By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Steve Sarkisian joined the Atlanta Falcons with the daunting task of replicating one of the most explosive offenses in league history.

He did a decent job in 2017, enough for the Falcons to qualify for the postseason and score an upset win over the Los Angeles Rams in their wild-card meeting. He was doing just enough to keep the Falcons in their Divisional Round game Saturday against the Eagles, too, until fourth-and-goal in the final 65 seconds of the game.

With Atlanta trailing by five and the season on the line, Sarkisian elected to call a sprint out for Matt Ryan, who’s one of the league’s best pocket passers but is most definitely not the best at throwing on the run. The play call forced Ryan to sprint out right, surveying and floating in space under the pressure of a pass rush, left only to toss it up in vain to Julio Jones. The play ended in an incompletion, a turnover on downs and the end of Atlanta’s quest to defend its NFC title. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The sweeping changes are almost complete in Green Bay.

Green Bay hired Joe Philbin as offensive coordinator and Mike Pettine as defensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.

Philbin returns to Green Bay after spending 10 seasons with the Packers in a variety of assistant roles from 2002-2011. He served as offensive coordinator from 2007-2011 before accepting a head coaching position with the Miami Dolphins in 2012. Philbin went 24-28 with the Dolphins before he was fired after a 1-3 start to the 2015 season. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Joe Haden‘s exit from the Cleveland Browns was unceremonious, unsurprising and for a team that ended up going 0-16, unnecessary.

Haden was a cap casualty on a team that had a surplus of cap space. Asked to take a pay cut by former Browns GM Sashi Brown, Haden refused, instead requesting a release and freedom from a team he’d given years of service.

The cornerback recently revealed his feelings surrounding his departure and almost immediate signing with division-rival Pittsburgh, for whom Haden will suit up and play in his first career playoff game on Sunday. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Listeners of the Around The NFL Podcast will almost instinctively recite the one truth they know about Kai Forbath: “Kai’s Kai.”

But Vikings fans can’t be as certain about the kicker as their team returns to the playoffs this weekend for the first time since another boot’s blunder sent them home shocked.

It’s been not one, but two kickers who have taken promising seasons and jettisoned them into oblivion with wide-left kicks in the final moments of Vikings playoff games. The first — Gary Anderson’s only miss after a perfect regular season — gave Atlanta new life and eventually robbed Minnesota of what seemed to be a surefire Super Bowl berth. The second — Blair Walsh‘s hook shot in the final 30 seconds of a 10-9 wild-card loss in a frigid outdoor game in Minneapolis — sunk the Vikings in what was headed toward becoming a memorable postseason win. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Marcell Dareus‘ revenge tale became complete with last weekend’s victory over his former team.

But for the defensive tackle, it’s just the beginning of what he views as the brightest portion of his professional career — and he couldn’t be more grateful.

“This organization has changed my life,” Dareus said of the Jacksonville Jaguars, via the Florida Times-Union. “They’ve done such great things so far, I just don’t want mess anything up. I’m just overjoyed for the opportunity to play.” Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Ah, Wild Card Weekend, home of wild things, but not Where the Wild Things Are. No, instead of giant-faced fantastical animals, we have big-game action from big-time players.

Pitted against history and raucous crowds, road teams defied expectations to snag two of the weekend’s four possible wins, including a Saturday sweep. We’re here to bring you the best from those winners, who have earned themselves another week of football.

These are your greatest on the road from Wild Card Weekend presented by Courtyard by Marriott. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Eagles are the NFC’s top seed and were the darlings of the league until Carson Wentz was lost to injury.

Now that they’re riding with backup quarterback Nick Foles, the prevailing thought ahead of Saturday’s Divisional Round meeting with the Atlanta Falcons is Philadelphia doesn’t have the best chance of victory.

No skin off Fletcher Cox‘s back. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Tyrod Taylor left Buffalo’s 10-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars after he suffered a concussion late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s wild-card game.

Bills coach Sean McDermott confirmed Taylor’s concussion and said he was placed in the protocol after the game.

Nathan Peterman replaced Taylor with less than two minutes left to play in the game. Peterman briefly gave the Bills life by converting a fourth-and-3 on a scramble, but he was intercepted by Jalen Ramsey a few plays later to seal the win for Jacksonville. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Steelers are getting their most important weapon back in time for their first playoff game.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown (calf) will be at full strength for Pittsburgh’s divisional contest next week, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Had Pittsburgh played in the wild card round, Brown would have been ready to go, Rapoport added.

Brown has not played since suffering a calf injury in Pittsburgh’s 27-24 loss to New England in Week 15. Continue reading →