Wide receivers, young QBs will be critical to success on NFL's wild-card weekend

Jarrett Bell's quick glance at items of interest as wild-card weekend looms:

 ***

Who’s hot: DeAndre Hopkins. We’ve known about the fabulous hands of the Texans’ star receiver for some time. Now it’s more apparent that Hopkins has a heart to match. Hopkins has pledged his $29,000 playoff check for the wild-card matchup against the Colts to the family of Jazmine Barnes, the 7-year-old who was fatally shot this week during a senseless act of violence in Houston. Hopkins, expressing how the victim reminds him of his 5-year-old daughter, is also supporting efforts to bring the perpetrator to justice. This social consciousness is to be applauded, as Hopkins demonstrates a sensitivity that puts the big game in perspective while grieving for the civic community. On the field, he has continued to be a standard-bearer, too. Hopkins ranked third in the NFL with 115 catches – and didn’t drop a single pass. He ranked second in the league with 1,572 yards. And in topping 100 yards in each of the past three games, he averaged 10 catches and 140.3 yards. But hands down, he’s an impact player in more ways than one.

X-factor: T.Y. Hilton. Nursing an ankle injury that kept him off the practice field all week, the Colts’ big-play receiver is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s game at Houston. But he should be practically listed as eager. Hilton calls Reliant Stadium his “second home,” given the damage he’s done there throughout his seven-year career. In seven games at Houston: 41 catches, 932 yards, 7 TDs and a whopping 22.7-yard average catch. In Indy’s Week 14 romp, Hilton caught 9 passes for 199 yards. One way or another, healthy and effective or not, Hilton’s presence as a swing factor is undeniable.

Key matchup: Amari Cooper vs. Shaquill Griffin. Since tearing up the Eagles with a monster performance in early December, the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver has been relatively quiet lately. The past three games, Cooper has had 13 catches for just 87 yards. Yet his presence – and the increased confidence from quarterback Dak Prescott – is one of the major differences that Seattle didn’t have to contend with during a Week 3 victory against Dallas. The Seahawks could assign Griffin to the job, but that matchup could hinge on the cornerback’s rebound from an ankle injury that kept him off the practice field on Wednesday. Griffin was off the injury report by Thursday, but you can believe that Prescott and Cooper are poised to test the ankle…while the Seahawks will likely have some, if not extensive, double-coverage in their design as some of the recent Dallas opponents have relied on to deal with the big-play wideout.

In the trenches: Lane Johnson. When the Eagles right tackle was snubbed as a Pro Bowl selection recently, he responded a few days later by shutting down perennial all-pro J.J. Watt (3 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 QB hits) in the big win against Houston. Now comes the chance to make another statement against one of the NFL’s premier defensive stars: Khalil Mack. Nick Foles would certainly appreciate that.

Next man up? Hunter Henry. What a time for a season debut for the Chargers tight end, back practicing this week after blowing out an ACL during the offseason. He’s listed as questionable for the clash at Baltimore, with L.A. coach Anthony Lynn playing it coy when publicly addressing whether Henry will suit up. Make no mistake: Henry (45 catches in 2017) would add a significant dimension, capable of stretching the field on intermediate seam routes, potentially exposing a soft spot in the Ravens’ top-ranked defense. Veteran Antonio Gates still contributes but isn’t as fluid as he used to be. Virgil Green is more of a blocker. Add the possibility of a Henry return to running back Melvin Gordon’s presence and change-up back Austin Ekeler, and the Chargers could have three major pieces at Philip Rivers’ disposal that they didn’t have when clobbered by Baltimore in Week 16.

Pressure’s on: Deshaun Watson…and Bill O’Brien. Having claimed the AFC South title for the third time in four years, O’Brien is still seeking his first playoff win as Texans coach. The two previous losses? His quarterbacks threw seven interceptions. But that was with Brian Hoyer and Brock Osweiler. Now O’Brien has the electrifying Watson…and the challenge to protect him. Watson has been under siege all season, playing behind a shaky offensive line that is particularly suspect in the interior. He endured an NFL-high 62 sacks – tied for the most for any playoff quarterback during the Super Bowl era. It’s no wonder that Watson led the league, too, with 60 scrambles. That’s survival, for sure, reflecting the tendency of the interior linemen being pushed back to collapse the pocket. Maybe O’Brien can help with schemes that have Watson rolling out or otherwise being on the move.

Rookie watch: Leighton Vander Esch. The Seahawks will bring the No. 1-ranked rushing attack to JerryWorld, keyed by Chris Carson, one of the league’s hottest running backs. This means plenty of action for the weakside linebacker who leads the Cowboys with 140 tackles, and his playmaking partner on the second level, Jaylon Smith. Carson carries a streak of three consecutive 100-yard games, which earned him NFL Offensive Player of the Month honors for December (561 yards). Vander Esch was just shy of averaging double-digit tackles (9 ½) in December. Something’s gotta give.

Stomach for an upset: Eagles at Bears. The defending Super Bowl champs are the biggest underdog of the weekend, with Chicago and its ferocious defense favored by 6 ½ points. Somehow, you know the Eagles will embrace the moment. Remember all the juice the Eagles extracted from the “underdog” theme during their run to a Super Bowl crown last year? When the playoffs began last year, the theme was a bit overblown as Philadelphia was a No. 1 seed. Now the Eagles are the NFC’s sixth seed, barely making the playoffs. True underdogs. No doubt, there’s something to be said for their resilience and swagger. They will scrap with the heart of a champion. It’s part of their DNA, along with the Nick Foles magic. And if they can survive at Soldier Field, odds are that the dog masks will be back…as celebration props. But first things first: Preventing the Bears defense from dominating is essential.

Did you notice? Terrell Suggs, who broke Ray Lewis’ franchise record by playing his 229th game last Sunday, is the only player from the NFL’s 2003 draft class still playing in the league. Yes, the Ravens got bang for their buck when they selected him 10th overall. Other notables from that 2003 class: Carson Palmer. Charles Rogers (2nd overall). Byron Leftwich. Troy Polamalu. Anquan Boldin. Osi Umenyiora. Jason Witten. Nate Burleson. Robert Mathis. And legendary Super Bowl playmaker David Tyree. Another player who entered the NFL in 2003 as an undrafted free agent will be on field Sunday, opposite Suggs: Antonio Gates.

It’s not how you start…or is it? Philip Rivers has thrown interceptions on the opening drive in three consecutive games. And after throwing just six picks in the first 13 games, the Chargers quarterback threw six INTs in the past three games.

Trend watch: On wild-card weekends since 2008, Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks are 11-1 vs. quarterbacks with zero playoff victories. In other words: Dak Prescott and Mitchell Trubisky, you have been warned.

Stat’s the fact: Of the NFL’s 256 regular-season games, 73 (28.5%) were decided by 3 points or fewer – most ever in an NFL season. It’s no wonder the point-spreads for three of the four games this weekend are under 3 points.