THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Recap

Normally I would offer Pro Football Hall of Fame predictions. The enshrines used to be announced the Saturday before the Super Bowl. Yet nowadays, the NFL honors program the Thursday before the Super Bowl reveals the winners. 

So let’s just look at who was chosen and who got left out that should have been enshrined. 

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans wide receiver — He should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer. He was delayed one year but deservedly got in.

Devon Hester, Chicago Bears return man — This should never have been  question last year, but Hester was also denied in his first year of eligibility. He is the greatest return man in the history of the game. He changed the game. Opposing teams feared him. He absolutely had to get in and did. 

Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts defensive end — He is yet another guy denied eligibility last year on the first ballot. He was a key cog in helping the Colts finally get over the hump in 2006. He deserved to get in and he did.  

Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers defensive end. He retired as the fourth highest sack leader of all time. He made nine Pro Bowls and was an all decade winner in the 2000s and the 2010s. He of course got in on the first ballot.

Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers linebacker — He only played seven seasons. As great as he was, the entire 49ers defense when he played was great. He should have waited longer. Other more deserving nominees did not get in before him that should have.

Randy Gradishar, Denver Broncos linebacker — The Denver Broncos linebacker made seven Pro Bowls, but the Broncos defense only got them to one Super Bowl in 1977, which they lost. Senior nominees usually get in, but this one should have been a closer call than others. 

Steve McMichael, Chicago Bears defensive lineman — Again, most Senior nominees are rubber stamped. Again, this one is debatable. He was on the 1985 Bears, but was he really on the same level as Richard Dent, Mike Singletary or Dan Hampton? He is waging a brutal battle against ALS, but that should play zero role in whether or not he gets enshrined. This should not have been a guarantee. 

Eric Allen, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback — Allen was sensational with the eagles, and still played at a high level with the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders. He was a true ball hawk who should not have been denied.

Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers tight ends — He has been unfairly denied for playing on a team that never reached the Super Bowl. For much of his career, he was the best tight end in the game. This was his first year of eligibility, and should get in next year.

Rodney Harrison, New England Patriots safety — It is ridiculous that one of the hardest hitting safeties in the game is not enshrined already. He did more than win three Super Bowls in the first leg of the Patriots dynasty. He anchored the defense. Remember, Tom Brady carried some of the teams in the later years. In the early years, especially the 2001 season, Brady was a game manager. Defense led the team and shocked the Greatest Show on Turf St. Louis Rams. Harrison needs to get in soon. 

Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings defensive end — He has been a finalist in all four years of eligibility and keeps getting denied. He was also great with the Kansas City Chiefs. Not reaching a Super Bowl may have delayed his enshrinement, but he does deserve to get in at some point. This year there were just guys who were slightly more deserving for enshrinement right now.

Fred Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars running back — Old reliable may get unfairly downgraded for playing in the MFL’s smallest market. Yet he also never got to a Super Bowl. He was a  steady workhorse who was more substance than excitement and style. Can the story of the NFL be told without him? Probably. He should get in at some point, but more crucial nominees essential to the story of football are ahead of him.

eric 

Super Bowl LVIII (58) Prequel

AFC Kansas City Chiefs vs NFC San Francisco 49ers (-2) at 6:30pm Eastern on CBS.

These teams met 4 years ago in Super Bowl LIV (54). In that game the 49ers led 20-10 in the fourth quarter before the Chiefs exploded and won 31-20. 

Many of the same players on both teams are still around. The main difference is that the 49ers now have Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. Last year Purdy led the 49ers to the NFC Title Game. Purdy was injured in the game and the 49ers lost badly. The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions. They are looking to be the first team in 20 years to win back to back Super Bowls. The Chiefs are playing in their fourth Super Bowl in the last five years. They are looking to win their third Super Bowl in five years and officially establish a dynasty.

Coaches Walrus Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan are both West Coast Offense disciples from the Bill Walsh coaching tree. Shanahan is the son of Mike Shanahan, who won consecutive Super Bowls 25 years ago in Denver. Although Reid and the younger Shanahan are both pass-happy, Reid finally won a pair of Super Bowls after being willing to run the ball to close out games. Shanahan has blown two fourth quarter double digit Super Bowl leads by stubbornly refusing to run the ball. 

In addition to Purdy, the 49ers have Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk. The Chiefs have a 25th Century Buck Rodgers bionic man at quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes also has plenty of weapons including Travis Kelce. 

These teams took different paths to get to the big game. The 49ers for most of the year appeared to be the most complete team in the NFL. They have a nasty defense along with their offensive weapons. They suffered a three game losing streak midseason and an embarrassing home loss late in the year against Baltimore. Yet they won everything else. The 49ers barely survived their playoff run despite being at home in both games. They were outplayed for most of the game against a Green Bay team that barely qualified for the playoffs. When Green Bay’s kicker missed a short field at the end of regulation, it allowed the 49ers to escape with a 27-24 win. In the NFC Title Game, Detroit stormed to a 24-7 halftime lead before suffering a meltdown. Detroit passed up a pair of field goals in favor of failed fourth down conversion tries. The 49ers received a gift touchdown when a badly overthrown ball that should have been intercepted instead bonked off a defender’s helmet into the arms of the receiver. The 49ers survived again 34-31 to house the George Halas Trophy.

The Chiefs had a more difficult path to the big game. After five straight years of hosting the AFC Title Game, this year they had to play road playoff games. In the divisional round, Buffalo’s kicker missed a makable field goal at the end of regulation as the Chiefs survived 27-24. In pouring rain, the Chiefs sixth straight AFC Title Game would not be at home. At top seeded Baltimore, the Chiefs won 17-10 when Baltimore self-destructed in the red zone. The Ravens gave away the tying touchdown with a goal line fumble. The Chiefs won the Lamar Hunt Trophy named after their late founder and owner the hard way. This year the Chiefs offense was less smooth than in years past. The Chiefs lacked the deep ball threat, settling for more dinking and dunking. 

The game is being played in Las Vegas, and Sin City has lived up to its reputation. Many Super Bowls feature a needless distraction that may or may not end up weighing on the game. Mahomes already has a wife who talks trash and a brother who cannot stay out of trouble. Now Mahomes’s father has been arrested again for driving while intoxicated. Mahomes has blocked out outside noise all year, and will have to do so again if he is to win another ring. 

The 49ers are slight favorites. They have the best running back in the league in McCaffrey. Their defense is ferocious. Yet the Chiefs have the better coach and a quarterback in Mahomes with the potential to be the very best ever. Betting against the Chiefs is a foolish move. Four years ago the 49ers defense had Mahomes figured out for three quarters. That was simply not good enough. Mahomes is the best player in the NFL. Bet on the very best. When the game is over, expect the Chiefs to be holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy and being declared a dynasty. Upset special, Chiefs win outright

eric

The Pro Bowl used to be a real game played in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Now it is a “skills competition” featuring a 7 on 7 flag football game. 

I’m done. I love football, but this is not football. 

eric 

The Conference Title Games were Sunday, January 28th.

AFC Title Game: (3) Kansas City Chiefs at (1) Baltimore Ravens at 3pm on CBS.

The Chiefs were in the AFC Title Game for the 6th straight season. Yet after hosting the game 5 straight year at Arrowhead, this year the Chiefs were on the road. The Ravens were in their 3rd AFC Title Game in franchise history, but this was the first time they hosted the game. Despite Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson both being great quarterbacks, this game belonged to the defenses. 

The Chiefs took over at their own 14. Mahomes came out throwing, hitting Travis Kelce for 4, Isaiah Pacheco for 10 and Rice for 11. Pacheco ran for 12. Walrus Andy Reid gambled on 4th and 2 from the Baltimore 41 rather than try a 59 yard field goal or punt. Mahomes hit Kelce for 13. Mahomes went to Kelce for a 19 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 86 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 7-0 Chiefs. John Harbaugh took an even bigger gamble on 4th and 1 from his own 34. Jackson broke through for a 21 yard gain. Gus Edwards gained 15. Jackson went to Zee Flowers for a 30 yard touchdown for a 7-7 game.

After a touchback, Mahomes went to Rice for 10. Mahomes ran for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 41, Mahomes hit Rice for 9 to end the first quarter. The second quarter began with the Chiefs facing 3rd and 5 at the Baltimore 27. Mahomes hit Kelce for 10. On 3rd and 3 from the Baltimore 10, Mahomes gained 4. Pacheco ran for 4 and then for a 2 yard touchdown to finish the staggering 16 play, 75 yard, 9 minute drive to make it 14-7 Chiefs. The game despite rain coming down started as a track meet. Yet after 19 minutes of offense, the next 41 minutes were all defense. Neither team would reach the end zone again. 

After a touchback, the Ravens were soon at their own 36. Jackson went back to pass and loaded up for a bomb. Before he could unleash the ball, it was chopped out of his hands. The Chiefs recovered the fumble at the Baltimore 33. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 13, Walrus Andy Reid went for it and Pacheco got stopped cold for no gain. The defenses dug in and with 1:46 left in the half the Chiefs were pinned at their own 11 yard line. Yet a pair of defensive personal fouls for unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer gifted the Chiefs 30 yards. Mahomes went to Kelce for 21 more. Harrison Butker hit a 52 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Chiefs at the half. The Chiefs would score zero points in the second half.

The Ravens would suffer multiple self-inflicted wounds in the second half. Late in the third quarter the Ravens moved from their own 20 to a 3rd and 9 at the Kansas City 41. Justin Tucker is the best kicker of the game, and 59 is in his range. Yet Jackson was sacked and the Ravens had to punt. The Ravens got it back at their own 36 and Jackson immediately threw a perfect bomb to Flowers for a 54 yard gain. It should have been 1st and goal at the 10. Yet a mindless taunting penalty on Flowers after the play pushed the Ravens back 15 yards. After a scoreless third quarter, the Ravens began the fourth quarter facing 2nd and 8 at the Kansas City 9. Jackson went to Flowers, who could have just gone down at the one yard line. Yet like so many players, Flowers made the mistake of trying to stretch the ball over the goal line. The ball got knocked out of his hands at the one and the Chiefs recovered in the end zone for a touchback. 

The Chiefs offenses did nothing, but a perfect punt pinned the Ravens back at their own one yard line. They moved 74 yards in 12 plays. The Ravens moved the ball the entire second half but turnovers killed them. From the Kansas City 25 midway through the fourth quarter, Jackson got greedy and threw into triple coverage. He was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. The Ravens got the ball back in much better field position at their own 46, but they needed 2 scores and only 5 minutes remained. The Ravens moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Kansas City 25. Jackson threw incomplete twice. Justin Tucker hit the 43 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 7, but only 2 1/2 minutes remained. 

John Harbaugh decided to kick it deep and trust his defense rather than go onside kick. The Chiefs offense was being stopped cold the entire half. The Ravens defense started by jumping offside and then committing an unnecessary roughness penalty. The Ravens took their timeouts on defense. With 2:19 to play, the Ravens took their last timeout. The Chiefs faced 3rd and 9 at their own 46. One more stop would give the Ravens a chance. Walrus Andy Reid has been criticized in the past for being too conservative. This time Reid went for all the marbles. Mahomes rolled out, avoided the pressure, and threw a bomb to Marques Valdes-Scantling. A diving Valdes-Scantling caught the ball in the rain for a 32 yard gain at the 2 minute warning. The Ravens were now dead as Mahomes took 3 knees. 

For the 2nd time in 5 years, the Ravens had the best regular season record only to blow up at home in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are going to their 4th Super Bowl in 6 years. They won it all in 2019 and last year. A win this year would make them a dynasty. For the second straight year, the Chiefs won the Lamar Hunt Trophy named after their late owner and founder. This makes Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 17-10 Chiefs

NFC Title Game: (3) Detroit Lions at (1) San Francisco 49ers at 6:30pm on FOX. 

The Lions were the feel good story in sports. They were in the NFC Title Game for the first time in 32 years. The Lions have never reached the Super Bowl, winning their last NFL championship in 1957. The 49ers were in the NFC Title Game for the 3rd time in the last 5 years. The 49ers were seeking their first Super Bowl win in nearly 40 years. The Lions came in with the tough identity of their head coach Dan Campbell.

Despite an explosive passing attack, the Lions came out playing smash mouth. David Montgomery ran for 4 and 15. Jared Goff hit Sam LaPorta for 14. Williams broke tackles for a tough 42 yard touchdown run. After only 4 plays, the Lions went 75 yards and led 7-0 less than 2 minutes into the game. The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 6 at the Detroit 30. Yet Moody missed a 48 yard field goal try. The Lions took over at their own 38. Goff hit LaPorta for 6. Gibbs ran for 7. Goff went to Montgomery for 14. On 3rd and 9 from the San Francisco 30, Goff went to Amra St. Brown for 13. Gibbs ran for 10. Montgomery ran for 6 and then for the one yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Lions. 

After a touchback, Brock Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 6 and Kyle Juszczyk for 23. Christian McCaffrey gained 4, 4, and on 3rd and 2 from the Detroit 38, 5 more. On the first play of the second quarter from the Detroit 33, Purdy went to McCaffrey for 28. McCaffrey ran for a 2 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 14-7. The 49ers got the ball back at their own 12. On 3rd and 10 from their own 24, Purdy was intercepted t give the Lions a short field at the Detroit 46. Goff went to LaPorta for 16 and St Brown for 17. Gibbs got around the end for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 29 with 5 minutes left in the half. A mind-numbing 17 play drive moved them 68 yards. With 17 seconds left on 3rd and goal at the 6, Goff went to Gibbs for only 3 yards. Mike Badgley hit the 21 yard field goal to put the Lions up 24-7 at the half in front of a disbelieving home San Francisco crowd. The Lions magical season was 30 minutes from the Super Bowl, but now this inexperienced team had to show they could close out their biggest game in decades.

After a third quarter touchback, the 49ers moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Detroit 25. Purdy threw incomplete twice. Moody hit a 43 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 24-10. After a touchback, the Lions moved to a 4th and 2 at the San Francisco 28. Dan Campbell has been gambling all year, more than any other coach. Yet a 46 yard field goal try if good would put the Lions up 27-10. Yet Campbell went for it on 4th down. It’s who he is. He trusts his players. They reward that trust. Yet this time, Goff threw incomplete. Purdy then hit Samuel for 17. Then came the play of the game that will be played on NFL Films bloopers forever. Purdy went for a deep bomb that was overthrown. The receiver Brandon Aiyuk had no chance at the ball. The defender Vildor was in perfect position to intercept the ball or at worst have it fall incomplete. Instead, it bonked off Vildor’s helmet into the air backward. It landed straight into the hands of a diving Aiyuk for a 51 yard gain.

This was not the Immaculate Reception or even Lynn Swann’s acrobatic magic, but it changed the game. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Purdy went to Aiyuk for the touchdown. Instead of being down 27-10, the 49ers only trailed 24-17. The Lions needed to settle down, but instead they collapsed. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Gibbs fumbled. The 49ers took over at the Detroit 24. Purdy ran for 21. McCaffrey ran for a 3 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the 49ers had erased a 17 point halftime deficit to tie the game 24-24. The 49ers got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Detroit 13 early in the fourth quarter. A sack of Purdy killed the drive, but Moody hit a 33 yard field goal. With 10 minutes left in regulation, the 49ers had their first lead of the game up 27-24. 

After a touchback, the Lions quickly moved to a 4th and 3 at the Detroit 30 midway through the fourth quarter. The decision seemed simple. A 46 yard field goal try if good would tie the game. Yet it was time for another Dan Campbell gamble. This made no sense. He has been right so many times, but this seemed to cross the line from bold to reckless. Again, Goff threw incomplete. The Lions potential threw away 6 points. Instead of leading 30-27, they were still down by three points. Their offense moved at will in the first half but failed at key moments in the second half. Even worse, their defense was melting down. 

The 49ers took over at their own 30. McCaffrey ran for 7. Purdy hit Samuel for 8. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Purdy ran for 21. McCaffrey ran for 25. Mitchell ran for a 3 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left, 27 unanswered points had the 49ers up 34-24. After a touchback, the Lions needed a miracle. They quickly moved 75 yards in 11 plays. On 3rd and goal at the one, Montgomery got blasted for a 2 yard loss, causing the Lions to have to burn their first timeout with one minute left. A field goal seemed the sensible move, but Dan Campbell does it his way. He went for the touchdown, and this time Goff hit Williams for the score to get the Lions within 3.

The onside kick failed. The 49ers took over at the Detroit 44 with 55 seconds left. The timeout the Lions wasted was a killer. A couple of short runs had the Lions taking their final timeout with 47 seconds left. On 3rd and 6, another run took the clock down to only one second. Although it was 4th down, the 49ers would not need to punt. Purdy took one knee long enough for the clock to take its final tick. Dan Campbell defended his decisions and took full responsibility for the loss. Kyle Shanahan has the 49ers back in the Super Bowl for the second time in 5 years. It has been nearly 30 years since the 49ers won it all. On this night, they won the George Halas Trophy. That is still more recent than the 67 year drought of the Lions. 34-31 49ers

Super Bowl LVIII (58) is set.  The AFC Chiefs and NFC 49ers have a rematch of their 2019 Super Bowl from 4 years ago. The game starts at 6:30pm Eastern time on CBS.           

Prediction: Walrus Andy Reid finally learned how to call a winning Super Bowl. He and Kyle Shanahan are both West Coast Offense disciples who have been too pass happy for their own good. Yet Reid finally learned to run the ball in the fourth quarter with a lead to close out games. Shanahan lost 2 Super Bowls by refusing to do this. He was the defensive coordinator for the 2016 Atlanta team that blew a 28-3 Super Bowl lead and lost 34-28 in overtime. He was the head coach of the 2019 49ers team that blew a 20-10 fourth quarter lead and lost 31-20. That was the year Reid finally got the monkey off his back. Purdy is a feel good story as Mr. Irrelevant, but this Super Bowl is about Patrick Mahomes. He is a Buck Rodgers 25th Century freak of nature who might be more bionic than man. The Chiefs will be the first team in 20 years to win back to back Super Bowls and establish their dynasty. 

eric

The Conference Title Games are set for Sunday, January 28th, 2024

AFC Title Game: (3) Kansas City Chiefs @ (1) Baltimore Ravens (-3 1/2) 3pm CBS.

— The Kansas City Chiefs are in the AFC Title Game for the sixth straight season. Yet after 5 straight AFC Title Games at home, this year the Chiefs have to go on the road. The Ravens have won a pair of AFC Title Games in their history, but had to go on the road both times. This is the first time the Ravens have ever hosted the AFC Title Game. The Ravens were the top seed in 2019 but were upset in the divisional round. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are the most exciting quarterbacks in the game, with Mahomes being the better passer and Jackson a running sensation. Walrus Andy Reid is a play-calling wizard on offense while John Harbaugh is a special teams guy who has a nasty defense. Reid likes more innovative approaches while Harbaugh prefers smash mouth football. The Chiefs are more vulnerable than in years past, but their win over Buffalo shows how resilient they are. Home field and cold weather should not matter. Despite the Lamar Hunt Trophy being named for their late owner, the Chiefs will have a tough time retaining that trophy from last year. With everything else being equal, the Ravens have the best kicker in the game in Justin Tucker. In a close one, trust Tucker. Ravens win but fail to cover 

NFC Title Game: (3) Detroit Lions at (1) San Francisco 49ers (-7) 6:30pm on FOX. 

— 40 years ago in San Francisco, the Lions lost a heartbreaker 24-23 when kicker Eddie Murray missed a 43 yard field goal. Murray had made 3 kicks including one from 54 but missed 2 kicks under 45 yards. The 49ers went on to a dynasty as the Lions remained sad sacks. 40 years later, the Lions are the feel good story of the year. They are built Dan Campbell tough. Campbell is one of the most aggressive play-callers in the league. The Lions have an explosive offense. The 49ers have a nasty defense in addition to offensive playmakers. The 49ers barely survived Green Bay, while the lions barely survived the Rams in the opening round. Home field matters because the Lions are much better indoors at home than in bad weather on the road. Brock Purdy and Jared Goff both have plenty of weapons. The Lions are in the NFC Title Game for the first time in 32 years. Like last time, their attempt to win their first ever George Halas Trophy will require going on the road against a superior team. Weather is not expected to be a factor, but it’s hard to trust the Lions on the road. All Fairy Tales come to an end at some point. 49ers cover 

eric

NFL 2023-2024 Divisionals Recap

AFC: (4) Houston Texans at (1) Baltimore Ravens is the Saturday afternoon game. The team with no experience traveled on the road looking to unseat the best team in football with all the experience. The Texans got a win last week under rookie coach Demeco Ryan and rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. Yet John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson were the heavy favorites for a reason. Early on the Ravens moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 3 at the Houston 34. Justin Tucker is the best in the game, and he nailed a 53 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Ravens. A field position game had the Texans taking over at their own 45. They moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Baltimore 27. Stroud threw a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a delay of game. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 50 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. 

The Ravens began the second quarter at their own 24 Jackson scrambled for 23. Jackson went to Zee Flowers for 17. Gus Edwards gained 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 28, Edwards gained 6. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 17, Jackson scrambled for 15 more. Jackson hit Nelson Agholor for a 3 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 76 yard, 6 minute drive to make it 10-3 Ravens. The Ravens defense was playing well and appeared to be taking control of the game when one play changed things. Steven Sims returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, with 4 minutes left in the half, the game was deadlocked 10-10. With 3:20 left, the Texans got the ball back at their own 27. They moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Baltimore 29. Stroud threw incomplete twice. With 40 seconds left, Fairbairn came in for a 47 yard field goal try to give the Texans the lead. Fairbairn was no good.

For Ravens fans, this was nerve-wracking. They were the heavy favorite to win it all in 2019. Yet the 14-2 Ravens went up in flames at home in the divisional round. 4 years later, they were in a street fight for survival at home in the divisional round against what should have been a much inferior opponent. Yet this time the Ravens came out fighting after halftime when Devin Duvernay returned the second half kickoff 37 yards to his own 45. Jackson went to Likely for 19 and Bateman for 9. Jackson ran for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Ravens. The Ravens got the ball back at their own 7. Edwards ran for 9 and 5. Jackson went to Bateman for 21. On 4th and 1 just past midfield, John Harbaugh gambled. Jackson got around the end for a 14 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 27, Jackson hit Justice hill for 3. The fourth quarter began with a 15 yard touchdown pass to Likely to cap the 12 play, 93 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 24-10 Ravens. 

One minute later the Ravens got the ball back at their own 22. Hill gained 9 and Jackson added 10 more. Hill gained 14 and 3. Cook ran for 19. On 3rd and 7 from the Houston 24, Jackson hit Zee Flowers for 11. Jackson ran for an 8 yard touchdown. 3 straight touchdown drives turned a deadlock into a blowout 31-10 Ravens lead. Tucker tacked on a 43 yard field goal just past the 2 minute warning to complete the scoring. 24 unanswered points on 4 straight scoring drives. got the Ravens back to the AFC Title Game for the first time since the 2012 season when they won it all. That year they had to win big games on the road. This time they will need to win one game at home to reach the Super Bowl. The Texans arrow is clearly trending upward, but the Ravens are just on another level. 34-10 Ravens

NFC: (7) Green Bay Packers at (1) San Francisco 49ers is the Saturday night game. In the 1995 season, a Packers team that barely bade the playoffs had to go into San Francisco in the divisional round and take on the defending champion 49ers. The Packers jumped to a 21-0 lead and never looked back in what became a changing of the guard. The 49ers dynasty that had won 5 Super Bowls was over, and a new gunslinger named Brett Favre would soon get the Packers to the top of the heap. Favre and Aaron Rodgers are long gone, as are Joe Montana and Steve Young. It was up to Jordan Love to try and engineer a shocking upset of Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy and the heavily favored 49ers.

The Packers began at their own 31 and moved 58 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from the San Francisco 11, Love threw incomplete. Anders Carlson hit the 29 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Packers. The Packers got it back at their own 18 and moved 68 yards in 10 plays. The second quarter began with the Packers facing 3rd and 1 at the San Francisco 14. Aaron Jones got stopped cold. Matt LaFleur gambled and Love got stopped cold for no gain. Despite dominating the game, the Packers only led 3-0.

On 3rd and 1 from their own 23, Purdy gained 2. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Christian McCaffrey gained 3. Purdy hit Jennings for 16 and Brandon Aiyuk for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 32, Purdy went deep to George Kittle for the touchdown. Despite being totally outplayed, the 49ers led 7-3. After a touchback, the Packers moved to a 2nd and goal at the 9. Love completed a pass for a 2 yard loss and then threw incomplete twice. Carlson hit a 29 yard field goal to get the Packers within 7-6 with 4 minutes left in the half. The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Green Bay 30 with 14 seconds left in the half. Purdy threw incomplete. Moody’s 48 yard field goal try was partially blocked.

In the third quarter the Packers faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Jones got the yard. On 3rd and 1 from their own 44, Love got the yard. On 3rd and 15 from their own 40, Love went deep incomplete. Defensive pass interference meant a 41 yard gain. On the next play Love went to Melton for a 19 yard touchdown made it 13-7 Packers. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Purdy went to Kittle for 32 yards. McCaffrey then raced for a 39 yard gain to make it 14-13 49ers. Yet the Packers were immediately knocking on the door when Nixon returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards to the San Francisco 27, fumbled the ball, and had a teammate recovered it at the San Francisco 20. Love hit Romeo Doubs for 15. Love hit Kraft for a 2 yard touchdown. Matt LaFleur went for a 2 point conversion. Love hit Jones successfully as the Packers led 21-14. 

The Packers got the ball back with a chance to extend the lead. Yet late in the third quarter, Love was intercepted. The 49ers took over with a short field at the Green Bay 48. That was enough for Moody to hit a 52 yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to get the 49ers within 21-17. The Packers moved from their own 10 to a 3rd and 9 at the San Francisco2 3. Love threw incomplete. With 6 1/2 minutes left, Carlson’s 41 yard field goal try was no good. It was a major blow to the Packers, who until then had all the momentum. The 49ers soon had 3rd and 1 at their own 40. Purdy gained 2. On 3rd and 5 from their own 47, Purdy hit Kittle for 10, Conley for 17, and Kittle for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 6, McCaffrey ran for the touchdown. With only 1:07 left, the 49ers had a 3 point lead. Yet after a touchback, Love had plenty of time to force a field goal try and overtime. Carlson needed to redeem himself. There would be no redemption. Love rolled to his left, threw against his body, and made the same type of reckless throw Favre would often make. Love was intercepted. It was scary, but the 49ers survived and will host the NFC Title Game next week. 24-21 49ers

NFC (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (3) Detroit Lions was the Sunday afternoon game. The Buccaneers staggered into the playoffs with a 9-8 record and managed to win a home game against a Philadelphia team that was melting down. The Lions survived a scare from the Rams to get one more home playoff game.  The Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years and were the heavy favorites to win again. An early interception of Baker Mayfield was returned 12 yards by Gardner-Johnson to give the Lions a short field at the Tampa Bay 41. The Lions moved to a 2nd and goal at the 3. Jared Goff threw incomplete and a run then lost a yard. Mike Badly hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Lions. After a touchback, the Buccaneers moved to a 4th and 9 at the Detroit 25. Chase McLaughlin hit a 43 yard field goal to make it 3-3. 

The Lions soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Goff gained 3. On 3rd and 2 from their own 45, Goff hit Amra St. Brown for 5. The second quarter began with the Lions facing 3rd and 4 at the Tampa Bay 44. Goff hit Sam Laporta for gains of 13, 2 and 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Tampa Bay 9, Goff went to Reynolds for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Lions. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, a 50 yard field goal try by McLaughlin doinked off the upright no good. With 1:40 left on 3rd and 1 just shy of midfield, Goff was sacked for a 4 yard loss. The Buccaneers got the ball back with 90 seconds left, but they were way back at their own 8 yard line. White ran for 11. On 3rd and 1 from their own 28, Mayfield ran for 14. With 35 seconds left, the Buccaneers were still at their own 42. Mayfield then went to Mike Evans for big gains of 27 and 29 down to the two. Mayfield hit Cade Otton for the 2 yard touchdown to finish the 92 yard drive with 15 seconds left for a 10-10 deadlock.

In the third quarter the Lions faced 3rd and 1 at their own 45. Goff went to Wright for 29. Goff hit St Brown for 11. On 2nd and goal at the one, Goff threw incomplete twice. It was time for a Dan Campbell gamble. On 4th and goal at the one, Reynolds got in for the touchdown to culminate the 10 play, 64 yard drive and put the Lions back in front 17-10. A touchback and a pair of defensive penalties had the Buccaneers at their own 35. Mayfield hit Otton for big gains of 9, 13 and 27. On 3rd and 10 from the Detroit 12, Mayfield went to White for the touchdown and a 17-17 game. 3 times the Lions took the lead, and 3 times the Buccaneers tied the game. The teams were tied after the first, second and third quarters. 

After a touchback, the Lions began the fourth quarter facing 2nd and 4 at their own 31. Goff went to Gibbs for 12 and Reynolds for 19. Gibbs ran for 8 and then ripped off a 31 yard touchdown. With 13 minutes left in regulation, the Lions led again 24-17. One minute later the Lions got the ball back at their own 11. Goff went to Montgomery for 11 and Williams for 24. On 3rd and 15 from their own 44 after a sack, Goff hit St. Brown for 16, Gibbs for 20, LaPorta for 7, and St Brown for a 9 yard touchdown. With 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Lions now had a 31-17 lead. 

The Buccaneers would not go away. After a touchback, Mayfield went to Godwin for 11. With 5 1/2 minutes left, the Buccaneers were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 14 at their own 32. Mayfield went to Evans for 24. Moore for 11, to Chris Godwin for 17, and to Evans again for a 16 yard touchdown. Todd Bowles went for an absolutely pointless 2 point conversion. A new NFL trend has teams down by 14 and scoring trying to cut the gap to 6 rather than 7. This trend is as annoying and pointless as deferring on the opening kickoff. Mayfield threw incomplete and the Buccaneers trailed by 8 with 4 1/2 minutes left. The Buccaneers held on defense and got the ball back at the 2 minute warning at their own 10. Yet 2 plays later, Mayfield went over the middle and Barnes made a diving interception. For the first time 32 years, the Detroit Lions are back in the NFC Title Game. 31-23 Lions 

AFC: (3) Kansas City Chiefs at (2) Buffalo Bills was the Sunday night game. Three years ago the Bills reached the AFC Title Game but lost to the Chiefs in Kansas City. Two years ago the Bills went into Kansas City again, this time in the divisional round of the playoffs. In an epic game for the ages, Josh Allen gave the Bills a 36-33 lead with only 13 seconds left in regulation. The Bills were 13 seconds from the AFC Title Game. Instead, Patrick Mahoems worked a miracle as the Chiefs tied the game and won in overtime 42-36. Last year the Bills rode an emotional wave to the divisional round but were shocked at home by Cincinnati. 

This year the Bills went into Kansas City in the regular season and stunned the Chiefs 20-17 when a thrilling hook and lateral Chiefs touchdown was wiped away by a controversial offsides call on the offense. Patrick Mahomes exploded and Travis Kelce tossed his helmet in rage. Yet the Chiefs had two Super Bowl rings in the last four years while the Bills were chasing their first ring. 30 years ago the Bills and Chiefs met in the AFC Title Game in Buffalo, which the Bills won. That was their fourth straight AFC Title Game victory followed by a fourth straight Super Bowl loss. The first Super Bowl loss came when Scott Norwood hit a 47 yard field goal try wide right.

The Bills began at their own 31 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Kansas City 7. Josh Allen completed a pass for a 2 yard loss and then threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit a 27 yard field goal. The 14 play, 60 yard, 7 minute drive made it 3-0 Bills. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Buffalo 28. Mahomes completed a pass for a one yard loss and then threw incomplete. Harrison Butker hit a 47 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. After a touchback, Allen hit Shakir for 6 and Johnson for 14. Johnson ran for 9 and 2. Cook ran for 6 and 7. Allen ran for 7 and Cook added 5 and 7 to start the second quarter. Allen ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Bills.

After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 1st and goal at the 10. Mahomes threw incomplete twice sandwiched around a run that lost a yard. Butker hit a 29 yard field goal to get the Chiefs within 10-6. The Chiefs got the ball back at their own 35. Mahomes hit Gray for 12. Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 28. Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for a 22 yard touchdown. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half the Chiefs had their first lead up 13-10. After a touchback, Cook ran for 8 and 2. Allen went to Stefan Diggs for 15, and Latavius Murray for gains of 6 and 15. Allen ran for 18 and 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Kansas City 7, Allen hit Shakir for 5. Allen ran for a 2 yard touchdown to put the Bills up 17-13 with 26 seconds left.   

After a third quarter touchback, Mahomes went to Marques Valdes-Scantling for 30. Mahomes ran for 24. Mahoems hit Pacheco for 14. Mahomes hit Kelce for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 20-17 Chiefs. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Johnson got the yard. Runs and short passes got the Bills to the Kansas City 42. Cook ran for 8 and 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 21, Johnson gained 15. On 3rd and goal at the 13, Allen went to Shakir for the touchdown. The fourth lead change of the game had the Bills up 24-20 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. 

After a touchback, Pacheco ran for 6 and 12. Mahomes went to Valdes-Scantling for 32. Just 40 seconds into the fourth quarter, Pacheco ran for a 4 yard touchdown. The 5th lead change of the game had the Chiefs up by 3 again. With 13 minutes left in regulation, Sean McDermott gambled on a fake punt on 4th and 5 from his own 30. Damar Hamlin of all people had a chance to be the hero but he only gained 2 yards. Now the Chiefs had a chance to put the game away. Pacheco ran for 29. From the Buffalo 3, Mahomes hit Mecole Hardman for what was initially ruled a 2 yard gain. McDermott challenged the ruling, and it was reversed to a fumble through the end zone for a touchback. Officials got the call right. 

The Bills went nowhere, but the Chiefs could not run out the clock. After an exchange of punts, the Bills got the ball back at their own 20 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Bills embarked on a staggering 16 play drive that took over 6 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 3 from midfield with 5 minutes left, Allen went to Shakir for 10. At the 2 minute warning, the Bills already had 2nd and 9 from the Kansas City 26. That was enough time to win the game and leave no time left for Mahomes. At worst a very makable field goal would force overtime. Rather than run the ball and run down more clock, the Bills oddly called pass plays. Allen threw incomplete twice. The tying field goal try for Bass would only be 44 yards, but it would leave Mahomes more than 1:40 left to win the game. 

It didn’t matter. 33 years after Norwood launched the kick wide right heard around the globe, Bass did the same. No good. In front of a shellshocked home crowd, the Bills had blown it again. They still had faint hopes with 2 timeouts left, but they needed a defensive stop. Pacheco gained 8 and 3 and the Bills were finished. Mahomes took 3 knees. For the fourth straight year, the Bills lost a playoff game in heart-breaking fashion. The Chiefs hosted the AFC Title Game in Arrowhead for 5 straight years. That streak has been snapped. They will have to go on the road this time. Yet for the 6th straight season, the Chiefs are competing for the Lamar Hunt Trophy and a trip to the Super Bowl. A third Super Bowl win in 5 years would make them a dynasty. Sean McDermott ended the Bills 20 year playoff drought and made them a perennial contender. Yet he will have to answer questions about why they can’t get over the hump. The Chiefs just keep winning, which makes Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 27-24 Chiefs

The Conference Title Games are set for Sunday, January 28th.

AFC Title Game: (3) Kansas City Chiefs at (1) Baltimore Ravens at 3pm on CBS.

NFC Title Game: (3) Detroit Lions at (1) San Francisco 49ers at 6:30pm on FOX. 

eric

The Divisional Playoffs are set:

Saturday, January 20th:

AFC: (4) Houston Texans at (1) Baltimore Ravens (-9 1/2) at 4:30pm on ESPN

— The Texans have been a feel good story, and their Wildcard win over Cleveland was impressive. This is where reality comes in. The Texans are a good team. The Ravens are a great team. The 2019 Ravens were 14-2 and lost in the playoffs, so be guaranteed that John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson will make sure everyone remembers. The Ravens will be focused, and this game could be over by halftime. Ravens cover

NFC: (7) Green Bay Packers at (1) San Francisco 49ers (-10) at 8pm on FOX

— The Packers shocked the football world with a big road win at Dallas. San Francisco is not Dallas. The 49ers have a nasty defense, and the Packers are about to run into a buzzsaw. Aaron Rodgers in his later years in Green Bay could not handle the San Francisco defense. Jordan Love won’t either, at least not this year. The Packers overachieved, but the 49ers are a far superior team. 49ers cover

Sunday, January 21st:

NFC (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (3) Detroit Lions (-6) at 3pm on NBC 

— Last week the Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years. Ironically, that 1991 Lions team knocked the Buccaneers out of the playoffs. The Buccaneers staggered into the playoffs and beat Philadelphia, the only team more wounded than they were. The Lions are the far better tea, and Dan Campbell has his players laser focused. Baker mayfield and Jared Goff both have weapons, but go with the home crowd and the momentum. Lions cover

AFC: (3) Kansas City Chiefs at (2) Buffalo Bills (-2 1/2) at 6:30pm on CBS. 

— Two years ago, the Bills went into Kansas City and took a 36-33 lead with only 13 seconds left. In what was already an instant classic, 13 seconds was enough time for Patrick Mahomes to work a miracle, as the Chiefs tied the game and won in overtime. The Bills are burning for revenge, and this time the game is in Buffalo. Both of these teams know cold weather, but the home crowd will still be electric. Sean McDermott is a defensive mastermind and Walrus Andy Reid schemes offense like nobody else. Josh Allen and McDermott saw a trip AFC Title Game snatched away two years ago. The Bills will not be denied this time, especially since this Chiefs team is more vulnerable than in past years. Get ready for a battle royale that could go down to the last play again. Bills cover

— 

NFL 2023-2024 Wildcard Recap

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

AFC: (5)(Cleveland Browns) at (4)(Houston Texans) was the Saturday afternoon game. A shanked 32 yard punt gave the Texans a short field at the Cleveland 45. On 3rd and goal at the 2, CJ Stroud threw incomplete. Kaimi Fairbairn hit the 21 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans. On the first play after a touchback, Joe Flacco went bombs away to David Njoku for 45 yards. Flacco hit Njoku again for 8 and Amari Cooper for 14. On 3rd and goal at the one, Kareem Hunt got in to make it 7-3 Browns. After a touchback, Devin Singletary ran fr 29. Stroud went to Metchie for 27. Stroud went to Nico Collins for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Texans. After a touchback, Flacco immediately went to Bryant for a 47 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 20 to start the second quarter, Flacco gained 3 Flacco found Hunt for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Browns. On the very next play from scrimmage, Stroud went to Brevin Jordan for a 76 yard touchdown. 4 lead changes had the Texans up 17-14 and the making of a track meet. Yet for the rest of the game, only one team kept the pace.

The Texans got it back it back at their own 29 Metchie ran for 9. Singletary added 6. Stroud hit Collins for 12. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 39, Stroud threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 12 yards. On 2nd and 20 from the Cleveland 37, Stroud went deep to Schultz for raw touchdown to put the Texans up 24-14 at the intermission. In the third quarter, Flacco found Nelson. Problem: Nelson plays defense for the Texans. Nelson returned the interception 82 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 31-14 Texans. Four plays later Flacco found Christian Harris. Problem: Harris also plays defense for the Texans. Harris returned the interception 36 yards for another defensive touchdown to make it 38-14 Texans. Late in the third quarter the Browns had 4th and 6 at the Houston 37. Flacco was sacked for a 13 yard loss. Singletary ran for a 19 yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter as 35 unanswered points turned a competitive game into a blowout. Rookie Stroud and rookie coach Demeco Ryans won their first ever playoff game together in convincing fashion. 45-14 Texans

AFC: (6)(Miami Dolphins) at (3)(Kansas City Chiefs) is the Saturday night game. For the first time ever, an NFL playoff game was not on free local television. So unless people subscribed to a particular streaming service, they were unable to watch one of the coldest games ever played. Temperature at game time was negative three degrees, with a wind chill of minus 22. The Chiefs started out red hot. On 3rd and 10 from their own 31, Patrick Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 11. Isaiah Pacheco ran for 4 and 10. Mahoems hit Kelce for 8. Pacheco ran for 23. Mahomes hit Rice for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. An interception of Tua Tagovailoa set up the Chiefs at their own 42. The second quarter began with the Chiefs facing 3rd and 6 from the Miami 10. Mahomes threw incomplete. Harrison Butker hit the 28 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Chiefs. 

This time the Dolphins struck back quickly. From their own 38, Tagovialoa went to Tyreek Hill for 9. Tagovailoa then went deep to Hill for a 53 yard touchdown to get the Dolphins within 10-7. The Chiefs defense then clamped down. Butker hit field goals of 32 and 26 in the second quarter and from 21 in the third quarter to make it 19-7 Chiefs. Late in the third quarter the Chiefs faced 2nd and 13 at their own 25 and looked to put in the dagger. Mahomes threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 15 yards. Mahomes hit Watson for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Miami 45, Mahomes went to James for 6. The second quarter began with the Chiefs facing 2nd and 16 at the Miami 45. Mahomes went to Rice for 28. On 3rd and 20 from the Miami 27, Mahomes threw incomplete but another roughing the passer call meant 13 yards and an automatic first down. Pacheco ran for a 3 yard touchdown to cap the 14 play, 72 yard, 7 minute drive and put this freezing game on ice. 26-7 Chiefs

NFC: (7)(Green Bay Packers) at (2)(Dallas Cowboys) is the Sunday afternoon game. The Cowboys were unbeaten at home this year and expected to easily dispatch with the Packers. After a touchback and defensive illegal contact, the Packers soon faced 2nd and 13 at their own 27. Jordan Love went to Romeo Doubs for 22. Aaron Jones ran for 3, 4, 13 and 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Dallas 6, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 2, Jones ran for the 3 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 7-0 Packers. The Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 13. An interception of Dak Prescott gave the Packers gift field position at the Dallas 19. The Packers began the second quarter facing 2nd and goal at the 2. Jones appeared stopped cold but banged his way into the end zone for a 14-0 Packers lead. The Packers got the ball back at their own 7 yard line. On 3rd and 1, Love hit Kraft for 10. Love went deep to Doubs for 39, On 3rd and 4 from the Dallas 29, Love hit Musgrave for 6. On 3rd and 7 from the Dallas 20, Love went to Dontayvion Wicks for the touchdown. The extra point doinked off the upright no good but the Packers led 20-0 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. Desperate to make something happen, Prescott found Savage. Problem: Savagto make it 27-0 Packers in front of a shellshocked home crowd. Jerry Jones debated whether to fire Mike McCarthy before halftime and burn down Jerrah World Stadium for the insurance money. 

The Cowboys again came straight down the field in the final 1:50 of the half. The Cowboys reached 1st and goal at the 2 with 6 seconds left in the half. Prescott threw a high corner fade incomplete, leaving 2 seconds. Mike McCarthy decided to go for it. Prescott found a wide open Jake Ferguson in the flat for an easy touchdown as the Cowboys trailed 27-7 at halftime. The Cowboys tried to build on their momentum. In the third quarter they moved from their own 24 to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 16. Prescott was tackled for no gain and then threw incomplete twice. Aubrey hit a 34 yard field goal to get the Cowboys within 27-10. Yet after a touchback, the Packers kept coming. Jones ran for 8 and 4. Love went deep to Doubs for 46. Jones ran for 8 and then for the 9 yard touchdown t make it 34-10 Packers. The Cowboys took over at their own 12. Prescott hit Tony Pollard for 9 and went deep to Michael Gallup for 42. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 15, Pollard gained 2. Pollard ran for a one yard touchdown. McCarthy went for 2 and Prescott hit Ferguson in the flat. Yet illegal motion nullified the conversion. McCarthy at this point went with the extra point and Aubrey doinked it off the upright no good. The Cowboys were still down 34-16. 

After a touchback, the Packers quickly turned out the lights. Jones ran for 10 and 27. Love went deep to a wide open Musgrave for a 38 yard touchdown to have the Packers up 41-16 after three quarters. On the last play of the third quarter on 4th and 5 from his own 41, Prescott threw incomplete. On 4th and 2 from the Dallas 3, Matt LaFleur went for it and Love fired over the middle to Doubs to make it 48-16 Packers. The Cowboys got a couple of garbage touchdowns but nothing more. Prescott’s fourth down Hail Mary went out the back of the end zone with 16 seconds left. The Packers tied a franchise record for most points in a playoff game. The Packers barely made the playoffs at 9-8 but made a statement in the Wildcard. The Cowboys won 12 regular season games for 3 straight years and failed tor each the NFC Title Game in all 3 years, an NFL first. McCarthy failed to get revenge on the team that fired him. McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn were torched by Love in the game and will be torched by Jerrah after the game. 48-32 Packers

NFC: (6)(Los Angeles Rams) at (3)(Detroit Lions) was the Sunday night game. The Lions were seeking to win their first playoff game since 1991. This was the first playoff matchup between Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, who were traded for each other two years ago. Stafford won the Super Bowl for the Rams that Goff did not. The Lions had the better record, but the Rams were 7-1 down the stretch. The Lions were a much better team at home than on the road. After an opening touchback, David Montgomery ran for 10 and 5.Goff went to Reynolds for 24. Goff hit Amra St. Brown for 5, Sam LaPorta for 8 and Reynolds for 8. Montgomery ran for one and then again for the one yard touchdown as the 10 play,, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Lions. After a touchback, the Rams moved to a 1st and goal at the 6. Stafford threw 3 straight incompletions. Brett Maher hit the 24 yard field goal to get the Rams within 7-3. After a touchback, Goff went to Reynolds for 10 with roughing the passer adding 15 more. On 1st and 20 from the Rams 43, Goff went to Reynolds for 33. Gibbs took a handoff up the gut for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Lions. 

The Rams in the second quarter faced 3rd and 16 at their own 22. Stafford went deep to Robinson for 19. On 3rd and 1 from midfield, Stafford went bombs away to rookie phenom Puka Nacua for the touchdown to get the Rams within 14-10. After a touchback, Montgomery ran for 11 and 5. Goff hit Williams for 13. On 3rd and 5 from the Rams 41, Goff hit St. Brown for 14 and Gibbs for 16. On 4th and 1 from the Rams 2, it was time for a Dan Campbell gamble. Goff hit LaPorta for the touchdown to make it 21-10 Lions. After a touchback, Stafford went to Nacua for 21. On 4th and 5 from the  Detroit 44 after an incompletion, Sean McVay decided to go for it. Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for 6. Stafford then went deep to Tutu Atwell for a 38 yard touchdown to get the Rams within 21-17 with 4 minutes left in the half. Each team had the ball 3 times and scored 3 times. With one minute left in the half, the Lions faced 4th and 5 at the Rams 41. Of course Dan Campbell was going for it. Yet then came a false start. On 4th and 10, finally there would be a punt. With the Rams pinned at their own 5, Sean McVay opted to run out the clock. 

The first half was all offense. The second half was all defense. Mike Badgley hit a 54 yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 24-17 Lions.  The Rams drove to the red zone twice but could not finish. Maher hit field goals of 27 in the third quarter and 29 midway through the fourth quarter to get the Rams within 24-23. The Rams got it back at their own 8 yard line and moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Detroit 34. They were in field goal range to take the lead. Stafford threw incomplete. Yet there was offensive holding on the play. Normally you decline the penalty, make it 4th down, and force the kicker to pony up. Dan Campbell doesn’t do normal. He made it 3rd and 14 to push the Rams out of field goal range but give the another chance. This was high risk, high reward. Stafford threw incomplete. With 4 1/2 minutes left, Sean McVay decided to punt and trust his defense. Again, Campbell refuse to play it safe with runs up the middle. He wanted his quarterback to go win the game. Goff hit Montgomery for 11. The clock hit the 2 minute warning. One more first down would end it. Got fired to St. Brown for 11 and then took 3 knees. Campbell was vindicated. Goff was vindicated. After 9 straight playoff losses, the Lions have ended the longest NFL drought by winning their first playoff game in 32 years. 1991 is history. The 2023 Lions are on to the divisional round. That game will also be at home in Detroit. It was a bitter loss for the Rams, but a feel-good story for the long-suffering Lions fans who are suffering no more. 24-23 Lions

AFC: (7)(Pittsburgh Steelers) at (2)(Buffalo Bills) is the Monday afternoon game, postponed from Sunday morning due to a snowstorm. Early on the Bills faced 3rd and 1 at t heir own 29. Josh Allen appeared stopped but got the yard for the first down. Allen then went to Dalton Kincaid for 20. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 12. Cook ran for 12 and 3. Allen hit Dawson Knox for a 9 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 80 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Bills. A Steelers fumble gave the Bills a short field at the Pittsburgh 29. One play and 5 seconds later Allen hit a wide open Kincaid over the middle for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Bills. The Steelers drove deep in the second quarter but Mason Rudolph was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. On 3rd and 5 form his own 25, Allen went to Diggs for 7. On 3rd and 7 from his own 48, Allen took off running, weaved through defenders, and finished with a spectacular 52 yard touchdown run to make it 21-0 Bills.  

The Steelers finally caught a break just before the 2 minute warning. Tyler Bass came in for a 49 yard field goal try to extend the Bills lead to 24-0. Instead, the kick was blocked. The Steelers eventually took over all the way at the Buffalo 33. Rudolph hit Diontae Johnson for  10 yard touchdown to get the Steelers within 21-7. A field position game in the third quarter had the Steelers taking over at their own 40. They moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Buffalo 22. A run went nowhere and Rudolph threw incomplete. Chris Boswell hit a 40 yard field goal to get the Steelers within 21-10. After a touchback, the Bills moved 48 yards in 14 plays and held the ball nearly 7 1/2 minutes. Bass hit a 45 yard field goal to make it 24-10 Bills after three quarters. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 24. Rudolph went to George Pickens for 19. Pickens took an end around another 15. Jalen Warren gained 5 and Rudolph added 6. Rudolph hit Johnson for 11. On 3rd and 7 from the Buffalo 17, Rudolph hit Johnson for 8. Rudolph went to Calvin Austin for a 7 yard touchdown as the 12 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive had the Steelers within 24-17 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

The Bills took over at their own 30. Edwards gained 9. Allen added 13. Defensive unnecessary roughness. Allen went to Shakir, who was supposed to go down after a short gain but somehow kept his balance, spun around, and criss-crossed the field for a 17 yard touchdown to ice the game with 6 1/2 minutes left. The Steelers last desperate gasp came on 4th and 3 from their own 37 with 5 minutes left. Rudolph threw incomplete and screamed that an obvious pass interference call was not made. Pickens slammed his helmet down on the bench. Bass would shank a 27 yard field goal try by a country mile at the 2 minute warning, but it didn’t matter. The Steelers put up a fight, but the Bills will host another playoff game next week at home. They are in the divisional round for the fourth straight year. 31-17 Bills

NFC: (5)(Philadelphia Eagles) at (4)(Tampa Bay Buccaneers) was the Monday night game. This was the Attrition Bowl from two teams expected to do nothing in the playoffs. The Eagles started 10-1 but collapsed down the stretch, going 1-5 to staggering the playoffs at 11-6. The Buccaneers won their horrendous division with a hideous 9-0 win at bottom dweller Carolina to get to 9-8 on the year. Despite playing with several bruised ribs, Baker Mayfield after an opening touchback moved the Buccaneers to a 2nd and 3 at the Philadelphia 10. Mayfield threw incomplete twice. Chase McLaughlin hit a 28 yard field goal to cap the 12 play, 65 yard, 5 minute drive and make it 3-0 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got the ball back and faced 1st and 15 at their own 16. Mayfield went deep to Moore for 22 with 15 more tackled on for a defensive facemark. On 3rd and 7 from the Philadelphia 44, Mayfield went bombs away to Moore again, and he weaved his way through traffic for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back st their one 24 snd moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Philadelphia 32 to start the second quarter. Aa sack of Mayfield followed by him throwing incomplete ended the drive. Yet mcLaughlin nailed a 54 yard field goal to make it 13-0 Buccaneers. 

After a touchback the Eagles moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Tampa Bay 30. Yet Jalen Hurts was taken down for no gain and then threw incomplete. Jake Elliott hit from 47 to get the Eagles on the board. After a touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Philadelphia 30. Mayfield threw incomplete. McLaughlin hit from 48 to make it 16-3 Buccaneers. The Eagles soon faced 2nd and 11 at their own 24. Hurts went to Julio Jones for 14. Hurts then went bombs away to Smith for a 55 yard gain. On the next play Hurts hit a wide open Dallas Goedert in the flat for a 5 yard touchdown to get the Eagles within 16-9 with 3 minutes left in the half. A defensive penalty put the ball on the one yard line instead of the 2 for a 2 point conversion try. Nick Sirianni went for 2 and Hurts did his famous tush push. This time he got stopped cold. 

Neither offense did much, but late in the third quarter it was defense that made the difference. On 3rd and 6 from his own 14, Hurts was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone. The safety made it 18-9 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers took the free kick at their own 38 and struck rapidly. Mayfield connected with Palmer for a 56 yard touchdown to make it 25-9 Buccaneers. In the fourth quarter the Eagles moved from their own 27 to a 4th and 10 at the Tampa Bay 22. Elliot hit the 40 yard field goal, but the defense jumped offside. Nick Sirianni decided to take the points off the board and go for it on 4th and 5. Hurts threw incomplete. Mayfield hit Durham for 18. On 3rd and 4 from their own 41, Mayfield went Cade Otton for 5. Runs and short passes led to a 3rd and 7 at the Tampa 23. Mayfield went to Chris Godwin for the touchdown. The Eagles spectacular collapse was complete as the Buccaneers survived to playa road game in the divisional round. 32-9 Eagles 

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

The Divisional Playoffs are set:

Saturday, January 20th:

AFC: (4) Houston Texans at (1) Baltimore Ravens at 4:30pm on ESPN

NFC: (7) Green Bay Packers at (1) San Francisco 49ers at 8pm on FOX

Sunday, January 21st:

NFC (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (3) Detroit Lions at 2pm on NBC

AFC: (3) Kansas City Chiefs at (2) Buffalo Bills at 6:30pm on CBS

eric