Usually, at this time of year, I would be able to rank the teams that have made the playoffs, but with the introduction of an extra week, us football fans must wait an extra week to see who gets into the big dance. However, I can still list five of the biggest storylines heading into the playoffs.
#1: GOAT-ing, injuries, and Antonio Brown
The defending champions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have their work cut out for them. Although quarterback Tom Brady has been playing at an MVP-level, there still remain major concerns. Brady has lost his security blanket, wide receiver Chris Godwin, to a terrible ACL and MCL knee injury, while running back Leonard Fournette has landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. These injuries are overshadowed by what happened on 2 January 2022 during the Bucs vs Jets game. Inexplicably, star receiver and drama savant Antonio Brown threw off his football equipment and ran bare-chested out of the arena during the third quarter. Rumours are swirling that AB was angry at his lack of targets, since he had performance incentives in his contract. Others say that he may be suffering from CTE, but the cynic in me thinks his resume of selfishness can explain this bizarre outburst. In short, the Bucs may be in trouble.
#2: Frozen tundra
We do not know who will enter the post-season as the sixth and seventh seeds, but we know the NFC goes through Lambeau. Opposing players have always lamented how difficult it is to play in sub-zero temperatures: the ball becomes harder to catch and throw, hitting the turf feels like slamming into cement, and the temperature combined with wind-chill usually means that play is conducted in near minus thirty degrees Celsius. Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers will likely win another regular season MVP, while star receiver Davante Adams is proving that he is still the best pass-catcher in football. However, not all is rosy for the Green Bay Packers. At the beginning of the year, Rodgers was not happy with the front office and it seems that the issue has still lingered. Rodgers has been very cryptic and strategic when answering questions about how happy he is in Green Bay and whether or not he will be staying with the team next year. Combined with the immunization drama, the Packers are still a powder keg waiting to blow.
#3: A wild AFC
The AFC might be a toss-up. The NFC is very top heavy with the Packers, Bucs, and Rams being clear favourites. The Titans will likely end up being the first seed, but they are not a dominant team, especially without running back Derrick Henry. Although the Chiefs went on an eight game win streak, they are clearly not the same team that won the Super Bowl in 2020. The Bengals are very young and have a suspect offensive line. The Bills have a quarterback who turns the ball over too much, while their division rival, the Patriots, are led by a rookie quarterback. However, if you were to pick one team that may shock the world, it would be the Colts. Besides Derrick Henry, there is no better running back in the league than Jonathan Taylor. He also runs behind one of the best offensive lines in football. Add a defence that ranks second in takeaways and we have a legitimate dark horse.
#4: Black Monday
The Monday following the last Sunday of the regular season is referred to as Black Monday because poorly performing coaches and front offices are dismissed to alleviate the organization from their stench. Former Jags head coach Urban Meyer got fired early after various scandals. In October, he was filmed receiving what can be described as a lap dance from a young woman after he had told his team he would not be flying back to Jacksonville with them after a loss. In December, former Jags kicker Josh Lambo accused Meyer of kicking him during the pre-season. Meanwhile, Bears head coach Matt Nagy is rumoured to be fired on Black Monday, while teams like the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks may be looking for a new direction. Joe Judge should be fired, but Giants ownership has been incompetent for the last six years. Maybe it’s not always the coaches’ fault?
#5: Imminent threat
The Omicron variant is throwing a wrench into all aspects of our lives. Sports have not been spared. The NFL has recently reformed their league-wide Covid protocols. Players who are vaccinated and asymptomatic will no longer be tested weekly. But players who are unvaccinated and showing symptoms will be isolated and quarantined until they can provide a negative test. Vaccination status has been a taboo subject and teams who have unvaccinated players are at risk of losing them for important games. The NFL has faced many controversies over vaccination status this year, including Aaron Rodgers insisting he was “immunized” and Antonio Brown creating a fake vaccination card to avoid having to follow protocol for unvaccinated players. The Vikings lost quarterback Kirk Cousins in a must-win game due to a positive Covid test. I have no doubt that the NFL is willing to bend the rules to ensure that their star players will be on the field for big games. Whether or not that is morally acceptable is another debate, but may we all hope sports avoid a shutdown.