LogFAQs > #979850306

The Orcas struggled mightily with injuries specifically to their secondary and HBs this season. It was reflected in the defense drop to 16th and 27th ranked rushing offense. They get some players back for their first game against the Lions, but none of the injury signings have turned their fortunes around running the ball, so I fear that will cap their ceiling even if they have more star players and talent than most of their potential opponents.

The Jags were 9-3 and leading the AFC. They lost the final four games and finished with the 6th seed. That means that they need to win three straight road games before getting an NFC opponent. The good news is that they have a ton of cap space and are required to add to their roster due to injuries. If they can add some OL, their offense might pick back up, and maybe things can trend in a positive direction with some defensive strategy tweaks. I don't think their 9-3 start was exactly a mirage, so while I don't see them winning the Super Bowl, I wouldn't be too shocked if they got an upset or two.

The Lions picked #1 overall in back-to-back seasons, but they finally got out of their rut and are back in the playoffs. Their three divisional foes finishing in the rear of the conference certainly helped, but so did their free agency activity. They took what was a bottom three unit, grabbed multiple starting OL and a new QB, and they went all the way to 12th overall and 6th in scoring. The defense finished 25th, the worst among all playoff teams, so I can't imagine them making a deep run, let alone win the whole thing, but they do get a good opponent for them in the Orcas to start things off.

The Eagles can't play offense (22nd in scoring, 28th overall, 31st in passing, and Leonard Fournette of the 3.7 career YPC has a 3.6 mark this season). They are in the playoffs because the NFC East struggled this season, their defense finished 6th overall, and they had a +8 turnover margin. Those last two are great and all, and there is recent precedence of a team going to the Super Bowl with a major, glaring liability (Browns' D last season and Raiders' O the season before), but those two teams also had the #1 O and D respectively, and this Eagles squad just isn't good enough to carry itself to the Super Bowl.