Buzz Break: 2020 Panini Playoff football cards (mega box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2020 Panini Playoff football cards (mega box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of the highlights from this one.

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 80
Base set completion: 54 of 200 (27 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Garoppolo, Christian McCaffrey, D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Jones, Carson Wentz, Randy Moss, Eric Dickerson, Chad Johnson, Charles Woodson

Insert & short-prints: 24 (all in gallery below with some base)
Rookie Cards (Nos. 201-300) (10) – D'Andre Swift, Joshua Kelley, Jake Luton, Josiah Deguara, Isaiah Hodgins, Cam Akers, A.J. Dillon, Harrison Bryant, Zack Baun, K'Lavon Chaisson
Red Zone parallels (3) – Michael Thomas, Evan Engram, Keenan Allen
Red Zone Rookie Card parallels (1) – Jedrick Wills
Behind The Numbers (3) – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers
Call to Arms (2) – Jordan Love, Drew Lock
Rookie Wave (2) – Chase Young, Antonio Gandy-Golden
Rookie Wave Pink Prizm parallel (1) – Joshua Kelley
Thunder & Lightning (2) – Derrick Henry & A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley & Darius Slayton

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Rookie Stallions (1) – Van Jefferson
Red Zone Rookie Autographs (1) – Noah Igbinoghene

What's Buzz-worthy: This brand is a clean and simple one -- and one I've ripped a lot of at retail in the past because of this -- adds a larger element this year that can make a big difference. Optichrome stock on the inserts. These boxes ($39) are the home of one auto and one memorabilia card every time and are the only place to find Pink parallels on all those Optichrome cards. These are also the home to blue Contenders Rookie Ticket Preview autos as well as Preview variations (both /23) with the strong rookie class getting a strong ride here. My box? Perhaps light on some of those rookies but there's enough volume here to find some highlights. For the regular stock cards, the Red Zone cards are the only parallels. For the Optichrome stuff its just pink for Behind The Numbers, Thunder & Lightning, Call to Arms and Rookie Wave ... all found here. For the Rookie Stallions memorabilia cards there are also prime parallels (/50) and that's the entire lineup of what's found in mega boxes. The simplicity is part of the appeal for me and I like the familiar but new base card design. The inserts seem a little tamed down for their names (past years visualized the gimmicky names) and so that's different and some will like it, some won't. All in all, finding this one for the price in today's landscape, given the rookie possibilities, it's a solid buy as long as you're not expecting massive money returns in every box. This one is a simple, clean release for a collector to rip into with some good potential in there, too.

Product Grade: A- (thanks to the Optichrome presence and potential)
Box Grade: B- (feels closer to average and not the most-impressive sig)
Fun Grade: B

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