Schein 9 NFL Wild-Card Playoffs:

There’s nothing like the month of January in the NFL.

End of the regular season. Coaches getting fired and hired. The carousel and rumor mill spinning out of control. The playoffs are set. Wild-card weekend is going to be off the charts.

 

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We touch on it all, Schein 9 style:

1. Patriot Games

When the news broke on Friday that the Jets landed the first interview with Mike Vrabel, we instantly said on “Make it Rain with Adam Schein” on VSiN that this would trigger the Patriots’ firing of Jerod Mayo and that Antonio Pierce was done in Vegas. And it happened. And this all correlates.

Vrabel’s interest in the Jets was (is) real. The roster has talent. Vrabel has been a longtime fan of Aaron Rodgers. The Jets are the only team with a coaching vacancy that also needs a GM, meaning Vrabel can facilitate the exact person he wants to work with. That’s why the Patriots and Raiders had to react.

Vrabel is in the Patriots’ ring of honor. Vrabel is beloved by the Kraft family and Patriots fans. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion in New England and was remarkable as a coach in Tennessee, consistently getting the undermanned Titans to overachieve. I made a strong case why Vrabel was the right guy, the only choice to replace Bill Belichick. Bob Kraft went with Jerod Mayo. It was a disaster. Mayo was overwhelmed in every way and lasted one season, with the inglorious final game of winning and blowing the No. 1 pick.

Antonio Pierce never should have been retained by the Raiders. Yes, the team played with juice when he replaced Josh McDaniels. That was more about the pure disdain the players had for McDaniels. And the fact that Mark Davis listened to key players who wanted to keep Pierce, including Davante Adams, whom they eventually traded, well that’s absurd. So is not even talking to one-time Raiders assistant Jim Harbaugh, who wanted the job. Now Tom Brady is in charge of Mark Davis’ team. And nobody loves Vrabel and understands who he is as a person and coach more than Brady.

Ian Rapoport from NFL Network reported that the Patriots are interviewing Vrabel on Thursday. This will move fast. We’ve been speculating for months that Vrabel would coach the Patriots or Raiders, in that order. Let the games and the domino effect begin.

And this includes…

2. Big Ben

Ben Johnson is the hottest assistant coach on the market. There are some questions if he wants to be a head coach. He loves running the Lions offense. He pulled out of the running for the Commanders’ job after interviewing with them last year. His X’s and O’s are special. Johnson might not be the ideal out-in-front leader as a head coach. Truthfully, I don’t care. His playbook is special. If the Bears don’t get Vrabel, Johnson must be the second choice. I would then consider trading for Mike Tomlin or Kevin Stefanski. If the Raiders hire Vrabel, Johnson would jump into the lead in New England. 

Which means the biggest loser could be … 

3. Khan Artist

How Shad Khan and the Jaguars fired Doug Pederson and somehow retained GM Trent Baalke, is the theater of the absurd. Baalke’s record in Jacksonville is in the toilet. The roster has holes. He once inexplicably picked Travon Walker over Aidan Hutchinson with the top pick in the draft, the easiest first-guess ever and an all-time horrible decision. Baalke keeps surviving failed coaches. Remember he also feuded and ruined a good thing with Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco. There were whispers that Ben Johnson had interest in coaching Trevor Lawrence, bringing in a GM he was compatible with, working for an owner like Khan who is hands-off and competing in the AFC South. It’s impossible to see the picky Johnson putting his career in Baalke’s hands.

4. Jet Fuel

At this stage, you would have to be a truly terrible head coaching candidate not to be getting interviewed by the Jets. Ron Rivera? What on earth …

Vrabel, Aaron Glenn and Brian Flores are my top choices for the Jets and have been since the moment Robert Saleh was fired. Glenn played for the Jets and understands the assignment and the insanity. Think of this like when DeMeco Ryans went home to Houston and what the Texans were before he arrived. Glenn is an amazing defensive coordinator who will add instant toughness and credibility. He played for Bill Parcells’ Jets. That’s what the 2025 Jets would look like. Glenn also played for the Jaguars and coached in New Orleans. I also love Flores here. Great defensive mind and New Yorker. I ripped the Dolphins when they fired him. Flores is a culture builder and creates accountability.

5. Viking Quest

Well, the Vikings-Lions’ Week 18 game went the exact opposite of what I expected. I thought this one had 38-35 Vikings written all over it. Instead, it was a disjointed offensive performance and a total dud from my guy Sam Darnold and the Vikings, clearly his worst game in a Minnesota uniform. Detroit showed its toughness and coaching en route to getting the coveted No. 1 seed and first-round bye. But I’m not ready to say buh-bye to the Vikings. I still love this 14-win team. Now, I’d love them more if they didn’t have to face the Rams on Monday night. My trust and respect for Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and the Rams is off the charts. But I still think the Vikings prevail, even though they lost to L.A. earlier this year. The playoff road could be facing the only two teams they lost to this season, L.A. up first and then the Lions, who beat them twice. But, when you take a breath, this Minnesota team still has elite coaching and talent. I still think they can make a Super Bowl run. And if you believe, for your consideration …

NFC championship: +750
Super Bowl: 16-1
Sam Darnold to win Super Bowl MVP: 22-1

Vastly different odds than last week. 

6. Charged up

My favorite play for wild-card weekend is the Chargers laying 2 1/2 in Houston against the stumbling Texans. Houston is truly lucky to play in the AFC South. They are in the tournament and hosting a playoff game solely because they play in a poor division. Houston has regressed. C.J. Stroud had a down second season. The offensive line play was offensive. Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs are hurt. And Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers coming to town is the worst possible matchup. Justin Herbert has been on fire. Derwin James and the defense always bring energy and are well-coached. Houston was placed in its customary Saturday afternoon 4:30 p.m. ET wild-card slot, just as a reminder that the Texans are the least exciting playoff team. I expect L.A., 12-4-1 against the spread, to punch the Texans in the mouth and win this game by double digits.

7. The Pitts

It’s crazy to think that the Steelers are the biggest dog on wild-card weekend, considering history. Pittsburgh-Baltimore is the nastiest and most intense rivalry in the NFL. The Steelers beat the Ravens 18-16 in mid-November. These games are historically one-score. The Steelers’ defense has been Lamar Jackson’s Kryptonite. Jackson has something to prove in the playoffs. None of that matters for Saturday. None of the above is even registering as a talking point. Think about it. Baltimore has the feel of a Super Bowl team. The Steelers have no business being in the postseason after losing four straight. We yelled loudly after the Steelers lost in Cleveland that they would finish 2-4. They did. The offense is a mess. George Pickens is disinterested and fresh off a disastrous game. Russell Wilson can’t complete the forward pass. Mike Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Chew on this nugget of futility … the Steelers have 80 regular-season wins from 2017-24, which would be the most in an eight-season span without a playoff win in NFL history if they lose on Saturday night. 

I believe Jackson and Derrick Henry slice the Steelers’ defense. Normally I would be very hesitant to lay the 10 in a division rivalry game like this. The rare exception to the one-score games between the two clubs was just three weeks ago when Baltimore beat the Steelers by 17. Pittsburgh is that bad right now. Baltimore is that great with that much to prove. I’ll lay the 10 with the Ravens.

8. Hurts so good

It’s impossible to predict if Jalen Hurts will clear concussion protocol in time for Sunday’s game. This isn’t an ankle or knee to work through. But as we speak, the line on Philadelphia and Green Bay is -4.5. Christian Watson tore his ACL. Jordan Love couldn’t feel his hand last week and failed to beat a great team all season. The Eagles didn’t play Saquon Barkley and allow him to go after the single-season rushing record so he could get ready for a dominant playoff run. Grab the 4.5 now before Hurts is cleared. And even if he’s not, the Eagles’ defense and run game will make it stick.

9. Chef Baker

It seems like everyone and their mother (mine included) is on the Jayden Daniels bandwagon this postseason. And I get it. Daniels’ rookie year was special. There’s no chance the playoff bright lights will be too big. Daniels is a stud. But I like the Bucs on Sunday night laying three points. Yes, Sunday’s win over the Saints was nerve-wracking. But Baker Mayfield is also built for this. I don’t like Washington’s defense at all. Mayfield, first-ballot Hall of Famer Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, the Bucs’ terrific offensive line and Liam Coen’s offense should thrive.

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