NFL Divisional Round (Up)
Well the NFL Divisional round is officially a thing of the past. There were upsets. There were surprises, and not-so-surprises. But before we go any further, I think there is one important thing we should all stop to consider:
I successfully predicted the Packers upset over the Cowboys down to the last point. And I predicted the Patriots victory with a two point margin of error. I don’t want to gloat, but that’s some Rain Man level skill right there. Thinking maybe I should move to Vegas and start using my intuitive powers properly.
Annnyways now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to the good stuff–starting with last Saturday’s first game, the Battle of the Birds (a name which sadly has not caught on outside the sphere of my own articles). Not surprisingly, the Falcons took this one home, 36-20. After a solid start, hopes came crashing down for Seattle. The offense stunted under the pressure of two Wilson interceptions. Matt Ryan found his stroke throwing three touchdowns on 338 yards. Devonta Freeman exploded for a total of 125 yards of offense. Not to mention Julio Jones came out swinging early, recording a touchdown on six catches and 67 yards. Aside from a stout run by Thomas Rawls, he proved ineffective. The Seahawks just couldn’t get it going. Their season is over while the Falcons play host to the Packers this Sunday.
Next on the ballot–the Patriots over the Texans, 34-16. This one played out exactly as everyone expected. The Patriots covered one of the largest point spreads in the history of the NFL Playoffs. Tom Brady threw two touchdowns. Dion Lewis returned a kick for a touchdown. He rushed for 41 yards and a score. He caught two passes for 23 yards and a score. The guy exploded all over Houston. They stood no chance. Nor did Brock Osweiler’s three interceptions help. The Patriots host the upstart Steelers this Sunday in what promises to be a brawl.
Then on Sunday, the fun began. Well actually, it was fun for Packers and Steelers fans. Chiefs and Cowboys fans, on the other hand, went to bed hanging their heads especially low. It’s been a heck of a season for Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and the Dallas Cowboys. They dominated the league all year long. Two rookies playing at the caliber of veteran all-pros. Breaking records left and right. Setting precedents for a fresh generation of NFL players. Not to mention, they went 13-3. I think the entire NFL had high hopes for the Cowboys. So after four quarters of getting outplayed, Dallas tied the game at 28. From there, the teams traded field goals. But then Aaron Rodgers happened. And the results were nothing short of devastating for this Cowboys team. On an extended rollout Rodgers connected with tight end Jared Cook on a 35 yard pass that put the Pack into field position with only seconds to go. Mason Crosby chipped it in and the rest is history.
Nonetheless, both teams gave it their best and what we got was a true classic of a divisional game. Aaron Rodgers finished with 28 completions, 355 yards, and two touchdowns. Ty Montgomery recorded two touchdowns on 47 yards. And Jared Cook had 6 catches for 103 yards and a score. His big plays set the stage for the Packers to hold all the momentum. Still, Dak Prescott managed to play a great game. This loss was definitely not for a lack of trying. On 24 completions, Prescott threw for 302 yards, three TDs, and one interception. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 22 attempts and 125 yards but was held without a touchdown. And Dez Bryant blew up for 132 yards on 9 catches and two scores. What this game came down to was some big plays, some big breaks, some solid time management, and a dash of luck. The Cowboys overcame a huge deficit and tied the game late in the fourth quarter. They gave it their all. But in the end, Aaron Rodgers looked truly special and in form. The way he’s playing, it’s going to be one heck of an NFC championship in Atlanta.
And finally rounding out this round up is Pittsburgh’s upset in Kansas City. Final score: 18-16, if not for a late Eric Fisher holding call that erased the game tying conversion. Alas it was not meant to be for Kansas City. I predicted that the Chiefs would win 24-21 and they didn’t. I’ll admit I may have predicted this one out of bias. Deep down I had a sick feeling the Steelers were going to come in and steal the red thunder. And they did. Let’s ignore the fact that the Steelers didn’t get in the end zone once. Kicker Chris Boswell had six field goals. This was a game of hard nosed defense. In the end, it was the Steelers whose noses were apparently harder. Oh and there was the added dimension of Le’Veon Bell running for 170 yards on 30 attempts. He became the centerpiece for this Steelers offense, their proverbial Trojan horse. Roethlisberger wasn’t exactly exciting. He threw for 20 of 31 on 224 yards and a pick. Alex Smith didn’t fare much better. He threw for 20 of 34 on 172 yards, one TD, and one pick. Tyreek Hill was held to 27 yards on four catches, and three rushes on 18 yards. Travis Kelce, too, was kept in check for the most part. Five catches, 77 yards. And Antonio Brown caught six catches for 108 yards. The Fisher holding call was a devastating turn of events. A real deflator. The Chiefs have some shaping up to do this offseason. Meanwhile the Steelers travel to New England for the biggest test of their season. If they pass, they’re in the Big one. If not, it’s so long Steel town.
Well that’s it for the Divisional Round (Up). Stay tuned for the Conference Championship preview and predictions. It’s gonna be a doozy.
