What we learned during the NFL Super Wild Card Weekend

Josh Allen is now Elite

Last year, Allen was erratic, to say the least, and absolutely horrible in the playoffs. That is now a thing of the past. Allen’s ability to conjure magic, escape pressure, and throw from any angle was on display Saturday as he compiled 324 passing yards on 26 of 35 attempts with two TDs. Allen’s patience, taking easy throws against the Colts zones, kept drives alive. He also had plenty of big splash plays, going 5-6 with a TD on throws of more than 20 yards.

Is Allen in the same stratosphere as Patrick Mahomes? I think so, but he needs a Super Bowl win to make it official. Allen may be the best dual-threat QB in the NFL right now. I know people will scream Lamar Jackson, but come on. The difference in passing ability between the two is immense. While Jackson may be a better runner, I don’t think the difference is significant.

Lamar Jackson changes the narrative

Sure the passing was not outstanding, but the ability to run is off the charts. What changes the narrative? That’s easy. He won a road playoff game against a team that had beaten the Ravens soundly in the playoffs last year. Can Jackson take this Ravens team all the way to the Super Bowl? I doubt it, but it’s not impossible.

Jackson isn’t the biggest issue with the Ravens, it’s their lack of receiving threats. Do they have enough weapons to reach the Super Bowl? Right now, I don’t think so, but Jackson is a force to be reckoned with.

Should Matt Nagy and Mitchell Trubisky be brought back in Chicago?

While Nagy is a solid coach, I think a change in necessary in Chicago. That change just doesn’t include a new head coach, it should also include a new quarterback. If you watched the Bears offense struggle on Sunday, you know it was a miracle that this team even made it to the playoffs. A return next year with these to at head coach and quarterback is highly unlikely.

Are the Saints headed for another painful ending?

Yes. The Saints seem to lose in the most painful ways. I know they match up well with the Buccaneers, and a win over Tampa Bay probably means the Saints are Super Bowl bound. However, I can’t be the only one that feels that this is headed for a bad ending.

Are the disasters Sean Payton or Drew Brees issues? Maybe a little bit of both, but I lean towards Sean Payton being the issue. The Saints may have the most complete team in football but my bet is they come up short once again.

Big Ben is now Old Ben

In a division full of young hotshot young quarterbacks, what will the Steelers do now? They can’t possibly continue to ride on the shoulders of Old Ben, can they? The Steelers have some major issues to face in the off-season and if they don’t pull some magic out of the hat soon, last place in the AFC North could be theirs as soon as next year.

Remember, in the last month the Steelers have lost to the Bengals and twice to the Browns. That should never happen.