Tennessee Titans, 22 Kansas City Chiefs, 21
Andy Reid in the playoffs hasn't been a barrel of laughs for the big guy. It's almost too easy to say this game was a microcosm of the Chiefs' season- starting 5-0 and falling backwards into the playoffs. Up 21-3 at halftime, the injury to Travis Kelce was devastatingly unfortunate, but the restriction of RB Kareem Hunt (5 second half carries with an 18pt lead) was unforgivable. The Chiefs looked great on their first two TD drives- Kelce, Hunt and WR Tyreek Hill all involved and QB Alex Smith running the controlled dynamics, flummoxing the Titans. Just as the 5-0 start collapsed into doldrums mediocrity, so did the 21-3 lead in this game.
The bright red Arrowhead crowd was made witness to Titans QB Marcus Mariota and RB Derrick Henry keeping a steady Titans pace. I can't think of many other games where the losing team is the team that wore down the opposing defense, but Mariota/Henry and the Titans O-line did just that. As with any budding upset, there was a healthy heaping of luck. Mariota's first TD pass of the day was to himself a ricochet back to him for a pylon-diving six points. A wild end to a methodic 8-minute, 3rd quarter drive.
Derrick Henry started the 4th quarter with a statement 35 yard rushing TD and the Titans took the lead with a preseason hype special connection - Mariota to WR Eric Decker. In between the half and these 3 Titans touchdowns, the Chiefs offense was downright obsolete. They possesed the ball for less 10 minutes of the 2nd half.
MVP : RB Derrick Henry carried the load, showed great lateral quickness for a big man, and the deceptive speed with the long strides. 181 yards on 25 touches. While the twin-Heisman backfield both deserve credit for the victory, it was Henry who made the biggest leap forward. Titans fans already asking 'Demarrco who?'
Atlanta Falcons, 26 Los Angeles Rams, 13
The 2016 Falcons perhaps would have made this a legendary blowout, the 2017 Falcons kept it civil. QB Matt Ryan was under duress the entire game (DT Aaron Donald and Co. had him rolling and shifting) but it did not matter. The Falcons drove the ball into the red zone over and over again, but settled for field goals 4/6 times. RB DeVonta Freeman and WR Julio Jones registered the two touchdowns, respectively.
It was enough because Coach Dan Quinn has clearly groomed a disciplined and well-prepared defense. LB Deion Jones and CB Robert Alford were just two that were on display for expelmery tackling of the Rams' formidable weapons. RB Todd Gurley was taken down 1-on-1 in the open field on crucial 3rd downs, and WR Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp found little YAC.
The loss can't necessarily be placed on the young team behind QB Jared Goff not being ready for the big stage, as will be the story. The game would have been much closer if KR/PR Pharaoh Cooper held onto the ball with a fumble lost on a kickoff, and a fumble lost on a punt return. It was part of what contributed to the stunning time of possession different. Atlanta 38 minutes. Los Angeles 22 minutes (which includes a 19-play late 4th quarter drive already down 26-13).
MVP : QB Matt Ryan. I am sure they have stats for rating under pressure and metrics for how well Ryan did in the face of collapsing pockets. Just watching the game, it did not seem natural that the Falcons' were sustaining drives. It was Freeman, Coleman, Jones, Sanu- the old gang from the 2016 legendary offensive run but instead of wide open WRs and pretty plays, this looked hard- and Matt Ryan deserves the credit for pulling that off.
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