The Vikings weren’t in the postseason, but that didn’t ruin Wild Card Weekend. In fact, it made one of the most chaotic weekends even better.
The Minnesota Vikings didn't make the playoffs, but that didn't ruin Wild Card Weekend for me. In fact, it only enhanced the viewing experience of one of the most exciting postseason weekends in recent memory.
For Vikings fans, the highlight of the weekend came when the Green Bay Packers were eliminated after blowing a 27-16 lead with less than five minutes remaining against the Chicago Bears. The Packers were one of the sexy picks to represent the NFC after acquiring star defender Micah Parsons before the season. They finished with the same record as Minnesota.
Cheering for the demise of another team is petty when your own team hasn't even made the postseason. But as a Vikings fan, it comes with the territory. The Packers are Minnesota's biggest rival, and a loss for them is a win for us. Next week, I'll be cheering against the Bears when they take on the Los Angeles Rams.
But Green Bay wasn't the only hated rival to lose over the weekend. The Philadelphia Eagles, who rested their starters in Week 18 in a winnable game against the Washington Commanders, lost 23-19 to the San Francisco 49ers.
Had the Eagles beaten the Commanders in the season's final game, Philadelphia would have jumped into the NFC's No. 2 seed and hosted the Packers because the Bears lost to the Detroit Lions in Week 18.
Maybe the Eagles would have beaten Green Bay. Maybe not. But allowing their postseason fate to rest in the hands of backup quarterback Tanner McKee ended up biting Philadelphia. As a Vikings fan who witnessed the 2017 NFC Championship Game and saw the Eagles win the Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium, it warmed my cold heart a little bit.
But even with the rooting interests aside, the weekend brought plenty of excitement for the general fan. The Carolina Panthers, who finished the season 8-9, hosted the Rams as 10.5-point underdogs.
Yet Los Angeles needed a seven-play, 71-yard drive in the closing minutes to pull off the victory. Matthew Stafford found tight end Colby Parkinson for a 19-yard touchdown with 38 seconds remaining to escape with the 37-34 win.
And perhaps the most intriguing team was the Buffalo Bills, who traveled to play the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills don't have the Kansas City Chiefs to worry about in the playoffs, so would Buffalo take advantage? Or would they squander it like they had in so many regular-season games?
It was a back-and-forth game that included four lead changes in the fourth quarter. But Josh Allen and the Bills' offense took over with just under four minutes remaining, trailing 24-20. Buffalo went 66 yards in nine plays, highlighted by a 36-yard strike to receiver Brandin Cooks, to take a 27-24 lead with 1:04 to play. Trevor Lawrence was intercepted on the first play of the next drive to secure the victory for the Bills.
The games provided plenty of excitement with minimal stress. Sure, there were teams I was rooting for harder than others. But the sting of the Vikings' season is gone.
The most disappointing moment of the weekend came on Sunday night when the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Chargers in a 16-3 snoozer. That's much easier to digest after rooting for specific postseason scenarios last year, only for Minnesota to get smacked 27-9 by the Rams in the Wild Card Round.
Don't get me wrong. I'd much rather have the Vikings in the playoffs. But it sure is easier to enjoy the postseason without them.