The NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend had a little bit of everything that fans love about playoff football: amazing performances, dramatic moments and clutch plays. The Wolfpack had seven players compete in games on Saturday and Sunday and while there were mixed performances across the board, one certainly stood out among the rest. Wolfpack alumni and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt’s game-winning interception for his team was the highlight of the weekend for the Pack Pros. While all were not fortunate enough to survive the weekend, Pratt helped keep the Bengals in the hunt for a Super Bowl.
Germaine Pratt, linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals
Since being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, Germaine Pratt has established himself as an integral part of the Bengals defense. On Saturday however, Pratt proved why he will stay there.
In the Bengals victory over the Raiders, Pratt made the game-sealing interception on Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr, successfully protecting Cincinnati’s 26-19 lead on what was essentially the last play of the game. Backed up to their own nine-yard line, the Bengals defense was threatened by a potentially game-tying drive led by Carr. On fourth down with 12 seconds left, Carr fired over the middle, desperately trying to find his receiver, Zay Jones, but was denied by the Wolfpack product.
It’s a play that Bengals and Wolfpack fans alike will remember for a while, but as clutch as Pratt’s interception was, he played in excellent form the entire game. Racking up nine total tackles, with six unassisted, including one for a loss, Pratt came up big for the Bengals defense.
Pratt finished second in total tackles on the team, only behind his fellow linebacker Logan Wilson. The impact that Pratt had on the game went beyond stats, however, as he brought physicality, drive and a hunger to take the ball away. Head coach Zac Taylor has definitely taken note of Pratt’s effort to create turnovers all season long, as per his press conference after his first playoff victory as Cincinnati’s head coach.
“He’s always a guy that when we watch the tape, he’s trying to punch the ball out, rake it out, whatever he’s got to do,” said head coach Zac Taylor after the game. “So for him to get the pick on the last play of the game, it’s really just fitting of what he’s been all about. He finished it off for us the right way.”
The Bengals will need Pratt to bring this ball-hawking effort on every play next week when they face the Tennessee Titans Saturday afternoon in the Divisional Round. However, with Titans running back Derrick Henry primed for a potential return from injury, Pratt and the Cincinnati defense will need all hands on deck to contain the run. After the first playoff win for many of Cincinnati’s young players, including Pratt, the Bengals hope to continue this trend and advance even deeper into the postseason.
A.J. Cole III, punter, Las Vegas Raiders
At the same time that Pratt sent his team to the next round, he, in turn, helped eliminate fellow Pack Pro, and Las Vegas Raiders punter A.J. Cole III, who punted twice in his team’s loss to the Bengals. While the Raiders lost, Cole continued his solid performance from the regular season into the postseason. On his two punts, he averaged 49.5 yards, just below his 2021 season average of 50 yards per punt, the league-high in average punt distance across the NFL.
His first punt came at the beginning of the second quarter and was an impressive play as Cole officially punted from the Raiders’ own one yard line, but was forced back to the very edge of his own endzone. With his back against the boundary, Cole boomed a 58-yard punt across midfield to get his team out of dangerous field position that led to a stand from the Las Vegas defense to force the Bengals to punt themselves. While a disappointing end to the season for Cole and the Raiders, he’ll look to continue his top-notch form into the 2022 regular season.
Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver, New England Patriots
New England wideout Jakobi Meyers managed to rack up six catches for 40 yards on a cold Saturday night and blowout loss against the Buffalo Bills. While being a core part of New England’s offense all season, there was certainly room for improvement in a game where the Patriots needed every piece of firepower they could to potentially overcome their division rivals. Nevertheless, after the Patriots’ first-round playoff exit Meyers looks to further solidify his role as one of Patriots quarterback Mac Jones’ top targets in the 2022 regular season.
B.J. Hill, defensive tackle, Cincinnati Bengals
Though he didn’t play as large a role as Pratt did in the Bengals’ Wild Card win, fourth-year defensive tackle B.J. Hill registered two tackles and a quarterback hurry — one of those tackles being a sack of Derek Carr during the Raiders’ final drive. Hill is one of six Pack Pros remaining in the playoffs and looks to continue making clutch plays as the underdog Bengals streak towards the Super Bowl.
