Archive for the ‘Blogroll’ Category

The TYGRRRR EXPRESS Turns 17

Monday, March 11th, 2024
On this day in 2007, I began the TYGRRRR EXPRESS. Everything I have done in life since then emanates from that decision.
Thank you all for supporting me in my endeavors. It’s been a wild 17 years.

NFL 2023-2024 Wildcard Prequel

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024

NFL 2023-2024 Wildcard Prequel

The top seeded San Francisco 49ers (NFC) and Baltimore Ravens (AFC) have the week off. 

Saturday, January 13, 2024:

4:30pm: AFC: (5)(Cleveland Browns)(-2 1/2) at (4)(Houston Texans) on NBC — The Texans are a feel-good story and CJ Stroud should be the rookie of the year. Houston showed plenty of guts in going on the road against Indianapolis in a do-or-die game and getting themselves a win. Houston will be rocking, but the Browns have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Dawg Pound will get to the quarterback. In a battle of young, inexperienced teams, old man Joe Flacco is playing well enough. He still throws a gorgeous long ball. The Browns can run the football to take the pressure off of Flacco and set up the play-action pass. Stroud is the better quarterback, but go with the Cleveland defense in a street fight. Browns cover

8pm: AFC: (6)(Miami Dolphins) at (3)(Kansas City Chiefs)(-3 1/2) on NBC — The Chiefs have never been more vulnerable. Both of these teams staggered into the playoffs. The Chiefs won the AFC West for the eighth straight year and still have Walrus Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The move of Tyreek Hill from Kansas City to Miami seemed to hurt the Chiefs and help the Dolphins. The Dolphins were cruising when Tua Tagovailoa was throwing bombs to Hill. Yet While both of these teams staggered into the playoff, the Dolphins got carpet-bombed by Baltimore 56-19. Then in a must win home game against Buffalo, the Dolphins fell 21-14 to blow the division. With all things being equal, go with the home field. Chiefs cover 

Sunday, January 14:

1pm: AFC: (7)(Pittsburgh Steelers) at (2)(Buffalo Bills)(-10) on CBS — For the second straight year, the Steelers needed every luck break in the book to make the playoffs, and they got it. Never underestimate Mike Tomlin. Yet the Bills have more talent. The Bills have a ferocious defense that got a big win at Miami last week to give the Bills their fourth straight AFC East title. Josh Allen makes mistakes but somehow overcomes them with his ridiculous talent. Forget the high spread. The Steelers like to run the ball, and if they fall behind early they will have to abandon the run. At home, go with the far more talented team that enters the playoffs having won five straight games. Bills cover

4:30pm: NFC: (7)(Green Bay Packers) at (2)(Dallas Cowboys)(-7 1/2) on FOX — These teams had some epic battles in the mid-1990s when both of them were Super Bowl contenders. Neither of these teams is going to the Super Bowl, but the Cowboys have far more talent on both sides of the ball. Dak Prescott is much better than Jordan Love. The Cowboys have the better defense led by Micah Parsons. Tony Pollard runs well. The Packers barely made the playoffs. The Cowboys expect to go on a deep run. mike McCarthy will get his revenge against the team who fired him. Cowboys cover

8pm: NFC: (6)(Los Angeles Rams) at (3)(Detroit Lions)(-3 1/2) on NBC — Mathew Stafford and Jared Goff both face off against the teams who switched them. The Lions won 12 games. The Rams started 3-6 but then went 7-1 down the stretch. Sean McVay is an offensive wizard and Dan Campbell is a master motivator. Stafford is better than Goff but Goff has more weapons. The Lions are a very tough team at home. The rams should be able to move the ball indoors. This could be a track meet that goes down to the final play. Lions win but fail to cover

Monday, January 15:

8pm: NFC: (5)(Philadelphia Eagles)(-3) at (4)(Tampa Bay Buccaneers) on ABC/ESPN — These are the two worst teams in the playoffs. The Eagles started 10-1 but went 1-5 down the stretch to limp into the playoffs as a Wildcard. The Buccaneers won a hideous 9-0 game at bottom dweller Carolina to go 9-8 on the year and win the awful NFC South. Jalen Hurts is better than Baker Mayfield but the Eagles are in free-fall. Each team is playing the only team they could possibly beat in the postseason. Nick Sirianni for now is a better coach than Todd Bowles. This one game will tell us if the Eagles can fix anything or if they are done for good. Eagles cover

52 happy memories upon turning 52

Tuesday, January 9th, 2024

My birthday: 52 happy memories upon turning 52

I entered this world 51 years ago today on January 9, 1972. On my 49th birthday, here are 49 happy memories.

1.) Every moment I ever spent with my grandparents. They are gone now, but I had all four of them when I graduated college and three of them when I turned 30. I am blessed.

2.) January 9, 1977 — The Oakland Raiders won the Super Bowl on my fifth birthday. I saw the logo and became a Raider for life.

3.) August 15, 1980 — Smokey and the Bandit II came out. I saw the original and the sequel and became a lifelong fan of the Bandit and the Snowman.

4.) January 22, 1984 — The Raiders won their third Super Bowl. I still remember telling the kids at school the next day one simple message. “Just win baby!”

5.) January 21, 1985 — I had my Bar Mitzvah, the Jewish passage into manhood. My Orthodox Rabbi grandfather led the ceremony.

6.) July 13, 1990 — I watched Bill Murray in “Quick Change” for the first of over 100 times. This movie is true New York, and Murray remains a national hero.

7.) August 26, 1990 — I flew from New York to Los Angeles for college. I immediately fell in love with this city and never left.

8.) September 26, 1990 — I joined the campus radio station and developed my lifelong love of radio.

9.) May 10, 1992 — I wrote my first song. 70 more would follow.

10.) January 9, 1994 — The Raiders won a playoff game over arch rival Denver on my 22nd birthday. We all had a big party to celebrate afterward at 1950s Cafe Ed Debevic’s.

11.) June 14, 1994 — The New York Rangers won the NHL Stanley Cup and ended the 54 year curse.

12.) September 13, 1994 — I passed the Series 7 stockbroker’s exam. At that moment I was now a professional.

13.) June 1, 1997 — I saw my friend doing something on a computer that seemed different. He was in a chat room. It was my first time using the Internet.

14.) July 4, 1999 — My friends and I crashed an Independence Day party on the beach and escaped moments before police busted up the party.

15.) September 23, 1999 — I finally got my driver’s license. I never needed one before.

16.) December 31, 1999 — Ringing in the Millennium in Las Vegas.

17.) March 1, 2000 — I flew from Los Angeles to New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2000. I still have my Calvin and Hobbes t-shirt, “Life is short. Party naked. Mardi Gras 2000.”

18.) February 13, 2003 — I watched the movie “Old School.” I will forever thank Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell and “The Godfather” Luke Wilson for inspiring me at age 31 to finally start going to Florida for Spring Break. Years of South Beach, Miami revelry ensued at the Clevelander and Ocean’s 10.

19.) March 14, 2003 — I flew to Singapore and Thailand and got to experience five days of beauty in each country. I met the Jewish communities of both nations.

20.) November 4, 2003 — NFL Network was born. Finally, a television channel worth watching existed.

21.) November 2, 2004 — Enjoying the 2004 election with my closest friends.

22.) February 12, 2006 — I flew from Los Angeles to Hawaii. I met the Jewish community of Honolulu and attended my first NFL Pro Bowl. I met ESPN’s Chris Berman.

23.) April 28, 2006 — I flew from Los Angeles to New York and went to Radio City Music Hall. For the first time, I got to attend the NFL Draft and meet a bunch of great football heroes.

24.) August 4, 2006 — I flew from Los Angeles to Ohio and drove to Canton. I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame, saw the induction ceremony featuring John Madden, and attended the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

25.) March 11, 2007 — I Started a blog called the Tygrrrr Express. That column somehow turned into five books and a national speaking career.

26.) September 11, 2007 — On the sixth anniversary of the attacks, I flew from Los Angeles to New York and then drove to Great Adventure in New Jersey. I attended Sean Hannity’s Freedom Concert and saw New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani light up the crowd.

27.) October 17, 2007 — I joined Facebook. Between that and Twitter, I have met many good people, increased book sales, and built my business.

28.) February 2, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Phoenix and attended my first Super Bowl. The New York Giants shocked the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

29.) March 30, 2008 — My friend adopted a child from Guatemala. On this day “the boy” turned one. Being “Unca Eric” is the best job in the world.

30.) May 13, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Washington, DC. I attended the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership Conference and met Dr. Charles Krauthammer.

31.) August 6, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Israel and spent a week in the Holy Land.

32.) August 30, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Minneapolis for my first Republican Convention. For a week, friends and I slept in a sports bar. It was like being Norm Peterson from “Cheers.”

33.) April 5, 2009 — My first book “Ideological Bigotry” was published.

34.) September 1, 2009 — I left Wall Street after 15 years and began my career as a full-time professional speaker.

35.) November 11, 2009 — I flew from Los Angeles to Galveston and spoke at the Texas Federation of Republican Women Convention. I made TFRW and other lifelong friends in the Lone Star State.

36.) March 11, 2010 — I flew from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City to speak at the National Federation of Republican Women Spring Conference. That launched me nationally since the NFRW run the world.

37.) May 1, 2011 — In Aiken, South Carolina, I saw the news that Osama bin Laden was killed. That night I told my very best political joke. “Osama bin Laden is now burning underground with 72 Helen Thomases.” It was the bookend to my very first political joke. “Never rely on a Palestinian GPS tracker. I took one wrong turn, ended up at a cemetery, and a sinister voice said, ‘You have reached your final destination!’ I got so angry I threw the thing out the window, which was good because 5 seconds later it exploded.”

38.) February 9, 2013 — I met Vice President Dick Cheney and spoke in front of him at a dinner.

39.) September 25, 2013 — I spoke to a Tea Party group in Hays, Kansas. At that moment, I had officially spoken in all 50 states.

40.) November 4, 2014 — I spoke at an election night party in New Jersey.

41.) March 20, 2015 — After writing four political comedy books, I finished my first religious comedy book “Jewish Lunacy.” This allowed me to move beyond political speaking into religious speaking.

42.) May 12, 2015 — I met President George W. Bush and shook his hand.

43.) November 8, 2016 — Enjoyed a raucous election night party in Raleigh, North Carolina.

44.) Any woman whoever let me play with her yummy bouncies or at least was nice enough to send me pictures of them.

45.) January 9, 2018 — On my 46th birthday, the return of Chucky as Jon Gruden returns to the Black Hole to rejoin the Raiders. Like me, Gruden has unfinished business.

46.) November 9, 2018 — I met Angela Lansbury in Beverly Hills and got my picture taken with her. She remains one of the most talented people in the history of entertainment.

47.) 2019 was the year I branch out beyond books and into t-shirts. I started with 2 or 3 designs in 2017 and 2018. By the end of 2019 I had 49 mostly original t-shirt designs. Now I have over 250 mostly original designs. My best seller remains “Stop judging women by their tops. #BackSidesMatter!”

48.) 2020 was a brutal year for so many people because of a global pandemic. Yet thank God I was healthy and in better financial condition than previous years. On January 9, 2021, I watched the NFL Wildcard playoffs with friends. Normally there would be 2 games as has been the case for the last 30 years. Yet for the first time, there were 3 games, with 3 more to occur on January 10th. I watched football all day and had a great day with people who matter to me. I was besieged with well-wishes from hundreds of people by text, phone call and social media. My birthday evening capped with a special someone. I am blessed as can be to have had such a great birthday.

49.) August 9, 2021 — Rabbi Yaakov Perman of Chabad Leawood, Kansas helped me put on Tefillin. At that moment, I had finally put on Tefillin in all 50 states. 

50.) On February 14, 2022, I achieved the American dream that I thought was forever beyond my reached. I finally bought a home. I own a condo in North Miami, Florida. 

51.) On August 14, 2022, I achieved another dream that I thought would never happen. After a life of bachelorhood, I got married. She is a Republican Jewish brunette. 

52.) On April 7, 2023, I purchased my second home, a condo in Aventura, 4 miles from the first home in North Miami in South Florida. 

I would like to thank my parents for raising me right and Angela Lansbury’s JB Fletcher of “Murder, She Wrote” for catching murderers and making the world safer.

Anything I could possibly wish for has already been granted. Between my parents, my wife, and the best friends a guy could possibly ask for, I am truly blessed.

eric @ Tygrrrr Express

NFL 2023 Week 15 Prequel

Wednesday, December 13th, 2023

For Jewish football fans, Thursday Night Football coincides with the end of Hanukkah. There is nothing like ending a holiday celebration with football.

Yet for fans everywhere of alls stripes, Week 15 is special for another reason. College football is over. The professionals take over the entire weekend going forward. Religious Jews can always tape the Saturday games, just as religious Christians can do when games conflict with church.

Week 15 begins the home stretch. The stakes are sky high.

In September, all 32 NFL teams are like little puppies with dreams in their eyes. This is December. Put the NFL puppies to bed. December brings the words of John Randle and Mike Singletary that ring as true as a quarterback getting his bell rung.

“This is when the big dogs come out.”

You can yap and yelp in September. In December, you better be snarling mad dog mean to win in the National Football League in December.

This is when the big dogs come out.

There is room for finesse in September. The weather is colder in December. The bodies are bruised, beaten, battered and bloodied. The best of these men will refuse to stay down. Talking does not win Super Bowls. The Lombardi Trophy is not hoisted by engaging in words. Winning teams in December bring their battering rams. December is smash-mouth offense, bone-crunching defense, and brutal, blustery football weather.

This is when the big dogs come out.

September brings sunshine and ease at moving the ball. December is a war of attrition where every yard is contested. Fourth and goal at the one is not so easy when the men in the trenches are fighting the elements of rain, snow, and cold as well as each other. Every loss brings a team closer to the season’s end short of the goal. In December, only the very strongest of the strong survive. The very strongest of those men thrive.

This is December football. These are the big dogs. This is when the big dogs come out.

NFL 2023 Week 15 Prequel

Thursday, December 14, 2023, 8pm

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders (-3) — Both of these teams are a mess for different reasons. The Chargers would have been favored but Justin Herbert suffered an injured finger last week and is out for the rest of the season. The Raiders finally improved their defense but the offense is dreadful. They lost last week at home to Minnesota 3-0. Eason Stick is the backup Chargers quarterback starting his first NFL game. The Raiders defense should be able to tee off on him. Raiders cover

Saturday, December 16, 1pm

Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals (-3 1/2) — The Vikings won a hideous 3-0 game at the Raiders last week, but the team was clearly sparked when Joshua Dobbs was replaced with Nick Mullens. The Vikings re down to  third string quarterback AJ McCarron. Joe Mixon should be the difference in a close game. Bengals win but fail to cover

4:30pm

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts (-2 1/2) — Both teams are 7-6 but the steelers just lost two straight games at home to two of the worst teams in the league. Mitchell Trubisky is not the answer in place of injured Kenny Pickett. Gardner Minshew is a very competent backup. Jonathan Taylor should be able to run the ball indoors at home. Colts cover

8pm

Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions (-4 1/2) — The Lions are 9-4 but have been stumbling in recent weeks. They were hit in the mouth this past week at home to a lowly Chicago team. The Broncos started 1-5 but have gone 6-1 since. The Lions have the track meet offense and the Broncos have a tenacious defense. Russell Wilson is playing well. It’s hard to bet against the Lions on offense at home, but recent performances suggest going with the defense. Upset special, Broncos win outright

Sunday, December 17, 1pm

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (-8 1/2) — The Dolphins led 27-13 at home against Tennessee with 3 minutes left and became the first team in 767 games to lose in that situation. Now they get a Jets team coming off their best performance of the year. Zach Wilson finally had a good game. None of this will matter. Asking Wilson to have two straight good games is too much, especially against a tough and angry Miami defense. The Jets have a good defense, but Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill will rebound and connect early and often. Dolphins cover

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (-2 1/2) — The Titans overcame a 14 point deficit in the final three minutes to get a shocking road win at Miami. The Texans are a young and improving team on the rise, but it is hard to tell which Tennessee team will show up. Give the Titans the benefit of the doubt one more time at home in a physical game. Titans cover

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers (-3 1/2) — This went from the Bay of Pigs to Baywatch to just another game between average teams. Jordan Love has the home field but Baker mayfield has better receivers. Go with the home field in a close one. Packers win but fail to cover

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints (-6) — The Giants showed grit and guts in a last second win over Green Bay. Tommy deviate is starting to become a sensation. The Saints are inconsistent on offense but have a very tough defense. The Saints are not playing well enough to justify the high spread. Go with the Saints defense to do just enough. Saints win but fail to cover

Atlanta Falcons (-3) at Carolina Panthers — The Panthers are the worst team in the league while the Falcons can’t seem to finish games. Nobody seems to want to win the woeful NFC South, and the Carolina defense is not horrible. Yet Desmond Ridder should be able to do just enough. In a close game, trust Younghoe Koo. Falcons cover

Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns (-3 1/2)  — The Bears did get a win at Detroit, but the Browns have a very good defense. Joe Flacco came off of his couch to be the third string quarterback for the Browns. Last week he showed flashes of the Super Bowl winner from a decade ago. He may not be totally washed up after all. Trust the Cleveland defense. Browns win but fail to cover

Kansas City Chiefs (-9 1/2) at New England Patriots — The Patriots are awful, but they got a stunning win at Pittsburgh last week. Their defense is not bad. The Chiefs are good, but not automatic wins like they were in years past. The Chiefs are 8-5 but have lost three of four and four of six. Patrick Mahomes still has enough weapons to win games, but not by blowout margins. Chiefs win but fail to cover

4pm

San Francisco 49ers (-13 1/2) at Arizona Cardinals ‚ The 49ers may be the best team in the NFC. The Cardinals are awful. The spread is very high for a road team, and Kyler Murray can still make plays. Brock Purdy has Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel tp take the pressure off of him. The 49ers may have the best defense in the NFL. A garbage touchdown is certainly a possibility. 49ers win but fail to cover

Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Rams (-6 1/2) — Both teams started terribly, but the Rams had been quietly improving before losing last week Matthew Stafford still has cooper Kupp. The Commanders defense is not very special. At home, the Rams should do enough to win. A blowout is unlikely. Rams win but fail to cover

Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills (-2 1/2) — Both of these teams looked like Super Bowl teams on paper in the preseason. The Cowboys disappointed earlier in the season but are now gelling on both sides of the ball. They blasted Philadelphia at home. The Bills have struggled all year but got a big road win at Kansas City last week. The Bills have a good defense. Dak Prescott and Josh Allen have both played below their potential in years past. As great as the Cowboys have been playing, the Bills are desperate and at home. Bills cover

8pm

Baltimore Ravens  (-3 1/2) at Jacksonville Jaguars — Lamar Jackson is healthy and playing well. Trevor Lawrence is also a superstar. The Ravens win by running the ball and playing tough defense. The Jaguars are a good team. The Ravens are a great team. Justin Tucker is the best kicker in the game. If it comes down to a field goal, trust him. Ravens win but fail to cover

Monday, December 18, 8pm

Philadelphia Eagles (-3 1/2) at Seattle Seahawks — The Eagles started 10-1 but lost two straight games in which they were blown out. Yet San Francisco and Dallas are also top tier. Seattle is not. The Seahawks started strong before losing several straight. The Seahawks will be desperate, but the invincibility of the 12th man is not what it wad in past years. Jalen Hurts has enough talent to get the Eagles back on track. Neither Geno Smith or Drew Lock presents a threat. Eagles cover

NFL 2023: Pre-season Raiders Recap

Sunday, August 27th, 2023

https://www.google.com/search?q=raiders+preseason+games+2023&oq=raiders+preseason&aqs=chrome.6.69i57j0i512l2j0i131i433i512l3j0i512j0i433i512l2j0i512.8727j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Sir Charles of Krauthammer: 5 years after his passing

Sunday, June 11th, 2023

Five Years Later, Remembering Charles Krauthammer

Pride humor

Thursday, June 1st, 2023

Pride humor (updated as jokes come in):

I have decided that I am no longer fat. Please praise me for my courage. I demand the right to use the thin person bathrooms although I most likely will still use the big handicap ones with plenty of space provided that nobody else is around.

Whether you’re Trans-fats, Minnesota Fats, or just regular every day fats, America has a place for you. Now to go find a burger for lunch.

For those of you into boycotts and counter-boycotts, leave TransAmerica alone. They are a financial services company. Like me, they don’t care if you are gay or straight. Just deliver good earnings and get the stock price up. Maximize shareholder wealth.
Pride parades are tame compared to Wall Street partying in a bull market!
(Reminds me of the time the Turkish government, angry at criticism from Senator Bob Dole, organized a boycott of the Dole Pineapple company. The panicked company insisted they were apolitical and sent the Turks a lovely fruit basket. Crisis averted with pineapple diplomacy.)

Regarding the recent massive influx of illegal immigrants, many of them identify as LGBTQ. They even have their own gender-based transportation services. Therefore, we must fight back by boycotting the Transcontinental Railroad.

The song “Why are there so many songs about rainbows?” is obviously an attack on the LGBTQ Community. It is time to immediately start boycotting Kermit the Frog and all of his cousins in the frog community. To be on the safe side, stoners who get high licking frogs should make sure that any frogs they lick are on the approved Act Blue list.

Pride month across most of America:
“I am gay, hear me roar. I am proud to wear this rainbow t-shirt.”
Pride month in Detroit:
“I am football, hear me roar. For once, I’m not suffering. I’m on the verge of being proud of wearing this Lions t-shirt.”

eric

TYGRRRR EXPRESS Turns 16

Sunday, March 12th, 2023

I started the TYGRRRR EXPRESS on March 11, 2007. 

A simple blog turned into a career. I now have written 6 books and have nearly 300 mostly original t-shirt designs. 

I have performed and sold my merchandise in all 50 states. 

On to the next adventure.

eric @ Tygrrrr Express

What politicians can learn from Super Bowl LVII (57)

Monday, February 13th, 2023

What politicians can learn from Super Bowl LVII (57)

What Our Leaders Can Learn From a Great Super Bowl

NFL 2022-2023 Divisionals Recap

Monday, January 23rd, 2023

NFL 2022-2023 Divisionals Recap

AFC: 4.) Jacksonville Jaguars at 1.) Kansas City Chiefs on NBC is the Saturday afternoon game. The Jaguars started 4-8 but won 5 in a row to make the playoffs. Then last week they fell behind 27-0 before coming back in the second half to shock the Chargers 31-30. The Chiefs breezed to a 14-3 record and the top seed in the AFC. They had last week off. Walrus Andy Reid went against Little Andy Doug Pederson in a battle of the Bill Walsh-Mike Holmgren coaching tree disciples. Yet as well as Trevor Lawrence has been playing, Patrick Mahomes is on another level. The Chiefs began at their own 17 and went right to work. Pacheco gained 12. Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 7 and 14. Mahomes went to Juju Smith-Schuster for 13 and Toney for 9. On 3rd and 6 from the Jacksonville 14, Mahomes hit Kelce for 6. Mahomes went to Kelce again for an 8 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 83 yard, 6 minute drive made it 7-0 Chiefs. The Jaguars got a jolt when Jamal Agnew returned the ensuing kickoff 63 yards to the Chiefs 39. On 3rd and 1, Travis Etienne gained 19. Lawrence went to Christian Kirk for a 10 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game.

After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Jacksonville 32 to start the second quarter. Mahomes threw incomplete twice. Harrison Butker hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Chiefs. The Jaguars after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Chiefs 25. Yet a tripping penalty followed by a sack pushed the Jaguars out of field goal range. A good punt pinned the Chiefs at their own 2 yard line. Making matters worse, Mahomes was not on the field. He had taken some big shots in the first quarter and left the game. Chad Hence started the second quarter. Rather than hand the ball off, Walrus Andy Reid immediately had Henne throwing, and he hit Kelce for 6. Pacheco ran for 8 and 7. On 3rd and 2 from their own 23, Henne hit Toney for 8. On 3rd and 3 from their own 38, Henne hit Kelce for 4 with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. Pacheco then broke free for a 39 yard gain. Henne went to Kelce for a one yard touchdown to make it 17-7 Chiefs. The Jaguars after a touchback managed to go 52 yards in 11 plays. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 23, Lawrence threw incomplete. Riley Patterson hit a 41 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 17-10 with 30 seconds left in the half. Mahomes came back to start the third quarter but the defenses dug in and both teams punted twice. The Chiefs managed to go from their own 39 to the Jacksonville 32. Butker hit again from 50 as the Chiefs led 20-10 after three quarters.

The Jaguars began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Lawrence scrambled for 11. Lawrence then went deep to Zee Jones for a 37 yard gain. Kirk gained 18. Etienne ran for a 4 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 20-17 with 12 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, Mahomes hit Kelce for 11 and again for 15. Mahomes went to Smith-Schuster for 16. Pacheco ran for 7 and Toney added 14. Mahoems went to Marques Valdes-Scantling for a 6 yard touchdown to put the Chiefs up 27-17 midway through the fourth quarter. Agnew ripped off another great kickoff return to have the Jaguars at their own 45. They moved to a 1st and goal at the 9. Lawrence went to Agnew for 3, but Agnew fumbled the ball without being touched. It just slipped out of his hands and the Chiefs recovered. The defense forced a 3 and out and the Jaguars got the ball back at their own 46. Yet 2 plays later Lawrence was intercepted. The Jaguars got it back again t their own 33 but were out of timeouts and only one minute remained. Patterson hit a 48 yard field goal with 25 seconds left to get the Jaguars within 7. Yet the onside kick failed. The Jaguars were game, but the Chiefs will be going to their 5th straight AFC Title Game, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 27-20 Chiefs

NFC: 6.) New York Giants at 2.) Philadelphia Eagles on FOX is the Saturday night game. The 10-7 Giants took on the 14-3 Eagles. The Giants won at Minnesota last week and were confident heading into Philadelphia. The Eagles started 13-1 but struggled down the stretch with Jalen Hurts missing the last 3 games. Yet he was in the lineup for this game, and it was never a contest. On the 2nd play from scrimmage on 2nd and 8 from their own 27, Hurts went deep to DeVonta Smith for a 40 yard gain. Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 9. On 3rd and 5 from the Giants 16, Hurts went to Goedert for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Eagles. The Giants moved from their own 24 to a 3rd and 3 at the Philadelphia 35. Daniel Jones was sacked for a 5 yard loss, putting the Giants out of field goal range. Brian Daboll gambled on 4th and 8 and Jones was sacked again. The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 1 at the Giants 43. Kenneth Gainwell gained 14. Hurts hit AJ Brown for 12. Hurts ran for 9. Hurts hit Smith for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Eagles.

In the second quarter the Eagles took over at their own 37. Miles Sanders gashed the defense for gains of 9, 12, 4, 11, 2 and 5. On 3rd and 3 from the Giants 20, Hurts gained 7. Hurts went to Goedert for 10. Boston Scott ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Eagles. The Eagles got it back at their own 28. Sanders gained 5 and 18. Scott added 10. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 32, Hurts went to Smith for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Giants 17, Gainwell gained 6. On 2nd and 9 from the Giants 10, Hurts threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 1st and goal at the 5. Hurts ran for a 5 yard touchdown as the 14 play, 72 yard, 6 minute drive had the Eagles up 28-0 at the half. The second half was pointless. The Giants managed one third quarter touchdown but nothing else. The Eagles tacked on a fourth quarter field goal. The final act of humiliation came with the Eagles just trying to run out the clock. On 3rd and 9 from the Giants 35, Gainwell took a give up run all the way for the touchdown. The Giants had a good season and are trending positive, but the Eagles will be hosting the NFC Title Game next year. The last time they did that was 2017 when they won it all. 38-7 Eagles 

AFC: 3.) Cincinnati Bengals at 2.) Buffalo Bills on CBS was the Sunday afternoon game. As most of t he 8 billion people on earth know, these teams played 3 weeks ago in Cincinnati when real tragedy struck. When Bills defender Damar Hamlin made a routine tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, Hamlin had a heart attack on the field and nearly died. With the Bengals leading 7-3 in the first quarter, the rest of the game was canceled. Hamlin’s recovery has been nothing short of a miracle. Now on to football. This playoff game was played in Buffalo, and the Bengals had a legitimate right to gripe about this. The Bills finished 13-3 and the Bengals 12-4. Yet had the Bengals won the game 3 weeks ago, both teams would be 13-4 and the Bengals would hold the tie-breaker. This means the playoff game would be played in Cincinnati. At the very least, the NFL should have played this game at a neutral site rather than in Buffalo. Nevertheless, it was what it was. Both teams came in with start quarterbacks in Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. Both teams had top notch defenses. With snow coming down throughout the game, the Bills appeared to have the edge. 

Despite the snow, the Bengas came out throwing. Burrow hit JaMarr Chase for 6 and Tyler Boyd for 23. Joe Mixon ran for 10. Burrow went to Hden Hurst for 7. Burrow then went deep to Chase for a 28 yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 Bengals lead. The Bills quickly went 3 and out and the Bengals took over at their own 28. Mixon ran for 5 and 16. Burrow went to Higgins for 6 and 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 23, Burrow was sacked. Yet the defense jumped offside and the Bengals had a new set of downs. On 3rd and 7 from the Buffalo 15, Burrow went to Hurst for the touchdown. The 10 play, 72 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive made it 14-0 Bengals.

The Bills began the second quarter facing 2nd and 13 at their own 22. Allen went to Stefan Diggs for 16.Allen Gabriel Davis for 9, Diggs for 7, and Cole Beasley for 11. On 4th and 1 from the Cincinnati 23, Sean McDermott went for it and Allen gained 2. On 2nd and 16 from the Cincinnati 27, Allen went to Shakir for 23. On 3rd and goal at the one, Allen got in. The 15 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Bills within 14-7. The Bengals after a touchback moved 65 yards in1 4 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 5, a false start was followed by an incompletion. Burrow went to Chase for the touchdown, but on official review, Chase was ruled out of the back of the end zone without getting 2 feet down inbounds. Evan McPherson hit a 28 yard field goal as the Bengals took a 17-7 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter the Bills from their own 28 moved 65 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 7, Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 25 yard field goal to get the Bills within 17-10.

After a touchback, Burrow ran for 9 and hit Chase and Higgins for 11 apiece. On 3rd and 10 from the Buffalo 40, Burrow went to Hurst for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 18, Mixon got around the end for 13. Mixon ran for a one yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it 24-10 Bengals after three querters. The fourth quarter belonged to the Cincinnati defense. After forcing a 3 and out, the Bengals got it back at their own 37 and moved to a 1st and goal at the 4. The Buffalo defense held, but McPherson hit the 20 yard field goal to all but ice the game with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Midway through the fourth quarter on 4th and 6 from the Cincy 18, Allen threw incomplete. Even in garbage time with one minute left, Allen went to the end zone and was intercepted. The Bills are a very good team, but it is the Bengals traveling to Kansas City for the second straight season for the AFC Title Game. Zac Taylor’s team went on the road last year and this year and hit teams in the mouth. Now his guys are one game from the Super Bowl again. 27-10 Bengals

NFC: 5.) Dallas Cowboys at 1.) San Francisco 49ers on FOX was the Sunday night game. These teams have played legendary playoff games throughout the decades. This time a trip to the NFC Title Game was on the line as the 12-5 Cowboys were at the 13-4 49ers. Both teams have serious playmakers on offense and tough defenses. This was a defensive slugfest. In the first quarter an interception of Dak Prescott had the 49ers at the Dallas 21. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 8, the undefeated Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy ran nowhere and then threw incomplete. Robbie Gould hit a 26 yard field goal to make it 3-0 49ers. The Cowboys took over at their own 26. Runs and short passes had them beginning the second quarter facing 3rd and 2 from their own 44. Prescott went to Brown for 18. On 3rd and 1 from the san Francisco 29, Ezekiel Elliott got the yard. On 4th and 1 from the Frisco 19, Mike McCarthy went for it. CeeDee Lamb got around the end for 4. Prescott got around the end for 11 more. Prescott hit Dalton Schultz for a 4 yard touchdown to cap the 14 play, 74 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 6-3 Cowboys. 

Then all eyes were on Cowboys kicker Brett Maher. He set an NFL record last week by becoming the first kicker to miss 4 extra points in a single game. Combined with a missed extra point the week before that, he had 5 straight missed extra points. Jerry Jones and Mike McCarthy decided not to cut him. He had been good all year before that meltdown. This time Maher did not miss the extra point. However, he did not make it either. The kick was blocked, which still counts as no good. His 6th failed extra point attempt in 7 tries affected strategy for the Cowboys for the rest of the game. Meanwhile, Gould hit a 47 yard field goal with 4 minutes left in the half for a 6-6 tie. 

At the 2 minute warning on 4th and 4 at the San Francisco 35, McCarthy was not going to try a 53 yard field goal with a shaky kicker. Prescott ran for 9. Yet on 2nd and 2 from the Frisco 18, McCarthy for some bizarre reason was throwing the ball. Prescott had a pass deflected and intercepted by Fred Warner. With 1:15 left, that was plenty of time for the 49ers to move from their own 28 to the Dallas 32. Gould hit from 50 to make it 9-6 49ers at the half. In the third quarter the Cowboys got a major break when they recovered a fumbled 49ers punt at the San Francisco 21. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 6, a run lost a yard and Prescott then threw incomplete. With the football world watching, Maher hit the 25 yard field goal for a 9-9 tie.

The defense dug in and a field position game had the 49ers at their own 9 yard line. From their 21, Purdy went deep to George Kittle, who made a leaping, juggling, bobbling catch for a 30 yard gain. Christian McCaffrey had bottled up most of the game, but now he ripped off gains of 8, 5 and 8. On 3rd and 8 from the Dallas 20, Purdy was sacked but defense holding meant an automatic first down. On the first play of the fourth quarter, McCaffrey ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 16-9 49ers. A great kickoff return by Turpin had the Cowboys at their own 43. They moved to a 3rd and 8 at the San Francisco 25. Prescott threw incomplete. With 11 minutes left in regulation, McCarthy went with his kicker. From 43 yards out, Maher was good and the Cowboys were within 16-12. After a touchback, the 49ers went on a grueling 13 play, 64 yard, 8 minute drive. A touchdown would put the game out of reach. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Dallas 17, a run went nowhere followed by an incompletion. On 3rd and 10, Purdy only gained 6. Gould hit the 28 yard field goal to put the 49ers back up by 7 with 3 minutes left. 

The Cowboys took over at their own 18 and Prescott quickly threw 3 straight incompletions. Mike McCarthy decided to punt and trust his defense. The 49ers took over at their own 26 with 2:05 left but the Cowboys had all 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. With 1:53 left and the Cowboys down to 2 timeouts, Mitchell ran for 13 yards and a critical first down. Yet rather than fall dow  inbounds, Mitchell carelessly ran out of bounds without being touched. That saved the Cowboys a timeout, essentially gifting them 40 seconds. The Cowboys did get the ball back, but they were pinned at their own 6 yard line with4 5 seconds left and 0 timeouts. They needed a miracle. With 10 seconds left from their own 24, Prescott hit Schultz for 16 yards. Schultz got out of bounds. A Hail Mary from his own 40 was certainly doable from Prescott. Yet on further review, Schultz was ruled out of bounds, meaning an incompletion and the ball back to the 24. Schultz was all by himself. His error was inexcusable. The Cowboys tried a bizarre formation with Elliott playing center and snapping the ball to Prescott to try the hook and laterals. Yet after Prescott hit Turpin for an 8 yard gain, Turpin was immediately belted before he could lateral the ball. It was brutal, but the 49ers are headed to their 3rd NFC Title Game in 4 years under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. 19-12 49ers

The Conference Title Games are set:

NFC Title Game: 2.) San Francisco 49ers at 1.) Philadelphia Eagles at 3pm on FOX

AFC Title Game: 3.) Cincinnati Bengals at 1.) Kansas City Chiefs at 6:30pm on CBS

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