It was fitting that the NFL dropped the “Super” from “Wild Card Weekend.” The final audience numbers were less than super.
Via the Associated Press, the six games played from Saturday to Monday night averaged 28.3 million per game. That’s a 9.3-percent drop from last year’s 31.2 million average.
It didn’t help that five of the games weren’t close. The absence of significant drawing cards like the Cowboys, Chiefs/Taylor Swift, and Lions hurt the final numbers, too.
The regular-season games averaged 17.5 million, a 2.2-percent decline from 2023.
The next test comes on Saturday and Sunday. Last year’s divisional round drew 40 million viewers on average for the four games, an all-time high. The return of the Chiefs and Lions to the mix will help, and Sunday night’s Ravens-Bills game features a showdown between the top two 2024 MVP candidates, quarterbacks Lamar Jackson (the likely winner) and Josh Allen.
Cornerback Jaylen Watson is expected to return to action for the Chiefs on Saturday, but wide receiver Mecole Hardman is unlikely to join him in the lineup.
Hardman has been listed as doubtful to be activated from injured reserve in time to play against the Texans. Hardman is returning from a knee injury and was a limited participant in practice all week.
Watson is officially listed as questionable to return from his ankle injury, but multiple reports on Thursday indicated that he is expected to be part of the defense for Kansas City.
No one else on the Chiefs has an injury designation, which means defensive tackle Chris Jones and left tackle D.J. Humphries are also expected back in action to kick off the team’s bid for a third straight Super Bowl title.
The Lions will not have right guard Kevin Zeitler against the Commanders on Saturday.
Zeitler has been ruled out of the contest after missing practice all week due to a hamstring injury. Zeitler missed one game during the regular season.
The Lions will start Christian Mahogany in place of Zeitler. He appeared in seven games and made one start in the regular season.
Left tackle Taylor Decker (personal) returned to practice after missing Wednesday and has no injury designation. Running back David Montgomery (knee) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (foot) are also good to go.
Defensive lineman Pat O’Connor (calf) was ruled out along with Zeitler. Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw (hamstring, illness) is listed as questionable.
The Chiefs are set to get a key part of their secondary back for Saturday’s home game against the Texans.
According to multiple reports, the Chiefs are expected to activate cornerback Jaylen Watson from injured reserve for their playoff opener. Watson broke his ankle in Week Seven and has been on injured reserve.
Head coach Andy Reid didn’t confirm the team’s plans for Watson during a Thursday press conference.
“He’s worked tremendously hard to get himself to this point, first of all, and we will just see how that goes as far as the game reps and all that,’' Reid said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. “But he sure has worked hard to get himself even to this point right here.’'
Watson had 32 tackles and six passes defensed in his six starts this season.
The NFL’s top two MVP candidates will meet on Sunday when Lamar Jackson leads the Ravens against Josh Allen and the Bills. And Jackson badly wants to win.
Asked if he and Allen ever get together in the offseason, Jackson said he spends his offseasons trying to get better than his opponents, not hang out with them.
“Do I see Josh Allen? I don’t know, I’ve probably seen Josh early on in my career, going to events, like around Super Bowl time and stuff like that,” Jackson said. “I don’t really chill with people in the offseason, especially not other quarterbacks. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no problem, but we’re competing against each other. I’m trying to beat you. I’m not trying to be your friend.”
Asked if he thinks he’ll always be linked with Allen because they were drafted in the same first round, Jackson said he expects to reflect on their shared legacy some day, but that day is not today.
“No doubt, when we’re older, we’ll probably laugh about it, but right now it’s serious. I ain’t laughing with you,” Jackson said.
Sunday’s game will be a big one to define both quarterbacks’ legacies, and Jackson is going into it with a competitive mindset. Not a friendly mindset.
It was a good sign for the Commanders that linebacker Bobby Wagner was back at practice on Thursday and head coach Dan Quinn delivered another bit of good news during his final press conference ahead of Saturday’s game against the Lions.
Quinn told reporters that Wagner will play despite an ankle injury that led him to be listed as a non-participant in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Wagner has started every game in his first season with the Commanders. He had 132 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in the regular season and he had eight tackles, a half-sack, and a fumble recovery against the Bucs in the playoff opener.
Quinn also said that there is no concern about kicker Zane Gonzalez’s hip. The team worked out kickers this week, but Gonzalez has been a full participant in practice.
The playoffs require a higher level of performance. We didn’t provide it.
Last week, Simms and I went 3-3 each in the straight-up picks. He had a 3-3 record against the spread; I was 2-4.
I still hold a one-game straight up lead. I’m 192-86. He’s 191-87.
Against the spread, I’m now 151-121-6 and he’s 140-132-6.
We disagree on none of the divisional straight-up winners. Against the spread, we differ on only one of the outcomes.
The full slate of our divisional picks appears below.
Texans at Chiefs (-8.5)
Houston kept it close in Week 16. They might keep it close again. But the Chiefs are too close to history to stumble now.
Florio: Chiefs, 30-20.
Simms: Chiefs, 27-17.
Commanders at Lions (-9.5)
If the Commanders keep it close, they can win. Chris doesn’t think they’ll keep it close; I do. Ultimately, we both see Detroit advancing.
Florio: Lions, 27-24.
Simms: Lions, 34-21.
Rams at Eagles (-6)
The Eagles’ offense looked sluggish last week. This week, they should ride Saquon Barkley, especially since he riddled the L.A. defense for 255 yards during the regular season.
Florio: Eagles, 27-20.
Simms: Eagles, 37-17.
Ravens (-1.5) at Bills
Can the Buffalo offense keep pace with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry? Yes, but we like the Ravens in a close one.
Florio: Ravens, 31-28.
Simms: Ravens, 30-28.
The Commanders had a significant part of their defense back on the practice field on Thursday.
Reporters at the open portion of practice shared video of linebacker Bobby Wagner warming up with the rest of the team. Wagner was listed as a non-participant in practice the last two days because of an ankle injury.
The extent of Wagner’s participation will be revealed on the team’s injury report along with any injury designation he will carry into Saturday’s game against the Lions.
Linebacker Jordan Magee (hamstring) is the only other player to be listed as out for multiple practices this week. Defensive tackle Daron Payne (finger) and tight end Ben Sinnot (shoulder) were limited participants on Wednesday.
The Ravens’ preparation for Sunday’s road game against the Bills includes more than prepping for what they’ll see the Bills try to do on the field over the course of the game.
They are also preparing for frigid conditions in Buffalo. Current forecasts are for temperatures well below freezing for the 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff and the Ravens are adapting their practice routine for that scenario. They were indoors on Wednesday because their outdoor practice field was frozen, but head coach John Harbaugh said they made sure to make the building feel like it was outdoors and he anticipates things being even colder for Thursday’s session.
“We got it as cold as we can in here right now, and it will be even colder tomorrow, when I get all the water shut off in here so the pipes don’t freeze,” Harbaugh said, via the team’s website. “So we’ll have it cold. Would love to be outside, but we just can’t. The fields are too hard and they’re too frozen.”
The forecast calls for it to be the coldest game of quarterback Lamar Jackson’s career, but Jackson is 3-1 when the temperature dips below freezing and he said he won’t be changing his approach. He’ll wear the heavy jacket while finding heaters on the sideline, but said he’s “leave that up to ‘Teddy two gloves,’ Teddy Bridgewater,” when asked about wearing gloves for further protection.
The Ravens were without their top wide receiver at the open portion of Wednesday’s practice.
Zay Flowers did not play in last Saturday’s win over the Steelers due to a knee injury and, per multiple reporters at the Ravens’ facility, he remained out of action as they began their on-field preparations for the Bills. Head coach John Harbaugh said “we’ll see” earlier this week when asked if Flowers will be able to practice.
Flowers led the Ravens with 74 catches and 1,059 yards during the regular season.
Anthony Miller led Ravens wideouts with three catches against Pittsburgh, although they only netted the team 12 yards. Rashod Bateman had two catches for 27 yards and a touchdown while Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace each had one catch.
