By Kevin Long
Staff Writer
The first two rounds of the NFL playoffs have come and gone, and only four teams remain on the path to greatness.
Divisional Round
Cincinnati Bengals @ Tennessee Titans (19-16)
This game was an offensive disaster. The Titan’s QB Ryan Tennehill threw three interceptions, and the Bengals offensive line allowed nine sacks on QB Joe Burrow. Key takeaways from this game were the Bengals defense and their ability to turn the ball over, as well as the offense and their ability to win — even when Joe Burrow and the line are having a statistically bad game. Teams that are able to turn the ball over and win are the teams that usually end up making the most noise down the stretch. Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase has continued tearing holes in defenses despite the slow game against Tennessee, and with 225 receiving yards over the past two weeks, Chase could look to break some postseason records should they advance to the Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers (13-10)
If last week’s theme was blowouts, this week’s theme would be ugly games and teams failing to play up to their offensive expectations. QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers seemed to return to week one form, failing to do anything meaningful on offense. The opportunities were there, with RB Aaron Jones having 170 cumulative yards and WR Davante Adams amassing 90 yards through the air. Their problem was being able to finish when given opportunities by these two players. This is not to say the 49ers were better on offense, somehow managing to be even worse, with QB Jimmy Garoppolo throwing only 11 completions for no touchdowns and one interception. I'm sure Niners fans were begging HC Kyle Shanahan to throw rookie QB Trey Lance into the game for no other reason than that he couldn't hurt them as much as Garoppolo had been. The MVP of this game was without a doubt the 49ers special teams unit, as they managed to not only block a field goal attempt, but also block a punt, returning it for a game-changing touchdown that gave San Francisco the edge. Should Garoppolo and the offense play this way next week, don't expect a Super Bowl in this team’s future.
Los Angeles Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (30-27)
This was more like it, an even matchup where both teams actually remember how to play offense. This one was rough, a bit dirty, and overall was simply one of the most fun games to watch from this weekend. Brady seemed to lose his usual cool temper here, getting his first ever unsportsmanlike conduct call in his nearly 22 year long career, and proving unable to get anything going through the air in the first half of the game. Despite nearly blowing a 24 point lead, the Rams were able to pull out a win thanks to QB Matt Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp, who connected on two massive plays right at the tail end of the game, setting Matt Gay up for a game winning field goal. Stafford’s play at the end of the regular season was questionable, as he turned the ball over frequently and nearly lost to teams well below their skill level, like the injury-riddled Ravens, but his play has improved and he has come through for his team when they needed him most. The Rams will have to clean up quite a few mistakes regarding turnovers as they head into a contest against a 49ers team that held Aaron Rodgers to only ten points.
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs (42-36)
This matchup did not disappoint. Two electric offenses going head to head in a contest to advance to the AFC Championship with elite talent across both rosters. This game was a back and forth heavyweight bout where neither team backed down until the clock hit zero. QB Josh Allen of the Bills and QB Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs combined for seven touchdowns and over 700 yards passing in this slugfest, but by far the most impressive showing came from second year WR Gabriel Davis on the Bills, who amassed 201 yards and four touchdowns over the course of the game. Despite their best efforts, Allen and the Bills fell victim to the coin flip based NFL overtime rules, as the Chiefs put together a game winning opening drive in OT. This has fostered an uproar amongst fans of numerous fanbases, who call for the NFL to change the overtime rules to give both teams an opportunity to score instead of the sudden death system the league currently employs, seeing the ending of this game as unfair for the Buffalo Bills.
AFC Championship Preview
Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, Jan. 30, 3:00 p.m.)
The last time we saw this matchup was week 17 of the regular season, where the Bengals managed to win by a mere three points over the Chiefs. This will no doubt be another high scoring game led by elite quarterback play and electric wide receivers. Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase and Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill are some of the best in the game today, and coupled with other weapons like Chiefs TE Travis Kelce or Bengals RB Joe Mixon, it seems defenses on both sides are in for a long day. Last time they met was a record shattering day for Ja’Marr Chase, who burned the Chiefs secondary for a whopping 266 yards and three touchdowns. If he manages anything close to this, he would be looking to break Larry Fitzgerald’s 2008 postseason record of 546 receiving yards. Not many months ago, Cincinnati was criticized for picking Chase over Penei Sewell, and while the Bengals are in dire need of offensive linemen considering the nine sacks allowed against the Titans, it seems safe to say picking Chase was the right move for the Bengals. Expect this to be the must watch game this weekend.
NFC Championship Preview
San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams (Sunday Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m.)
The NFC has been unpredictable all postseason. Very few expected the 49ers to even be here after their injury riddled 2020 season, but they have managed to overcome both the Cowboys and the Packers on the path to the NFC Championship. All that remains in their path is a team they have already beaten twice this season. Despite this, don't count out Stafford and the Rams quite yet, because since those games, they have gotten back RB Cam Akers and signed WR Odell Beckham Jr., bringing new life to an offense that already had star WR Cooper Kupp at the helm. The recent offensive struggles of the 49ers could be pointing towards an uphill battle for QB Jimmy Garoppolo this weekend. Niners WR Deebo Samuel and TE George Kittle will need to put the team on their back if San Francisco is to have any hope of making it to the Super Bowl.
