Jacksonville Jaguars, 10 Buffalo Bills, 3
It was not pretty, but the Jaguars win their first playoff game in over a decade and the Bills fly out of Florida back to Buffalo with a playoff participant trophy for the first time in 17 years. QB Blake Bortles was only spared the worst QB performance of the weekend by his opponent, QB Tyrod Taylor who continued to look like he was being controlled by a new player to Madden, locked in and ready to run.
RB LeSean McCoy gave it his best go for the Bills but was ineffective against a swarming, fast, tenacious Jaguars defense. The Bills were able to maintain some semblance of offense in terms of yardage but looked out-matched once in range of scoring. The Jaguars victory was sealed with the game's only Touchdown the culmination of the Jaguars' 9-minute 3rd quarter drive, Bortles to TE Ben Koyack.
There should be concerns for the Jaguars offense going forward of course (2/12 on 3rd down) but the victory was long-deserved and the result of a well-disciplined and talented defense. The final last gasps of Buffalo to put together a drive in the 4th quarter were snuffed out on a frightened, wobbly duck from QB Nathan Peterman intercepted by the sleek, fast #20 jersey of CB Jalen Ramsey.
MVP : DT Malick Jackson and NT Marcell Daerus were on the TV screen a lot for big interior D-lineman, DE Calais Campbell as well. Stuffing the run, snuffing the screens, harassing Taylor's pretending to read the defense. The D-line played too well against a far too inferior of an opponent for the Jaguars to lose this game.
New Orleans Saints, 31 Carolina Panthers, 26
In case of emergency, break glass for Drew Brees. The Saints rode the power and quickness of their stellar RB duo Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamera to an NFC South title this season, but the Carolina Panthers anchored by LBs Luke Kuechly and the timeless Thomas Davis held the two backs who combined for 3000 total yards over the season were held to a 68 total yard pittance.
The Saints turned to the air and their future HOF Quarterback provided 349 yards and 2 TDs. Brees hit an 80-yard revenge bomb to former Panther WR Ten Ginn Jr and then capped a 2nd drive with a 9-yard dart to TE Josh Hill.
The Panthers made it a great game. After yet another Saints TD (this one a FB Zach Line dive) put them down 21-6 with 49 seconds left in the 2nd half, QB Cam Newton hit 3 passes for 35 yards and K Graham Gano hit a 58-yard field goal to make it 21-9. The Panthers started the next drive well and settled for a field goal again. 21-12. It was not until the 4th quarter than Newton began punching the ball in, a TD to TE Greg Olsen and a 56-yard diagonal spring by rookie RB Christian McCaffery with 4:20 remaining.
Coach Sean Payton risked it all by going for it on a 4th-and-2 at the 2-minute warning to attempt to put the game away. Brees was intercepted by CB Mike Adams (which actually worked as a short punt, at least). Cam Newton had his chance to shine and appeared he would, completing passes of 21 and 19 yards driving to the Saints 21 yard line with 41 seconds left.
For most of the 2010s decade, this has been the story for Drew Brees. A heroic performance wasted by the Saints' defense. This time, the Saints D-line pressed Newton to force an intentional grounding, and then a -17 yard sack on 4th-and-23. Victory for the Saints, the Superdome went wild.
MVP : QB Drew Brees. With his lowest statistics in 15 years, didn't you just know Brees would turn in something like this in the postseason? 23/33, 376 yards and 2 TDs.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Monday, January 8, 2018
Saturday 1/6/18 (Wildcard)
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Wildcard Weekend 2018
Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs wowed the NFL world in September and October with a little bit of everything. An old dog learning new tricks (QB Alex Smith throwing deep and often), a star rookie phenom racking up stats (RB Kareem Hunt and his seven 100 yard games to start the season) and the twin pillars of elite speed (WR Tyreek Hill) and power (TE Travis Kelce).Then the losses game, a 6 out of 7 game losing lull before what Kansas City certainly hopes is a resurgence of their early season form backed them into the AFC West seed (thanks in large part to the collapse of Denver and Oakland). In his best moments, Coach Andy Reid has led an inspired and electric offense. In his worst, he has had his tight end throwing interceptions. What balance will be struck in the postseason?
The Titans meanwhile have one of the most predictable and boring offenses in the league despite their twin-Heisman backfield. The Titans do boast the former Oregon uptempo mastermind QB Marcus Mariota in his first playoff game and former Alabama ground-it-out punisher Alabama RB Derrick Henry (going solo with RB DeMarcco Murray likely out with a knee injury). Mariota and the Titans offense will have to look like a new team to defeat the Chiefs on Sunday, they certainly have the skill players for it and a defense that has been decent against the run, if not a bit vulnerable to the pass.
KEYS for TEN : Is there any chance at all for a deep Tennessee playoff run? Likely not. If it were to happen, I would be shocked it it wasn't due to an elevated sense of play from the stars on the O-line. There's been injuries, and predictability of the offense, but this is a talented group up front.
KEYS for KC : The return of the unpredictable, triple-option college-inspired electricity. Perhaps they put to much of it on tape but there's nothing to hold back in the playoffs. The talent in Kansas City is weighted on the offensive side of the ball, and they will need to get hot there to make a deep playoff run.
Atlanta Falcons @ Los Angeles Rams
The Falcons have had an up-and-down season following their crushing loss after leading 28-3 in Super Bowl 51. QB Matt Ryan has not been the distribution wizard of targets to countless, endless weapons that he was when Kyle Shanahan was coordinator. 38 touchdowns in 2016, 20 touchdowns in 2017 tells you the story you need to know. The Falcons offense has sadly turned into a shell, a cover band, of their 2016 selves. But the cast is the same RBs DeVonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman are still a dynamic duo, WR Julio Jones is still an unspeakable elite talent, and ancillary WRs and TEs are still there to make plays.And who has exploded into the elite offense in the NFC? QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley and the 32nd-to-1st offense of the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Sean McVay deserves credit for creating breathing room and creativity to use Todd Gurley (who has a case for MVP this season) and the stable of solid playmakers on the outside WRs Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins and Cooper Kupp.
KEYS for ATL : WR Julio Jones needs to be the target-monster he is born to be. There was a time when Jones was the thing keeping a defense honest while an elite offense happened in the spaces created. That time is over. It's time to feed the most talented player in this game.
KEYS for LAR : DT Aaron Donald is playing in his first playoff game. He has made an underground as the best defensive player in the league. Why is his name up there with the Vons and the Watts and the Shermans? Because he has not put his name in the postseason headlines. Donald faces a banged-up O-line for Atlanta, he must eat.
Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Can't the Jacksonville Jaguars just have a nice Cinderella story? In the last six seasons they have gone 22-74 and missed the playoffs for a full decade. Yet when they arrive at the ball, they find themselves overshadowed by the 17-year postseason-drought-breaking Buffalo Bills.The Jaguars have thrived this year with an elite defensive line and secondary. They've become the most respected team in the AFC not from New England or Pittsburgh. While that does speak a bit to the doldrums of the AFC this season, it also is a testament to the cohesion of the young talent compiled in Jacksonville. CBs Jalen Ramsey and A.J Buoye have been the headliners, DTs Calais Campbell of Arizona fame and Malick Jackson of Denver fame have anchored the line but the takeaway from Jacksonville's team should not be their bigger names, it should be that they have astonishing depth, speed, and tenacity at all levels. This is the kind of thing that can carry a team.
Buffalo made the playoffs? Buffalo themselves didn't realize they were in the playoff hunt, benching QB Tyrod Taylor to see what they had in rookie QB Nathan Peterman who promptly threw 5 interceptions in November. The Bills have gutted it out with Buffalo grit, Whether they advance or not, they've done better than expected and the town of Buffalo can finally move past the Music City Miracle of 1999, or the 0-4 early 90s Super Bowls as the last "success" the team had.
KEYS for BUF: RB LeSean McCoy is questionable and the most important piece of the entire team. The Bills run to set up the pass, so his status and ability to be his full self is all that Buffalo's hopes hinge on.
KEYS for JAX : Rookie RB Leonard Fournette has clearly been nursing an injury and has not been receiving a full workload. Now is the time, because QB Blake Bortles is himself not an elite option and his WR corps is depleted due to injury. A great RB and a great Defense is still a certain recipe for advancement, Fournette needs to flash that early-season power.
KEYS for JAX : Rookie RB Leonard Fournette has clearly been nursing an injury and has not been receiving a full workload. Now is the time, because QB Blake Bortles is himself not an elite option and his WR corps is depleted due to injury. A great RB and a great Defense is still a certain recipe for advancement, Fournette needs to flash that early-season power.
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
QB Drew Brees has carried the Saints since the 2009 Super Bowl - he's routinely turned in his Marinoesque lines of 650+ attempts, 4900-5000 yards and 35-40 TDs for six seasons. It is come with limited playoff success (2-3 since Super Bowl)- an era of horrendous defense and limited run support. There is no doubt the era has ended. These new Saints boast an improved defense, and electric 1-2 punch in RBs Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamera both with 1500 yards from scrimmage this season.For the Panthers, they have bounced back from the highs of 2015 and the lows of 2016. QB Cam Newton runs an offense that relies on his ability to make herculean efforts on the ground and long throws across the field. Even the addition of RB Christian McCaffery and his 108 targets have been more of a high-wire act than safety valve. The Panthers defense has remained solid throughout with LBs Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis still anchoring a disciplined team.
KEYS for CAR : As with everything the Panthers do, their game plan hinges on the performance of a one Cameron Newton. The stage is not too big, the skill is there, but the question is will it be enough? Even the steady Panthers D will not hold the Saints to nothing. TE Greg Olsen has been on-and-off with injuries this season and the Panthers have not moved the ball as well as they have in years past.
KEYS for NO : You simply cannot throw your way to a Super Bowl, we've seen record-breaking passing offenses fall time and time again (2011 Saints a great example). This year's Saints defense cannot turn back to their old ways, CB Marshon Lattimore has been a blue-chip addition and DE Cameron Jordan has made a name with 13 sacks. S Kenny Vaccaro and LB Manti Te'o are the solid pieces built in as well. That said, having Drew Brees as the back-up plan? Not bad.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
SUPER BOWL 51
New England Patriots, 34 Atlanta Falcons, 28
For five decades across American backyards, high school football fields, outfields, parks, living rooms, everywhere- kids with footballs and imaginations have set the scene "(insert your name) has led a 20 point comeback, now it's overtime of the Super Bowl - this is it". It is the American Football dream, a major comeback in the Super Bowl. For 50 super bowls there have been many legendary and historic performances, suspenseful close games and nail-biting comeback attempts but there had been no significant 10+ point successful comebacks, no true movie magic moments or cinderella stories.
And for it to finally happen for a team winning their 5th Super Bowl in 16 years?
28-3 will go down as a restricted number sequence in Atlanta. That is the score the Falcons led by after a walk-in 6 yard TD reception by RB Tevin Coleman from red-hot NFL MVP QB Matt Ryan with 8:31 to play in the 3rd quarter. The big story was taking shape- the most impressive offensive playoff performance of all time- 3 games of scoring almost at will. At the point, the Falcons had spent 10+ playoff quarters scoring 98 points and dicing defenses for 1,203 yards. Tributes to Matt Ryan and his slew of weapons were writing themselves.
There was no room for error for QB Tom Brady and the Patriots and so... there were none. They responded to the 28-3 deficit with a crisp, efficient 13-play, 6-minute drive resulting in a RB James White touchdown. The Falcons went 3-and-out, a FG for the Pats, a forced fumble by LB D'Onta Hightower, a short field Brady-to-WR Danny Amendola TD and suddenly the Patriots were only down 20-28 with 6 minutes to play in the 2017 NFL Season.
This was the test that the rolling Atlanta offense had not had. Starting from their own 10, they began to the move the ball for the first time since the Coleman TD. A 39-yard screen pass to RB DaVonta Freeman and one of the greatest catches is Super Bowl history a 27-yard high point, toe-tap sideline catch to WR Julio Jones at the 22 yard line. Now within field goal range, the Falcons went for the kill and were sacked for 12 yards, followed by a 10-yard holding call and had to punt.
Focus shifted back to Brady with 3:30 left, down by 8. He led a 10-play, 90-yard drive, highlighted by a circus gravity-defying floor catch by WR Julian Edelman (perhaps some of the 2007 helmet catch karma finally came around to New England?) The topper was a RB James White 1-yard TD and 2-pt conversion to Amendola to tie the game at 28 and create the first ever Super Bowl Overtime.
The Patriots won the toss, and the result seemed inevitable. In four minutes, Brady and the momentum-heavy Pats had driven to the 2-yard line and RB James White ran his 3rd touchdown of the game, capping the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history for the underdog comeback kids, the cinderella story... I refer of course to the 5-time Super Bowl Champions.
KEY PLAY : The Falcons offense had their heroic moment with Julio Jones' 27-yard epic catch to the 22. The following play ended up turning the game, a sack for a loss of 12 yards. The Falcons went into shotgun to stay aggressive but DT Tre Flowers bull rushed up the middle and interrupted a slow developing roll out. The holding call on the next play would play a -10 yard factor as well but these two plays combined to rob the Falcons of a game-sealing field goal and forced the punt. They then watched Brady drive two scoring drives from the sideline.
MVP: Popular aesthetic backlash is shifting towards RB James White because he scored 3 touchdowns and the media coverage focused so thoroughly and comprehensively on Brady. The true fact of the matter is that Tom Brady deserves this MVP award. Brady helmed three critical do-or-die TD drives worthy of the best of Joe Montana. The desperately calm 3rd quarter response drive to the Coleman touchdown, the 3 minute final drive of regulation and 2-pt conversion to tie and the OT drive to seal the game and keep the Falcons offense from touching the ball in OT. 241 yards of pressure cooker Super Bowl-deciding drives all handled by the 5-time Champion and deserving MVP QB Tom Brady.
For five decades across American backyards, high school football fields, outfields, parks, living rooms, everywhere- kids with footballs and imaginations have set the scene "(insert your name) has led a 20 point comeback, now it's overtime of the Super Bowl - this is it". It is the American Football dream, a major comeback in the Super Bowl. For 50 super bowls there have been many legendary and historic performances, suspenseful close games and nail-biting comeback attempts but there had been no significant 10+ point successful comebacks, no true movie magic moments or cinderella stories.
And for it to finally happen for a team winning their 5th Super Bowl in 16 years?
28-3 will go down as a restricted number sequence in Atlanta. That is the score the Falcons led by after a walk-in 6 yard TD reception by RB Tevin Coleman from red-hot NFL MVP QB Matt Ryan with 8:31 to play in the 3rd quarter. The big story was taking shape- the most impressive offensive playoff performance of all time- 3 games of scoring almost at will. At the point, the Falcons had spent 10+ playoff quarters scoring 98 points and dicing defenses for 1,203 yards. Tributes to Matt Ryan and his slew of weapons were writing themselves.
There was no room for error for QB Tom Brady and the Patriots and so... there were none. They responded to the 28-3 deficit with a crisp, efficient 13-play, 6-minute drive resulting in a RB James White touchdown. The Falcons went 3-and-out, a FG for the Pats, a forced fumble by LB D'Onta Hightower, a short field Brady-to-WR Danny Amendola TD and suddenly the Patriots were only down 20-28 with 6 minutes to play in the 2017 NFL Season.
This was the test that the rolling Atlanta offense had not had. Starting from their own 10, they began to the move the ball for the first time since the Coleman TD. A 39-yard screen pass to RB DaVonta Freeman and one of the greatest catches is Super Bowl history a 27-yard high point, toe-tap sideline catch to WR Julio Jones at the 22 yard line. Now within field goal range, the Falcons went for the kill and were sacked for 12 yards, followed by a 10-yard holding call and had to punt.
Focus shifted back to Brady with 3:30 left, down by 8. He led a 10-play, 90-yard drive, highlighted by a circus gravity-defying floor catch by WR Julian Edelman (perhaps some of the 2007 helmet catch karma finally came around to New England?) The topper was a RB James White 1-yard TD and 2-pt conversion to Amendola to tie the game at 28 and create the first ever Super Bowl Overtime.
The Patriots won the toss, and the result seemed inevitable. In four minutes, Brady and the momentum-heavy Pats had driven to the 2-yard line and RB James White ran his 3rd touchdown of the game, capping the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history for the underdog comeback kids, the cinderella story... I refer of course to the 5-time Super Bowl Champions.
KEY PLAY : The Falcons offense had their heroic moment with Julio Jones' 27-yard epic catch to the 22. The following play ended up turning the game, a sack for a loss of 12 yards. The Falcons went into shotgun to stay aggressive but DT Tre Flowers bull rushed up the middle and interrupted a slow developing roll out. The holding call on the next play would play a -10 yard factor as well but these two plays combined to rob the Falcons of a game-sealing field goal and forced the punt. They then watched Brady drive two scoring drives from the sideline.
MVP: Popular aesthetic backlash is shifting towards RB James White because he scored 3 touchdowns and the media coverage focused so thoroughly and comprehensively on Brady. The true fact of the matter is that Tom Brady deserves this MVP award. Brady helmed three critical do-or-die TD drives worthy of the best of Joe Montana. The desperately calm 3rd quarter response drive to the Coleman touchdown, the 3 minute final drive of regulation and 2-pt conversion to tie and the OT drive to seal the game and keep the Falcons offense from touching the ball in OT. 241 yards of pressure cooker Super Bowl-deciding drives all handled by the 5-time Champion and deserving MVP QB Tom Brady.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Sunday 1/22/17 (AFC/NFC)
Atlanta Falcons, 44 Green Bay Packers, 21
Even by the standards of this year's postseason- rich with blowouts- QB Matt Ryan and Falcons offense steam-rolled the Packers defense to the point of embarrassment. The Falcons offense drove for 500 yards and 7 touchdowns in little more than 3 quarters before the Falcons' back-ups came to mercifully kill off rest of the 4th quarter. It was not the classic shoot-out fans were hoping for. The Packers' D was pitiful while the Falcons' D was opportunistic. The day pivoted into a nice rolling celebration for the city of Atlanta and the final game in Georgia Dome.
So why wasn't this game close? Why couldn't Aaron Rodgers -currently on one of the most statistically handsome stretches of his career- keep up? What may be lost as time fades is that the Packers did move the ball through the same world-class Rodgers efficiency we have seen the last two weeks but unlike the Giants and Cowboys, the Falcons had some key stops early. Including two third down stops that resulted in a missed field goal and a punt, as well as a fumble and an interception. The Falcons scored 24 points in that time.
MVP : WR Julio Jones. The Falcons continue their swiss-army attack, but not many spread offenses have a Julio Jones. Ryan is routinely hitting 8-9 different receivers per game, an arsenal of running backs, tight ends, fullbacks... and one Julio.
Julio torched the Packers for 9 catches for 180 yards including a powerful slant-turned 73 yard TD that showcased his elite speed, elite power and toughness battling through a foot injury. Julio's dominance is not required for the Falcons to win football games, but it is a nice tool for them to have.
NewEngland Patriots, 36 Pittsburgh Steelers, 17
After Atlanta's joyous can-you-believe it celebration, Americans tuned into to see New England's spoiled fans dust off their Tom Brady jerseys for the first game of the season that they have to care about: the routine AFC Championship. However, the Patriots handled the Steelers with ease completed a 4th full day of NFL playoffs that did not produce a genuinely competitive game. This was the 8th playoff game (out of 10) to feature a home team defeating an away team by 15+ points.
After only four plays the engine of Steel hope, RB Le'Veon Bell, was hurt. WR Antonio Brown was smothered. The pass rush on Brady nonexistent and we have seen the story enough to know what will happen. With no pass rush, Brady will find the soft spot, a role player to make look like a superstar. This time it was WR Chris Hogan (9 receptions, 180 yards) who was an invisible man to the Steelers secondary.
The Patriots offense was able to move the ball the entire game- WR Julian Edelman had over 100 yards, RB LaGarrette Blount had 16 carries, Tom Brady we never stressed for options. The pressure was on the Steelers offense to compete in a shoot-out with Bell was out with a groin injury. Although RB DeAngelo Williams played well, the Patriot resources were turned and focused on Antonio Brown. Rothlisberger's tired arm was forced to manage with the likes of Cobbie Hamilton, Sammie Coates and Eli Rogers- all of whom played okay, but not nearly enough to keep Bill Belichik and Tom Brady from a 7th Super Bowl.
MVP: QB Tom Brady is also going to his 7th Super Bowl and this time on the back of an epic 384 yard, 3 TD, 0 INT domination of a young and hungry Steeler defense. While he remains tied with Bradshaw and Montana with 4 Super Bowl wins, he has earned almost twice as many appearances as both of them across a much wider range (2002-2017).
Even by the standards of this year's postseason- rich with blowouts- QB Matt Ryan and Falcons offense steam-rolled the Packers defense to the point of embarrassment. The Falcons offense drove for 500 yards and 7 touchdowns in little more than 3 quarters before the Falcons' back-ups came to mercifully kill off rest of the 4th quarter. It was not the classic shoot-out fans were hoping for. The Packers' D was pitiful while the Falcons' D was opportunistic. The day pivoted into a nice rolling celebration for the city of Atlanta and the final game in Georgia Dome.
So why wasn't this game close? Why couldn't Aaron Rodgers -currently on one of the most statistically handsome stretches of his career- keep up? What may be lost as time fades is that the Packers did move the ball through the same world-class Rodgers efficiency we have seen the last two weeks but unlike the Giants and Cowboys, the Falcons had some key stops early. Including two third down stops that resulted in a missed field goal and a punt, as well as a fumble and an interception. The Falcons scored 24 points in that time.
MVP : WR Julio Jones. The Falcons continue their swiss-army attack, but not many spread offenses have a Julio Jones. Ryan is routinely hitting 8-9 different receivers per game, an arsenal of running backs, tight ends, fullbacks... and one Julio.
Julio torched the Packers for 9 catches for 180 yards including a powerful slant-turned 73 yard TD that showcased his elite speed, elite power and toughness battling through a foot injury. Julio's dominance is not required for the Falcons to win football games, but it is a nice tool for them to have.
NewEngland Patriots, 36 Pittsburgh Steelers, 17
After Atlanta's joyous can-you-believe it celebration, Americans tuned into to see New England's spoiled fans dust off their Tom Brady jerseys for the first game of the season that they have to care about: the routine AFC Championship. However, the Patriots handled the Steelers with ease completed a 4th full day of NFL playoffs that did not produce a genuinely competitive game. This was the 8th playoff game (out of 10) to feature a home team defeating an away team by 15+ points.
After only four plays the engine of Steel hope, RB Le'Veon Bell, was hurt. WR Antonio Brown was smothered. The pass rush on Brady nonexistent and we have seen the story enough to know what will happen. With no pass rush, Brady will find the soft spot, a role player to make look like a superstar. This time it was WR Chris Hogan (9 receptions, 180 yards) who was an invisible man to the Steelers secondary.
The Patriots offense was able to move the ball the entire game- WR Julian Edelman had over 100 yards, RB LaGarrette Blount had 16 carries, Tom Brady we never stressed for options. The pressure was on the Steelers offense to compete in a shoot-out with Bell was out with a groin injury. Although RB DeAngelo Williams played well, the Patriot resources were turned and focused on Antonio Brown. Rothlisberger's tired arm was forced to manage with the likes of Cobbie Hamilton, Sammie Coates and Eli Rogers- all of whom played okay, but not nearly enough to keep Bill Belichik and Tom Brady from a 7th Super Bowl.
MVP: QB Tom Brady is also going to his 7th Super Bowl and this time on the back of an epic 384 yard, 3 TD, 0 INT domination of a young and hungry Steeler defense. While he remains tied with Bradshaw and Montana with 4 Super Bowl wins, he has earned almost twice as many appearances as both of them across a much wider range (2002-2017).
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Championship Weekend 2017
Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons
Load em' up boys because we has a shoot-out a-brewin'! This matchup between scorching offenses led by Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and Falcons QB Matt Ryan against already-lackluster defenses has a 61pt over/under in Vegas. The highest over/under in NFL playoff history.QB Aaron Rodgers has the headlines, the highlight throws, the thrilling finishes and the video game stats. QB Matt Ryan meanwhile has led one of the Top 10 scoring offenses of All-Time (tied for 7th with the 2000 Rams, actually). The sports media has fallen all over themselves during this 8-game "run of the table" for Aaron Rodgers. We know the stats for Rodgers, this ongoing 8-0 masterpiece win-streak where he has accumulated 21 TDs, 2385 yards and only 1 INT. During this same span (but in one less game, the wildcard round) Matt Ryan has 17 TDs, 2,035 and only 2 INTs. Video game stats, both.
Rodgers will be without healthy versions of WR Jordy Nelson, breakout WR DeVante Adams but it just has not yet mattered who he is throwing to. He does not come up against an elite defense- the Falcons defense has struggled mightily to run the Seahawks' style without the Seahawks' players. The Packers' D is even worse- the secondary is woefully ill-equipped to handle the duality of RB Davonta Coleman and RB Tevin Coleman, the speed of WR Taylor Gabriel, much less the prototype WR Julio Jones, whose health is also in question.
KEYS FOR GB: Rodgers has only thrown 1 interception in 8 games. To beat Atlanta in the Georgia Dome against a Top 10 All-Time Offense without his top two targets this season that number will need to remain at 1 at the end of this 9th game of table-running. Rodgers simply needs to stay hot, and avoid giving the Falcons any additional drives.
KEYS FOR ATL: Matt Ryan's last NFC Championship appearance was forged around the talents of a trio of receiving targets (White, Gonzalez and a young Julio). This appearance in O-Co Kyle Shanahan's offense is built around spreading the ball around. Matty Ice simply needs to stay cold-calculating, utilizing every 2nd-string RB/WR or TE with four umlauts over his name available to him.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots
Well, here we are in the un-changing AFC where 3 QBs (Tom Brady, Ben Rothlisberger and Peyton Manning) have appeared in 11/12 Super Bowls since 2002. Soon, it will be 12/13 because it's down to a Brady vs Rothlisberger AFC Championship. Interestingly, with these three QBs dominance of the AFC this will be their first playoff meeting since Ben's rookie year in 2004.
QB Tom Brady and the Patriots are their usual blend of unheralded playmakers on offense (RB Dion Lewis, WR Julian Edelman) and a disciplined but sometimes over-matched defense. Six straight AFC Championships, wow. It goes without saying the Patriots have the edge of experience. The Steelers will be the underdogs on the road but they come into the game with two default All-Pros (RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown), a healthy offensive line and a defense molding together at the right time.
This is not the shoot-out of the GB/ATL game. There are pieces of both these defenses that when performing well can prove to be formidable. Eyes will be the performances of key players on both sides. For the Patriots, LB Dont'a Hightower has blossomed into a leader and the young playmaking secondary of CB Malcom Butler, CB Logan Ryan and S Devin McCourty all had an interception in the Divisional win over Houston. For the Steelers it always comes down to linebackers- LBs Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons but especially the young potential of possible superstar LB Bud Dupree and grizzled vet LB James Harrison.
KEYS FOR PIT : I don't know if I want to sound like a broken record but I just will... generate pressure with the front four on Brady! Houston had alot of success rattling Brady, using their linebackers in creative ways to get pressure up the middle- Pittsburgh will be finding ways to do that as well. That combined with an NFL QB (which Houston lacked) remains the only formula to defeat Brady in the playoffs.
KEYS FOR NE : Coach Bill Belichick has made a career of taking away a teams' top threat- will it be Antonio Brown? Maybe. But my money is that Bill is focused on limiting the impact of the "Steel Cobra" Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers are not the high-flying offense you'd expect, if Bell cannot find room to accelerate, Pittsburgh will not thrive in pass-only mode.
This is not the shoot-out of the GB/ATL game. There are pieces of both these defenses that when performing well can prove to be formidable. Eyes will be the performances of key players on both sides. For the Patriots, LB Dont'a Hightower has blossomed into a leader and the young playmaking secondary of CB Malcom Butler, CB Logan Ryan and S Devin McCourty all had an interception in the Divisional win over Houston. For the Steelers it always comes down to linebackers- LBs Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons but especially the young potential of possible superstar LB Bud Dupree and grizzled vet LB James Harrison.
KEYS FOR PIT : I don't know if I want to sound like a broken record but I just will... generate pressure with the front four on Brady! Houston had alot of success rattling Brady, using their linebackers in creative ways to get pressure up the middle- Pittsburgh will be finding ways to do that as well. That combined with an NFL QB (which Houston lacked) remains the only formula to defeat Brady in the playoffs.
KEYS FOR NE : Coach Bill Belichick has made a career of taking away a teams' top threat- will it be Antonio Brown? Maybe. But my money is that Bill is focused on limiting the impact of the "Steel Cobra" Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers are not the high-flying offense you'd expect, if Bell cannot find room to accelerate, Pittsburgh will not thrive in pass-only mode.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Sunday 1/15/17 (Divisional)
Green Bay Packers, 34 Dallas Cowboys, 31
It was inevitable that after six straight playoff blow-outs, we would be treated to a proverbial "instant classic". It's almost getting redundant at this point to use 'red-hot' to describe Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, but the red-hot Rodgers & Packers delivered their hardest punches early and often. They flustered the Cowboys with a 34-yard Rodgers-to-Richard Rodgers TD on their opening drive and then poured on with two more long drives, culminating in a pair of RB Ty Montgomery touchdowns. The Packers had the #1 seed Cowboys' reeling, down 21-3 with 7:37 to-go in the half.
Twitter was calling for Tony Romo, maybe he would be better suited for a comeback? But the Cowboys responded with a very important 40-yard TD dart from rookie QB Dak Prescott to WR Dez Bryant and another field goal before half, 21-13
Aaron Rodgers started the 2nd half with six straight completions for 72 yards and a 3-yard TD to TE Jared Cooks but somehow the Cowboys were able to stop Rodgers from scoring a touchdown on his next two drives so that Dak could do what he needed to do. Dak & the Cowboys' line took over the game and made it look easy while driving for a 6-yard touchdown to TE Jason Witten (amazingly, his first postseason TD) and a 7-yard lob to Dez Bryant and a gutsy run for the 2-pt conversion to tie the game 28-28 with 4:12 remaining.
Left with 4:12 on the clock, Rodgers drove the ball to the Dallas 35 and Mike McCarthy got conservative, rushing with Ty Montgomery for a combined -3 yards instead of giving Rodgers the green light to throw. The Packers were forced to attempt a 56-yard field goal on a 4th-and-13. K Mason Crosby lined up, and nailed it.
Left with 1:33 on the clock, Dak drove the ball to the Green Bay 33 and Jason Garrett got bold, throwing on a 3rd-and-3 instead of utilizing the dominating O-line and rookie RB Ezekiel Elliot (125yds) with a timeout left. It was incomplete and the Cowboys were forced to attempt a 52-yard field goal on a 4th-and 3. K Dan Bailey lined up, and nailed it.
Left with 0:35 on the clock, Rodgers drove the ball to the Dallas 32. The two plays that will live in Aaron Rodgers infamy; a free blitz by S Jeff Heath that Rodgers somehow did not fumble and a legendary roll to his left, on the run, perfect 36-yard throw on the sideline to TE Jared Cook who had dropped two passes on that drive alone. K Mason Crosby lined up for a 51-yard field, and nailed it!
MVP : I think it's clear that QB Aaron Rodgers is the default MVP for the Packers until otherwise noted.
Pittsburgh Steelers, 18 Kansas City Chiefs, 16
Behind Ben, Brown, Bell and Boswell the Steelers stunned the Chiefs at Arrowhead stadium. The Chiefs defense made this a game providing the 'bend-but-not-break' model for all of time, allowing almost 400 yards of offense but not a single Steeler to step into the end zone. K Chris Boswell was 6/6 in the frigid weather, the Chiefs were able to bookend the game with touchdowns but unfortunately for them could not covert the 2-pt conversion after a holding penalty.
QB Alex Smith knows who he is, and he's no 'make-it-happen' improviser. The Steelers focused on TE Travis Kelce and shut down the Chiefs' shiny new car, WR Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs were simply unable to consistently move the ball. Their only two drives of note were the two touchdown drives. Down 8pts with 9:49 left in the 4th quarter, the Chiefs still took 7 minutes to score. When they missed the 2-pt conversion it took only a 3rd-down conversion to WR Antonio Brown for the Steelers to advance to the AFC Championship.
The defense for the Chiefs was truly impressive when push came to shove, the talent of LB Justin Houston, DT Dontari Poe, LB Dee Ford and rookie DE Chris Jones (who had a great game) was on display. However, Steelers QB Ben Rothlisberger was not rattled, content to push his way to field goals. Yes it was ugly but ugly is what Ben does best. Pittsburgh was 7/15 on 3rd downs. Six of those failed 3rd downs resulted in field goals. This is the story of a field position victory, the seven converted 3rd downs were all important to field position and Big Ben and Co were routinely converting them on their way to Chiefs territory.
MVP: Okay, let's talk about RB Le'Veon Bell. This man has set the Steelers postseason rushing recording two weeks in a row! Last week's 161 is this week's 170. For a franchise routinely in the AFC playoffs and six Super Bowl titles, that's a rich history to be writing over. Bell's patience, vision and hidden explosiveness continue to dazzle. Some credit should go the completely healthy Steelers' O-line. They have finally gelled together at the right time.
It was inevitable that after six straight playoff blow-outs, we would be treated to a proverbial "instant classic". It's almost getting redundant at this point to use 'red-hot' to describe Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, but the red-hot Rodgers & Packers delivered their hardest punches early and often. They flustered the Cowboys with a 34-yard Rodgers-to-Richard Rodgers TD on their opening drive and then poured on with two more long drives, culminating in a pair of RB Ty Montgomery touchdowns. The Packers had the #1 seed Cowboys' reeling, down 21-3 with 7:37 to-go in the half.
Twitter was calling for Tony Romo, maybe he would be better suited for a comeback? But the Cowboys responded with a very important 40-yard TD dart from rookie QB Dak Prescott to WR Dez Bryant and another field goal before half, 21-13
Aaron Rodgers started the 2nd half with six straight completions for 72 yards and a 3-yard TD to TE Jared Cooks but somehow the Cowboys were able to stop Rodgers from scoring a touchdown on his next two drives so that Dak could do what he needed to do. Dak & the Cowboys' line took over the game and made it look easy while driving for a 6-yard touchdown to TE Jason Witten (amazingly, his first postseason TD) and a 7-yard lob to Dez Bryant and a gutsy run for the 2-pt conversion to tie the game 28-28 with 4:12 remaining.
Left with 4:12 on the clock, Rodgers drove the ball to the Dallas 35 and Mike McCarthy got conservative, rushing with Ty Montgomery for a combined -3 yards instead of giving Rodgers the green light to throw. The Packers were forced to attempt a 56-yard field goal on a 4th-and-13. K Mason Crosby lined up, and nailed it.
Left with 1:33 on the clock, Dak drove the ball to the Green Bay 33 and Jason Garrett got bold, throwing on a 3rd-and-3 instead of utilizing the dominating O-line and rookie RB Ezekiel Elliot (125yds) with a timeout left. It was incomplete and the Cowboys were forced to attempt a 52-yard field goal on a 4th-and 3. K Dan Bailey lined up, and nailed it.
Left with 0:35 on the clock, Rodgers drove the ball to the Dallas 32. The two plays that will live in Aaron Rodgers infamy; a free blitz by S Jeff Heath that Rodgers somehow did not fumble and a legendary roll to his left, on the run, perfect 36-yard throw on the sideline to TE Jared Cook who had dropped two passes on that drive alone. K Mason Crosby lined up for a 51-yard field, and nailed it!
MVP : I think it's clear that QB Aaron Rodgers is the default MVP for the Packers until otherwise noted.
Pittsburgh Steelers, 18 Kansas City Chiefs, 16
Behind Ben, Brown, Bell and Boswell the Steelers stunned the Chiefs at Arrowhead stadium. The Chiefs defense made this a game providing the 'bend-but-not-break' model for all of time, allowing almost 400 yards of offense but not a single Steeler to step into the end zone. K Chris Boswell was 6/6 in the frigid weather, the Chiefs were able to bookend the game with touchdowns but unfortunately for them could not covert the 2-pt conversion after a holding penalty.
QB Alex Smith knows who he is, and he's no 'make-it-happen' improviser. The Steelers focused on TE Travis Kelce and shut down the Chiefs' shiny new car, WR Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs were simply unable to consistently move the ball. Their only two drives of note were the two touchdown drives. Down 8pts with 9:49 left in the 4th quarter, the Chiefs still took 7 minutes to score. When they missed the 2-pt conversion it took only a 3rd-down conversion to WR Antonio Brown for the Steelers to advance to the AFC Championship.
The defense for the Chiefs was truly impressive when push came to shove, the talent of LB Justin Houston, DT Dontari Poe, LB Dee Ford and rookie DE Chris Jones (who had a great game) was on display. However, Steelers QB Ben Rothlisberger was not rattled, content to push his way to field goals. Yes it was ugly but ugly is what Ben does best. Pittsburgh was 7/15 on 3rd downs. Six of those failed 3rd downs resulted in field goals. This is the story of a field position victory, the seven converted 3rd downs were all important to field position and Big Ben and Co were routinely converting them on their way to Chiefs territory.
MVP: Okay, let's talk about RB Le'Veon Bell. This man has set the Steelers postseason rushing recording two weeks in a row! Last week's 161 is this week's 170. For a franchise routinely in the AFC playoffs and six Super Bowl titles, that's a rich history to be writing over. Bell's patience, vision and hidden explosiveness continue to dazzle. Some credit should go the completely healthy Steelers' O-line. They have finally gelled together at the right time.
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