the next round. The Vikings have better chances of making a deeper playoff run if they pass the first round, but the Giants should not be underestimated.
#3. Ravens at Bengals (ESPN expert picks wild card weekend), 8:15 p.m. ET
Source: Sports Illustrated
The Ravens and Bengals will face off for the second consecutive week and the third time this season on Sunday night. The divisional rivals have each won one game in the regular season series, both victories were achieved when playing at home. For this game, Baltimore will have to play without their starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been out since December 4th. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley's availability is yet to be determined. Playing without the primary quarterback is always a challenge, and the team will have to rely more on their defense and running game. The best strategy for the Ravens to secure a win would be to gain an early advantage and prevent significant deficits.
The Bengals are the clear favorites in this game, having a better record and the home field advantage, and with a relatively injury-free roster. The previous season, they advanced to the Super Bowl, where they defeated the Raiders, Titans and the Chiefs, but were ultimately defeated by the Rams.
The Ravens have not made it to the playoffs since 2020, when they were eliminated in the AFC divisional round by the Bills. Despite the Bengals having the upper hand, anything is possible in a playoff game between divisional rivals. Both teams are familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses and will use that to their advantage.
#4. Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Source: CNN
The final game of the Wild Card Weekend will be a prime time showdown between the Buccaneers and the Cowboys. The Cowboys ended the regular season with a 12-5 record, which is impressive considering they had to play a significant portion of it without their veteran quarterback Dak Prescott. On the other hand, the Buccaneers had a difficult regular season and ended with a losing record of 8-9, but still managed to become NFC South Champions.
The Cowboys have the advantage of being the stronger team on paper, but they will have to overcome the disadvantage of playing away from home. The last time Dallas won a playoff game on the road was 30 years ago, they have lost all eight subsequent playoff games on the road.
Additionally, the Buccaneers have a key advantage: Tom Brady. The veteran quarterback is the most experienced player in the playoffs, with the most games started, most wins, most Super Bowl titles and Super Bowl MVPs. He has a perfect record of 7-0 against the Cowboys throughout his career. A commanding performance by Brady could propel the Buccaneers, underdogs to watch in 2023 Wild Card Weekend, to a win.
#5. How to Watch The Wild Card Weekend 2023
Source: CNN
Here is how to watch these teams and others from across the league in action, no matter where you are located.
- Australia: NFL Game Pass, ESPN, 7Plus
- Brazil: NFL Game Pass, ESPN
- Canada: CTV, TSN, RDS, NFL Game Pass on DAZN
- Germany: NFL Game Pass, ProSieben MAXX, DAZN
- Mexico: NFL Game Pass, TUDN, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sky Sports
- UK: NFL Game Pass, Sky Sports, ITV, Channel 5
- US: NFL Game Pass, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime
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