Something strange happened during Wild Card Weekend beyond just Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones losing his mind, and Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missing a gimmie putt that will haunt him until the end of his time on Earth.
The strangeness I’m referring to is simple, yet historic. Four road teams won, marking the first time a four-game playoff weekend was swept by the visitors.
Let’s dive into the other statistical oddness and/or craziness from the opening weekend of this year’s playoffs.
32: The amount of points scored by the Green Bay Packers over five straight possessions. That sizzling stretch when quarterback Aaron Rodgers started to look like, well, Aaron Rodgers again ultimately sunk the Washington Redskins.
27 minutes: The amount of game time Green Bay needed to score those points.
148: Rodgers’ passing yards in the second quarter.
10: The yards gained by the Packers over their first four possessions, which makes the surge that came later even more remarkable.
189: The successful field-goal attempts this season from 27 yards or closer prior to Walsh missing from that distance, handing the Seattle Seahawks a gifted win.
99 percent: The NFL conversion rate from where Walsh whiffed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
3.7: The combined average yards per play between the Vikings and Seahawks in a game dominated by defense, and bitterly cold weather. Minnesota’s offense mustered only 183 yards.
0.7: The average yards before contact for Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
8: The amount of dropbacks Houston Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer needed to commit his first two turnovers during an implosion against the Kansas City Chiefs that surprised absolutely no one. Hoyer finished with five turnovers, and a passer rating that’s not safe for work (15.9).
0-7: Marvin Lewis’ playoff record. He’s now the only head coach to lose seven straight playoff games. His lukewarm seat is starting to sizzle.
45-0: The combined score over the first seven quarters of Wild Card Weekend. Then all the Steelers-Bengals shenanigans broke out.
19: Total points scored over the final 14 minutes of that game. The scoreboard read 15-0 Pittsburgh after three scoreless quarters from the Bengals.
