Need a Boost? Turn to Wilson
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SPKLMNOORTS TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018 . WASHINGTONPOST.COM/SPORTS SU K D More arguments over Cousins? NFL PLAYOFFS In Brees they trust: Saints march on NFC divisional round Let’s agree with Gruden’s take. Falcons at Eagles Saturday, 4:35 p.m., NBC BY MARK MASKE nine 5,000-yard passing seasons said Sunday night at the Super- in NFL history, to beat them, dome. “We trust each other. And I Here is something refrigerator, ignoring your family Saints at Vikings new orleans — The New Or- employing a defensive game plan think what we’ve proved is that special I in favor of angrily arguing with a Sunday, 4:40 p.m., Fox leans Saints were done dancing in which the top priority was to we can beat you in a lot of discovered. It’s a friend via text message about and celebrating in their locker slow Pro Bowl running backs different ways. It became ob- sentence about whether Cousins is at all AFC divisional round room, done waving a broom to Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. vious very early on that they Kirk Cousins, one comparable to Joe Flacco or Titans at Patriots commemorate their three-game And Brees had done just that, wanted to stop the run and that that contains the possibly David Carr. Saturday, 8:15 p.m., CBS sweep of the Carolina Panthers beating the Panthers by throwing was going to provide us with Dan germ of an (This was me Friday night: The this season with Sunday’s tri- for 376 yards and two touch- some opportunities outside.” Steinberg opinion, and yet work week ended, I retreated to Jaguars at Steelers umph in a first-round NFC play- downs in the 31-26 triumph that There simply cannot have been one with which no my warm and welcoming home Sunday, 1:05 p.m., CBS off game to earn a trip to Minne- ended Carolina’s season. many times during Brees’s tenure one actually disagrees. That’s and then spent 30 minutes sota to face the Vikings in a But if Brees was offended by in New Orleans that he has seen right: an opinionated sentence arguing with my friend Matt, over conference semifinal this coming the slight, he wasn’t about to an opposing defense use such a about Kirk Cousins that won’t text message, about Cousins and What’s your side? NFL reporter weekend. show it. Instead, he reveled in stop-the-run strategy, particular- prompt bile to plume Flacco, to the point that my heart Mark Maske looks ahead to this And yet Drew Brees was not having a team around him that’s ly in a game of such significance. unprompted from the throat of started pounding. In real life. I weekend’s games and tries to about to gloat. The Panthers es- good enough to help him get back But he dismissed that with what your co-worker, that won’t leave have so many regrets.) figure out who will advance to the sentially had dared Brees, the to another Super Bowl. amounted to a shrug, saying: you huddled next to your STEINBERG CONTINUED ON D3 conference title round. D4 quarterback who owns five of the “We trust our system,” Brees PLAYOFFS CONTINUED ON D4 BRAD MILLS/USA TODAY SPORTS apitals Coach Barry Trotz has found just expectation Trotz set before the season. But the thing — or rather, just the someone — Need a boost? Wilson’s greatest value has been his ability to for slumping forwards. His name is Tom play anywhere in the lineup, from the top trio C Wilson, and he has become Washington’s with Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin to lineup elixir, getting moved from one line to the fourth line with center Jay Beagle, seemingly another to energize teammates in need. His Turn to Wilson. improving his linemates every time. current project is the Capitals’ second trio with “He’s been able to fix a couple of lines for us center Evgeny Kuznetsov. just by what he brings to a line,” Trotz said this Kuznetsov has 39 points in 42 games, meaning month. “He brings that energy, that physicality, his scoring is far from concerning. But he has The forward’s physical play and versatility that relentlessness, and he can make plays.” fallen into a rut with just one assist in the past six have helped his Capitals teammates In an offseason defined by salary cap con- games. Beside him, rookie left wing Jakub Vrana straints, Washington signed Kuznetsov to an has gone six games without a point and has a find offense up and down the lineup eight-year, $62.4 million extension, but the team minus-3 rating in that span. So, as Trotz has done parted ways with his two most frequent line- several times, he moved Wilson beside them, BY ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN mates from the past two seasons: wingers Mar- hoping his active and physical style will revive cus Johansson and Justin Williams. Kuznetsov the struggling duo. and Vrana seemed to catch fire in December, but That role has shaped a breakout season for Canucks at Capitals with both now enduring dry spells, Trotz had Wilson, who is a point short of matching his Today, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Washington winger Andre Burakovsky rotating with Vrana 82-game total of last year; he has six goals and on the second line in Monday’s practice, and it’s 12 assists in 38 games. He is on pace to reach a possible Burakovsky will replace Vrana as the left double-digit goal total for the first time, an CAPITALS CONTINUED ON D5 ON THE WEB Caps are still here — and somehow still smiling The CFP championship game between Alabama Why aren’t the Conference? How can they be on continuing to win with a team and Georgia went late. For Washington a 15-3-2 streak that started just that includes four rookies and a coverage from Atlanta, Capitals lying on before Thanksgiving? couple of low-priced pickups? their backs at How dare they be proud of At this point, convention visit us at WAPO.ST/SPORTS center ice this themselves after what they have demands that all the Caps’ sins season with their — over the past two years, dozen be listed in ascending order of PRO BASKETBALL Thomas skates in the air, years and 33 seasons — gravity, from blowing a two-game Boswell The Wizards are working whimpering their perpetrated in the name of series lead to the New York with Otto Porter Jr. to help way to a dismal hockey perfidy? Islanders in the first round in season? If any team in any sport And by what right, after losing 1985 to losing to Pittsburgh in him manage hip pain. D6 had reason to feel gut-shot, this Marcus Johansson, Justin the second round the past two is the one and now is the time. Williams, Karl Alzner, Kevin years despite winning the COLLEGE BASKETBALL How can the Caps (26-13-3) be Shattenkirk, Nate Schmidt and Presidents’ Trophy. Twice, the Patrick Ewing gives tough in first place in the Metropolitan Daniel Winnik, who had 175 Penguins drank from Lord TONI L. SANDYS/THE WASHINGTON POST love to his big men before Division with the second-most points and 6,497 minutes last Stanley’s Cup. The Caps got the After a slow start to the season, the Capitals are 15-3-2 in their past points in the Eastern season, do the Caps insist on BOSWELL CONTINUED ON D5 20 games and stand atop the Metropolitan Division with 55 points. date with St. John’s. D6.