Many of the stats we use year on year for the playoffs are less relevant this year with the change in format, which sees only one team in each Conference get a bye, which is a significant change. However, that bye, allied to home field advantage is still a good edge for the Chiefs and Packers, but we can save that for next week. All I will say is that the ten Wild Card teams that have made it to the Super Bowl , all had double digit wins and 10/12 teams playing tomorrow have 10+ (exceptions are Washington and the Bears) and all six in the AFC have posted at least 11 wins .

 

The pure wildcard games still have some bearing and especially those which feature the 6-3 and 5-4 ranked teams, these are usually played this weekend, the 7th ranked teams being a new addition and the #2 usually getting a week off. Over the last 7 seasons, that's 28 games , the lower ranked (away team) has a 57% win record and the #6 team has been responsible for the majority and has a 10-4 record, a small sample size for sure, but an eye catching 71.43% win rate.

 

In terms of points scored in those games, they have played out thus .......

 

20 points or under ....... 2 games

21-30 points ......... 3 games

31-40 points ...........7 games

41-45 points ........9 games

46-50 points .............4 games

51+ points .......... 3 games

 

The two games this weekend involving the #2 ranked teams are very much an unknown factor, but the Bills and Saints should be and look stronger than most teams we see on Wild Card weekend.

 

In the words of Bane: " Let the games begin ! "

 

 

Good luck !