Wildcard weekend definitely lived up to it’s name. The wildest part might be that we saw both Drew Brees and Tom Brady throw the last pass for their respective teams. Both quarterbacks, now in their 40’s, have decisions to make that could affect the entire league.
New England Patriots
We’ve said the dynasty was over, but now it really feels like the New England Patriots dynasty is on the decline. After a stunning loss to the Miami Dolphins to end the season, Tom Brady and company were stunned one again by the Titans.
As stunning as the loss was it also was not stunning at all. This team does not resemble the team who started the season 8-0. Tom Brady has not played well in weeks and whether it be injury or Father Time finally catching up, it’s just a fact the Patriots cannot deny. The NFL Network is reporting Brady suffered a foot injury in the final month of the season. That might explain some of the offensive struggles, but definitely not all of them. This team has not played well and instead stumbled into the playoffs.
Brady certainly does not deserve to shoulder all of the blame. By the second half of the Titans game, the team had completely given up on a rushing attack. On top of that, look at his surrounding cast by the end of the season. At one time this season, this team has Josh Gordon and Antonio Brown. By the end of the season, they were relying on a very banged up Julian Edelman and Phillip Dorsett.
No matter how this season ended, change was likely coming. This is the first time Brady will be an unrestricted free agent and signs have pointed that this could be it for the six-time champion. It seems unlikely, or “highly unlikely“as Brady said after the game that he walks away from the game especially with his final pass being a pick-6.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are exiting the playoffs early once again in stunning fashion. This time, however, they have no one to blame, but themselves. Their offense never showed up to the first half. Their run defense that had not given up a hundred yards to a runner since 2017, let Dalvin Cook eat them alive.
Drew Brees, one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league, had two huge turnovers that helped secure the Vikings win. Michael Thomas finished the game with seven receptions for 70 yards which isn’t awful, but for a guy who broke records this season it’s underwhelming. Alvin Kamara had a very quiet game, finishing with just seven carries for 21 yards.
The only player who looked ready for the game was Taysom Hill. Hill was responsible for throwing AND catching touchdown pass. The catch in the fourth quarter made it a three point game with ten minutes remaining.
The Saints leave this season with more questions than ever before. How can they improve on a record-breaking team? They have all of the pieces necessary for a Super Bowl win. Is it time to move from Brees and start over?
This was supposed to be the year they avenged all of those prior playoff upsets, but this was worse. This wasn’t an upset. The Saints got thoroughly outplayed by the Vikings in the Superdome.
Wildcard Weekend was one full of surprises. Now we look forward to the divisional round and without two of the favorites, it’s anyone’s Lombardi this year!
