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NFL Playoffs: Full Wild Card round preview

By Logan Stanley

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Running Back Todd Gurley II #30 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 24: Running Back Todd Gurley II #30 of the Los Angeles Rams carries the ball against the Tennessee Titians at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 31: Running back Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints runs 106 yards on a kickoff return for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 31, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 31: Running back Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints runs 106 yards on a kickoff return for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 31, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /

Panthers vs. Saints

Game information: January 7 at 1:40 p.m, FOX

CAR ranking — DVOA

Offense: 17th

Defense: 7th

Total: 9th

NO ranking — DVOA

Offense: 2nd

Defense: 8th

Total: 1st

After missing the playoffs in 2016, the Carolina Panthers —11-5 and the No. 5 seed — have worked themselves back into relevancy.

Quarterback Cam Newton was most effective on his legs, rushing for 745 yards, which was more than 10 teams, and scored four touchdowns on the ground. In the air though, Newton was not as successful.

Newton passed for 3,302 yards with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The interception total is Newton’s second-highest of his career, the most since his rookie season.

Carolina does have the benefit of working behind a strong defense, led by linebacker Luke Kuechly and his No. 2 PFF grade (94.6).

For the New Orleans Saints, this might be the best team of quarterback Drew Brees’ 17-year career. And that is saying a lot, considering Brees has won a Super Bowl.

While Brees did throw for his lowest yard total since 2009 with 4,334 yards, that has a little to do with the fact Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram became the first running back teammates to record at least 1,500 scrimmage yards in a season.

Ingram had 1,124 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns with 58 receptions for 416 yards. It was a career-season for Ingram, who recorded highs for rushing yards and receiving yards.

Kamara, a rookie from Tennessee, had 728 rushing yards and 826 receiving yards (on 81 catches) with 13 total touchdowns — eight on the ground, five in the air. Once veteran Adrian Peterson was shipped off to the Arizona Cardinals, Kamara never looked back, finishing the season as PFF’s No. 2 graded running back at 90.2.

Wide receiver Michael Thomas cannot be overlooked here either, who had 1,245 yards and five touchdowns on 102 receptions and graded out as No. 3 for PFF (91.5). Thomas now has more receptions than anyone else in their first two seasons.

The defense is adept too, with defensive lineman Cameron Jordan, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and safety Marcus Williams. New Orleans, 11-5 and the No. 4 seed, is a team with solid players at many different aspects of the game.

Prediction: Saints 35, Panthers 21

Next: San Francisco 49ers: Grading the 2017 NFL Draft class after one full year

With the amount of expertise on the field, the NFL Wild Card round is oozing with intrigue.