Welcome to Glass Slipper! Totally forgot that Doc Rivers coaches the Bucks; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

Here are my 10 biggest takeaways from the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.

1. Progress.

It’s pretty rare for fans to watch their squad drop a home playoff game in soul-crushing fashion, and walk away feeling better than they did at kickoff. That’s the vibe I got from Carolina folks on Saturday, and I completely understand. Their untested core got thrown into the fire against a far superior group, and went toe-to-toe. Jalen Coker rose to the occasion. Mike Jackson delivered the best performance I’ve seen from a corner this entire season. Bryce Young didn’t flinch. It was as encouraging as a loss gets.

The Panthers need to capitalize on this momentum, and nail that first-round pick. If David Bailey is still available, I’m sprinting to submit the selection.

2. The climb.

I’m about to ask a question that may raise your eyebrows. You ready? Let’s say that Matthew Stafford is named MVP, then leads the Rams to their second Super Bowl in four years. Is he one of the ten greatest quarterbacks ever?

In this hypothetical world, Stafford boasts more rings than Aaron Rodgers, more MVPs than Drew Brees, and more first-team All-Pros than John Elway; all three of those dudes likely appear on your personal list. At the very least, we would have a legitimate discussion on our hands. 

3. Olive Garden.

Again. The Bears actually did it again. That thing felt completely over, yet it was probably their sixth-most improbable victory of the campaign. This is impossible.

Down 27-16 with 5:37 remaining, and Chicago is staring at fourth-and-long from its own territory. A single incompletion away from pondering vacation plans. Caleb Williams makes a throw that only one other human alive is capable of executing, and the Bears are suddenly playing for their first NFC championship game appearance since 2011. Unbelievable.

4. Fizzled.

I promised to issue an apology if the Jaguars conquered Buffalo. Obviously, that will not be happening. Jacksonville hung tight and then failed to close, exactly as I expected.

Still, I’m okay with forking over some credit. 13-4 and a division title, with two of those losses coming as a result of backup-quarterback miracles. The Jags did not get much of anything from Travon Walker, Brian Thomas Jr., or Travis Hunter, either.

We thought Trevor Lawrence broke out in 2022, and it turned out to be a mirage. If it’s real this time, the loaded AFC just churned out another long-term threat.

5. Pick up the phone.

You’re Nick Sirianni. Though Jalen Hurts is really good, you know there’s another signficiant leap in there. To me, the search for Kevin Patullo’s successor starts with one name.

We’re taking it back to college. Dial Lincoln Riley’s number. Hurts tallied 5,149 total yards, 52 total touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in his one season at Oklahoma. Those are middle-school recess numbers, and he wasn’t just throwing bubble screens. Riley had Jalen attacking all three levels of the defense, and also utilized his mobility beautifully.

If Lincoln chooses to stay at USC, Brian Daboll is a nice Plan B. But after years of promoting from within, this is your opportunity to make a splash hire. Don’t waste it, Nick.

6. Nonsense.

Kyle Shanahan has been on a Super Bowl staff three times. In 2017, Atlanta is up 28-3 deep in the third quarter. Loss. In 2020, the 49ers are up 20-10 with under seven minutes remaining. Loss. In 2024, San Francisco is up 22-19 in overtime. Loss. That’s a ridiculous amount of heartbreak.

It would feel so weird if this roster is the one that gets Kyle over the hump. The Niners possess serious flaws on both sides of the ball, yet the wizard wearing the headset keeps winning. He sits three victories away from nirvana.

7. Dog days.

I need Justin Herbert to start barking at his front office a bit more. Everyone in the facility treats you like an untouchable superhero. Do not be bashful about wielding that autonomy, when it’s your football legacy on the line.

Superstar signal-callers are always involved in their organization’s decision-making process. Patrick Mahomes advised the Chiefs to draft Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Xavier Worthy. Lamar Jackson will meet with the finalists for the Ravens’ job. Josh Allen informed the Bills that he wanted Joe Brady as his full-time offensive coordinator. Joe Burrow obviously had a hand in the Ja’Marr Chase selection. This is kind of how the league works.

It’s not in Justin’s DNA to be pushy, but he’s going to have to learn. Give Joe Hortiz a list of free agents and college guys that you’d love to play with, and go from there.

8. An ode to Mike Tomlin.

Half of me is overjoyed, because the only NFL franchise that I genuinely despise is now a whole lot worse. The other half is irritated beyond belief, because one of the best coaches of the 21st century got ran out of town by an extremely ungrateful horde of fans.

He went 19 consecutive campaigns without a losing record, and was mocked. He handled some of the most chaotic and problematic human beings in the profession, and didn’t receive credit. He won a Super Bowl, and got told that it was Bill Cowher’s team. I sincerely hope Tomlin finds an environment where he’s treated with more respect.

Rooting against Mike twice per year was a foundational piece of my upbringing. I’ll miss him dearly.

9. Swarm.

CJ Stroud couldn’t decide whether he wanted to play like Dan Orlovsky or Dan Marino on Monday, and literally none of it mattered. Houston’s defense was never going to lose that game.

Watch football long enough, and you’ll realize that creating pressure with four rushers is the key to everything. At times, it feels like the Texans can drop nine and still get home; I cannot wait to see how Drake Maye handles the heat.

10. Time to peek ahead.

An incredible Divisional slate is on deck.

It’s time to weed out the lingering pretenders. Here we go.

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“Shining Star” by Earth, Wind & Fire. Let’s power through the rest of this week.