NFL SOAP BOX- WILD CARD PRIMER

1. Friday, January 5, 2023 CENTRAL VIRGINIA’S ONLY LOCAL NFL PUBLICATION GridironGoose@msn.com
OFFICIAL MEDIA MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
MORE TEAMS, MORE GAMES, MORE WILD: The addition of a third Wild Card team in each conference and the subsequent
expansion of the playoffs in 2020 has resulted in a Super Wild Card Weekend of NFL action. For the third consecutive season, there
will be six games, with two on Saturday (January 14), three on Sunday (January 15) and, for the second consecutive season, one on
Monday (January 16). Seven of the 12 teams in action this weekend are new to the postseason in 2022, having missed the playoffs a
year ago: BALTIMORE, JACKSONVILLE, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, the NEW YORK GIANTS and
SEATTLE. Two of those teams – Jacksonville (AFC South) and Minnesota (NFC North) – won their divisions.
Since 1990, at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before.
Additionally, at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 19 of the past 20 years, including 2022.
Each of the 12 teams playing this weekend hope to earn their first of four wins needed to capture the Lombardi Trophy. Winners in the
Wild Card round have won the Super Bowl 11 times, including in each of the past two seasons.
PASSING IN THE PLAYOFFS: A mix of established veterans and emerging stars make up the starting quarterbacks in the 2022
playoff field vying for the Super Bowl LVII title. Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY enters the 2022 postseason as the league’s all-
time playoff leader in games started by a quarterback (47), wins by a starting quarterback (35), passing yards (13,049), touchdown
passes (86), Super Bowl titles (seven) and Super Bowl MVPs (five). He is looking to become the first quarterback ever to win multiple
Super Bowls with two different franchises.
Brady’s opposing quarterback on Monday night (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC, ESPN2-Manningcast, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes) will be
Dallas’ DAK PRESCOTT, who will be making his fifth-career postseason start. In each of his past three starts in the playoffs, Prescott
has recorded both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown and can become the sixth quarterback ever to record both a touchdown
pass and rushing touchdown in four career postseason games. Brady (five games) and Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES (four), who
will be in action next weekend, are among the group Prescott can join. Prescott can also become the first quarterback in NFL history to
record a rushing touchdown in four consecutive postseason games.
In the AFC, Buffalo’s JOSH ALLEN will be making his seventh-career postseason start when the Bills host the Dolphins on Sunday
(1:00 PM ET, CBS, Paramount+). In both of his playoff games last season, Allen recorded at least 300 passing yards and four
touchdown passes. Allen can join MATT RYAN as the only players ever with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes in
three consecutive postseason games. He can also become the first player in NFL history with at least four touchdown passes in three
consecutive playoff games.
HEY, ROOKIE: Two rookie quarterbacks have an opportunity to start this weekend: San Francisco’s BROCK PURDY and Miami’s
SKYLAR THOMPSON. This would mark the first playoff round since the 2012 Wild Card round (ROBERT GRIFFIN III, ANDREW
LUCK, and RUSSELL WILSON) to feature multiple rookie starting quarterbacks. Each player would be looking to become the first
starting rookie quarterback to win a postseason game since Wilson in 2012. Both Purdy and Thompson were selected in the seventh
round of the 2022 NFL Draft and can become the first two rookies selected in the seventh round or later or be undrafted to start a
postseason game in the common-draft era. They can also become the fourth and fifth rookie quarterbacks selected outside of the first
round to win a playoff game in the common-draft era.

2. SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT (24 years, 310 days old on Saturday) and
Jacksonville quarterback TREVOR LAWRENCE (23 years, 100 days old) will each be making their first career postseason starts when
the Jaguars host the Chargers on Saturday night (8:15 PM ET, NBC, Peacock, Universo). Their combined age of 48 years and 45 days
will be the sixth-youngest combined age of opposing starting quarterbacks in a playoff game in NFL history. Lawrence was selected
with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and with a win on Saturday would become the fifth quarterback selected No. 1 overall
in the NFL Draft to win his first career postseason start since 2000. The Jaguars won their first AFC South division title since 2017 after
finishing with the league’s worst record in 2021. With a win on Saturday, Jacksonville would become the first team in NFL history to win
a postseason game the season after finishing with the league’s worst or tied for the worst record.
Los Angeles running back AUSTIN EKELER led the league in scrimmage touchdowns in 2022, totaling 18 touchdowns (13 rushing, five
receiving). In 2021, Ekeler tied for the league lead with a career-best 20 touchdowns (12 rushing, eight receiving). With two touchdowns
in the postseason, Ekeler will become the seventh player in NFL history to record at least 20 touchdowns in consecutive seasons,
including playoffs, and the first since Pro Football Hall of Famer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (2005-06).
FIRST-YEAR COACHES: For the first time in NFL history, five teams that hired a new head coach prior to the season advanced to the
playoffs – Jacksonville (DOUG PEDERSON), Miami (MIKE MCDANIEL), Minnesota KEVIN O’CONNELL), the New York Giants
(BRIAN DABOLL) and Tampa Bay (TODD BOWLES). All five of those coaches will be on the sidelines this weekend, with two facing
each other. When Minnesota hosts the New York Giants on Sunday (4:30 PM ET, FOX/FOX Deportes), it will mark the fourth playoff
game since 1970 featuring two rookie head coaches.
STREAKING RECEIVERS: Several wide receivers look to extend active postseason streaks this weekend. Tampa Bay wide receiver
JULIO JONES has recorded at least 50 receiving yards in each of his nine career playoff games, while Miami wide receiver TYREEK
HILL has done so in each of his past eight. Jones can become the fourth player ever with at least 50 receiving yards in 10 consecutive
postseason games and Hill can become the sixth player to reach the mark in nine consecutive playoff games. Jones’ teammate MIKE
EVANS recorded at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in both of Tampa Bay’s playoff games last season. With
another such performance against Dallas on Monday night (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC, ESPN2-Manningcast, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes),
Evans will become the fourth player ever with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in three consecutive playoff
games, joining LARRY FITZGERALD (four games) and Pro Football Hall of Famers RANDY MOSS (three) and JERRY RICE (three).
Cincinnati wide receivers JA’MARR CHASE and TEE HIGGINS were each crucial in the Bengals’ Super Bowl run last year and look to
have the same success in the 2022 postseason. Chase’s 368 receiving yards in the 2021 playoffs were the most-ever by a rookie in the
postseason. With 96 receiving yards against Baltimore on Sunday night (8:15 PM ET, NBC, Peacock, Telemundo), Chase will surpass
Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (463 receiving yards) for the second-most postseason receiving yards ever by a player in his
first two seasons. Only CHARLIE BROWN (643) has more. Including the playoffs, Chase has totaled 2,869 receiving yards in his career
and can become the third player ever with at least 3,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons, including playoffs, joining Pro Football
Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (3,189) and JUSTIN JEFFERSON (3,016). Higgins finished the 2021 postseason with three consecutive
games with at least 95 receiving yards. With 95 receiving yards on Sunday, he will become the fourth player ever with at least 95
receiving yards in four consecutive playoff games. Minnesota wide receiver JUSTIN JEFFERSON led the NFL with 128 catches and
1,809 receiving yards this season. With 91 receiving yards against the New York Giants on Sunday (4:30 PM ET, FOX/FOX Deportes),
Jefferson will become the sixth player in NFL history with at least 1,900 receiving yards in a single season, including playoffs.
PLAYOFF LENNY: In five postseason games with Tampa Bay, running back LEONARD FOURNETTE has totaled 555 scrimmage
yards (111 per game) with a touchdown in each game. Going back to the 2017 postseason with Jacksonville, Fournette has scored a
touchdown in seven consecutive playoff games. With a touchdown against Dallas on Monday night (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC, ESPN2-
Manningcast, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes), Fournette will become the third running back in NFL history to score a touchdown in eight
consecutive postseason games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers THURMAN THOMAS (nine consecutive playoff games) and
EMMITT SMITH (eight).
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3. MINING FOR PLAYOFF GOLD: San Francisco defensive lineman NICK BOSA led the NFL with a career-high 18.5 sacks this season.
He became the fourth player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record a sack in 13 games within a
season. With a sack against Seattle on Saturday (4:30 PM ET, FOX, FOX Deportes), Bosa will become the fourth player to record a
sack in 14 games in a season, including playoffs. In six career playoff games, Bosa has totaled eight sacks, with at least half a sack in
each game. He can join LAMARR WOODLEY as the only player with at least half a sack in each of their first seven career playoff
games since 1982. With two sacks on Saturday, Bosa can become the third player since 1982 with at least 10 sacks within his first
seven career playoff games, joining Woodley (11 sacks) and Pro Football Hall of Famer RICHARD DENT (10.5).
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY led all running backs with 741 receiving yards this season. In his lone career playoff game in 2017 with
Carolina, he recorded 101 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. With 100 receiving yards on Saturday, McCaffrey would become
the third running back ever to record at least 100 receiving yards in multiple postseason games, joining TONY NATHAN (three games)
and Pro Football Hall of Famer LENNY MOORE (two).
PLAYOFF PREVIEW FACTS
Two teams won division titles – Jacksonville (AFC South) and Minnesota (NFC North) – after missing the playoffs last season. At least
two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 19 of the past 20 years. Jacksonville completed the “worst-
to-first” turnaround, winning the AFC South the season after finishing in last place. At least one team has won its division the season
after finishing in or tied for last place in 18 of the past 20 seasons. In the 21 seasons since realignment in 2002, 30 of the 32 NFL teams
have won a division title at least once.
Six of this season’s 14 playoff teams have won at least one Super Bowl since 2000, capturing nine of the past 21 Vince Lombardi
Trophies. Those teams are the Buccaneers (XXXVII, LV), Giants (XLII, XLVI), Ravens (XXXV, XLVII), Chiefs (LIV), Eagles (LII) and
Seahawks (XLVIII).
The San Francisco 49ers (.607) and Baltimore Ravens (.593) have the second- and third-highest postseason winning percentages in
NFL history, while the Cowboys (35 wins) and 49ers (34) are two of the five teams with at least 30 postseason victories all-time.
Ten teams can start a quarterback who is under the age of 28 – Baltimore (TYLER HUNTLEY, 24 or LAMAR JACKSON, 26), Buffalo
(JOSH ALLEN, 26), Cincinnati (JOE BURROW, 26), Jacksonville (TREVOR LAWRENCE, 23), Kansas City (PATRICK MAHOMES,
27), the Los Angeles Chargers (JUSTIN HERBERT, 24), Miami (TUA TAGOVAILOA, 24 or SKYLAR THOMPSON, 25), the New York
Giants (DANIEL JONES, 25), Philadelphia (JALEN HURTS, 24) and San Francisco (BROCK PURDY, 23). The most quarterbacks
under the age of 28 to start at least one game in a single postseason is eight (2012 and 2020).
Two quarterbacks have won at least one Super Bowl title and have been named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player:
 Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY, who has a league-record seven Super Bowl titles (including leading the Buccaneers to a
Super Bowl LV title in 2020), set the NFL single-season record for completions (490) in 2022 and added 4,694 passing yards and 25
touchdown passes as the Buccaneers earned consecutive NFC South division titles for the first time in franchise history. Brady is the
postseason's all-time leader in games played (47), passing yards (13,049) and touchdown passes (86) and has been named Super
Bowl MVP five times, more than any player in league history.

 Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES led the NFL with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes this season to help
the Chiefs earn their seventh consecutive AFC West division title and fifth since he became the starting quarterback in 2018. In 11
career postseason starts, he has 3,381 passing yards (307.4 per game) with 33 touchdowns (28 passing, five rushing) against seven
interceptions for a 105.7 rating and has led the Chiefs to four consecutive AFC Championship games with two Super Bowl appearances
in the past four seasons. During the 2019 season, Mahomes became the youngest quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP honors as
Kansas City earned the Super Bowl LIV title.

4. Six quarterbacks can make at least their second career postseason appearance:
 Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN, who led Buffalo to its third-consecutive AFC East division title, recorded 4,283 passing yards with
42 touchdowns (35 passing, seven rushing) this season and became the first quarterback in NFL history with three career seasons of at
least 35 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns. In his first six playoff starts, he has totaled 1,718 passing yards (286.3 per
game) with 14 touchdowns against one interception for a 106.6 rating, the highest passer rating in postseason history among
quarterbacks who have started at least five games. He also has 371 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and one receiving
touchdown in his playoff career. Allen has 176 career combined passing and rushing touchdowns (138 passing, 38 rushing) in the
regular season since entering the NFL in 2018, the most by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history.
 Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW recorded 4,475 passing yards with 40 touchdowns (35 passing, five rushing) and a 100.8
rating this season and led the Bengals to a second-consecutive AFC North division title. Last season, Cincinnati became the fifth team
to appear in a Super Bowl after finishing in last place in its division the season prior and Burrow became the first quarterback selected
No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft to start a Super Bowl within his first two seasons. In four career postseason starts, Burrow has 1,105
passing yards (276.3 per game) with five touchdown passes and a 97.3 rating.
 Minnesota quarterback KIRK COUSINS is set to appear in his fifth-career playoff game, fourth as a starting quarterback, after leading
the Vikings to their first NFC North division title since 2018. In three career postseason starts, he has four touchdowns (three passing,
one rushing) with a 91.0 rating. This season, Cousins passed for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns and became the fifth player ever to
record at least 25 touchdown passes in at least eight consecutive seasons.
 Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS is slated to make his second postseason start after leading the Eagles to their first division
title since 2019. He passed for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns and added 760 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, becoming
the third quarterback ever with at least 3,500 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns in a season. In his first
postseason start last season, he totaled 297 yards (258 passing, 39 rushing) with one touchdown pass.
 Dallas quarterback DAK PRESCOTT makes his fourth trip to the postseason after leading Dallas to back-to-back playoff berths. In
four career postseason starts, he has nine touchdowns (six passing, three rushing), including three consecutive games with both a
touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown. Prescott passed for 2,860 yards and 23 touchdowns in 12 starts this season as the
Cowboys ranked third in scoring offense (27.5 points per game), including recording 24-or-more points in 10 of Prescott's 12 starts.
 Baltimore quarterback LAMAR JACKSON could make his fifth-career postseason start on Super Wild Card Weekend. In his
postseason career, he has registered 1,267 combined passing and rushing yards (316.8 per game) with four touchdowns (three
passing, one rushing) and is responsible for two of the six 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback in postseason history. Quarterback
TYLER HUNTLEY could also make his first-career playoff start.
As many as seven quarterbacks can make their first-career postseason start on Super Wild Card Weekend. The most
quarterbacks to make their first career postseason start in a single postseason is seven (1999).
 Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT makes his postseason debut after leading the Chargers to their first
postseason berth since 2018. He recorded 4,739 passing yards with 25 touchdown passes this season and became the first player in
NFL history with at least 4,500 passing yards in two of his first three career seasons. Herbert also joined Pro Football Hall of Famer
PEYTON MANNING as the only players in NFL history with at least 25 touchdown passes in each of their first three seasons.
 New York Giants quarterback DANIEL JONES can make his first career postseason start after leading the Giants to their first
postseason berth since 2016. He registered career bests in passing yards (3,205), passer rating (92.5), rushing yards (708) and rushing
touchdowns (seven) in 2022 and added 15 touchdown passes in 16 starts this season.
 Jacksonville quarterback TREVOR LAWRENCE became the sixth quarterback since 2000 to be selected No. 1 overall in the NFL
Draft and reach the postseason in one of his first two career seasons after leading the Jaguars to their first AFC South division title
since 2017. He set career highs this season in passing yards (4,113), touchdown passes (25) and passer rating (95.2) and over the
final 10 weeks of the season (Weeks 9-18), led all AFC quarterbacks in passer rating (104.6).