THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

Super Bowl LVIII (58) Recap

AFC Kansas City Chiefs vs NFC San Francisco 49ers (-2) at 6:30pm Eastern on CBS. The game was played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. 

These teams met 4 years ago in the Super Bowl. The 49ers led 20-10 with 10 minutes left in the game. Then the Chiefs exploded for 21 4th quarter points for a 31-20 win. It was the first Super Bowl win for the Chiefs in 50 years. It was the first Super Bowl win for Andy Reid, who finally got upgraded from Walrus Lite to full Walrus status. The Chiefs won it again last year. Patrick Mahomes was there for both wins. The Chiefs were in the Super Bowl for the 4th time in 5 years. With a 3rd win in 5 years, the Chiefs would officially be a dynasty.

The 49ers last won the Super Bowl nearly 30 years ago. A win would give them 6, tying them with New England and Pittsburgh for most overall Super Bowl wins. The 49ers were a feel good story led by Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. In his rookie season, he took the 49ers to the NFC Title Game but then suffered an injury in a loss. In his sophomore season, he got the 49ers to the big game. Yet one storyline was 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. 

Shanahan has blown 2 double digit fourth quarter leads in 2 different Super Bowls with 2 different teams.

He was the offensive coordinator for the 2016 Falcons, who led 28-3 and lost he was the head coach of the 2019 49ers, who led the Chiefs 20-10 with 10 minutes left in regulation and lost. The reasons are the same. You don’t close out games with West Coast Offense dinking and dunking.

Kyle Shanahan needed to figure out what Andy Reid finally figured out in 2019. When you have a lead in the fourth quarter, no matter how great your passing game, you RUN THE D@MN BALL. You run it again and again and again and again and again. If they stop it on one play, you run it again.

Peyton Manning was one of the greatest passers of all time. He finally won it all in 2006 because the Colts ran the ball. Shanahan’s father Mike Shanahan has 2 Super Bowl rings because he figured it out. John Elway was a quarterbackgor the shes, but he didn’t get a ring until Terrell Davis ran the ball at opposing defenses. With a fourth quarter lead, you must run the football. Kyle Shanahan should have 2 rings already. Yet Reid does because Reid figured it out. This game would see if Shanahan had.

The Chiefs won the coin toss and surprisingly made the decision to defer. Teams now like to double up at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half, but with Mahomes, it makes sense to put him on the field first. Nevertheless, the 49ers got the ball first. After an opening touchback, The 49ers easily moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 29. Christian McCaffrey got the carry and fumbled he ball away. This game was for long stretches dominated by the defenses. The first quarter was scoreless. 

Late in the first quarter the 49ers moved from their own 17 to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 33. Then a run was blown up for a 4 yard loss to end the period. The second quarter began with Purdy throwing incomplete. Jake Moody came in for a 55 yard field goal try. At that moment, 54 yards was the longest field goal in Super Bowl history. Moody’s kick was good. He kicked himself into the NFL record books and the 49ers into a 3-0 lead with the first score of the game. After a touchback, a perfect bomb from Mahomes to Mecole Hardman went for 52 yards and set up 1st and goal at the 9. Yet on the next play Isaiah Pacheco fumbled and the 49ers recovered. 

Midway through the second quarter, the 49ers took over at their own 33. Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 12 and McCaffrey for 6. McCaffrey then ran for 5 and Mitchell added 7. On the next play, defensive unnecessary roughness on Sneed gave the 49ers 15 more yards. Kyle Shanahan then went to his bag of tricks. Purdy fired a lateral to Jauan Jennings. Jennings then threw the halfback option pass to McCaffrey for a 21 yard touchdown. The game’s first touchdown had the 49ers up 10-0 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half. For the 3rd time, Shanahan had a double digit lead in the Super Bowl. The question would be if he would play power football and run the ball late in the game or if he would keep trying to dink and dunk his way to a victory. 

After a touchback, the Chiefs moved a little bit and suffered a false start at the 2 minute warning. They faced 3rd and 9 at their own 40. Mahomes went to Juju Watson for 21. With 30 seconds left in the half, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 5 at the San Francisco 9. Mahomes looked forever but ended up getting taken down for a one yard loss. Harrison Butker hit a 28 yard field goal as the Chiefs only trailed 10-3 at the half. Since pop stars and TikTok stars who date or marry the players have nothing to do with football, their appearance at the game merits no further discussion. The halftime show happened, concluding all necessary discussion of Super Bowl events not directly related to football. Back to football.

After a third quarter touchback, the Chiefs were expected to make adjustments. Instead disaster struck immediately. On the first play from scrimmage, a simple pitchout to Pacheco was fumbled, resulting in a 12 yard loss. On 3rd and 12, Mahomes threw an ill-advised pass into double coverage that was intercepted by Brown. The 49ers had a short field at the Kansas City 44. One first down would mean long field goal range. All Kyle Shanahan had to do was run the ball and get back to a 2 score game. Instead he kept dinking and dunking. Purdy threw a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a false tart as the 49ers wasted the opportunity. A great punt pinned the Chiefs at their own 2 yard line. Both defenses dug in. 

The Chiefs got it back again at their own 14. They moved to a 4th and 6 at the San Francisco 39. Butker came in for a 57 yard field goal try. The second quarter started with Moody entering the record books. With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, Butker knocked Moody out of the top spot. Butker was good from 57. Both kickers had hit from at least 55 yards, another new NFL record. The Chiefs only trailed 10-6. A key play in the game happened when the Chiefs punted on 4th and 2 from their own 35. The 49ers fumbled the punt and the Chiefs recovered with gift field position at the San Francisco 16. One play and 4 seconds later, the Chiefs had their first lead of the game. Mahomes fired to Marques Valdes-Scantling for a 21 yard touchdown. 13 unanswered points had the Chiefs up 13-10 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

After a touchback, the 49ers soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Purdy went to Jennings for 17 and Deebo Samuel for 9. The fourth quarter began with the 49ers facing 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 42. Purdy went to Brandon Aiyuk for 20. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 14, a run by McCaffrey lost a yard. A simple 32 yard field goal try by Moody would tie the game 13-13. Yet Kyle Shanahan made the insane decision to go for it. With the game on the line and most of the entire fourth quarter to play, kicking the field goal seemed like absolutely the right move. One week earlier, the 49ers won the NFC Title Game because Detroit kept gambling on 4th down tries in field goal range and losing. Yet Shanahan’s gamble paid off as Purdy found George Kittle in the flat for a tough 4 yard gain. Purdy then went to Jennings for a 10 yard touchdown. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the 12 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive had the 49ers up 16-13. Yet a big special teams play happened when the Chiefs blocked Moody’s extra point try. 

After a touchback, the Chiefs moved 69 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 3, this time it was Walrus Andy Reid’s turn to get too pass happy rater than just run the ball. Mahomes threw incomplete and then was sacked. Butker hit from 24 to tie the game 16-16 with 5:46 to play. After a touchback, Purdy quickly went to Jennings for 23 yards. With 2:45 to play, the 49ers had 2nd and 5 at the Kansas City 35. The running game was working. More runs could take the clock all the way down and deny Mahomes another chance with the ball. Yet Kyle Shanahan will not close out games with runs. It is just not his way. Purdy completed a pass to Kittle for no gain as the clock clicked down to the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 5, Purdy threw incomplete. Now Moody needed to make a 53 yard field goal try. Moody was good. He was back in the NFL record books by being the first kicker in a Super Bowl to hit two field goals of over 50 yards. More importantly, the 49ers led 19-16 with 1:53 left on the clock. Unfortunately for the 49ers, that was a lifetime for Mahomes.

After a touchback, Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 3rd and 2 at the San Francisco 43. Mahomes went to Jerock McKinnon for 7. With 16 seconds left, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 7 at the San Francisco 33. Mahomes found Travis Kelce near the sideline, and Kelce ripped off a 22 yard gain. The Chiefs had 1st and 10 at the San Francisco 11. Only 10 seconds remained in regulation. There was time for one, maybe two more plays. Mahomes fired incomplete, leaving 6 seconds. With even one more second, trying another play might be justified. Yet with 6 seconds and the entire game and season on the line, Walrus Andy Reid was not taking any chances. Butker needed only to hit from 29 yards out. A miss would put him in football infamy along with Ray Finkle, who was actually Lois Einhorn. Butker was good. The game was tied 19-19. For only the second time in NFL history, the Super Bowl was headed to overtime. The only other time was 2016, when the losing defensive coordinator was Kyle Shanahan. 

In the 2016 loss, Shanahan’s team never saw the ball. New England scored a touchdown and the game was over. Yet A couple of years ago the NFL overtime rules were changed again. Each team would get the ball at least once no matter what. The 49ers won the overtime coin toss and were not going to defer. After a touchback, The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 13 at their own 22. Purdy threw incomplete, but defensive holding gifted the 49ers a new set of downs. On 3rd and 2 from their own 35, Purdy hit Aiyuk for 11. From midfield, Purdy went to McCaffrey for 24. On 2nd and 2 from the Kansas City 18, a ru gained 4 yards but offensive holding wiped out the gain. The 49ers held the ball for 7 1/2 minutes in overtime, moving 68 yards in 12 plays. Yet on 2nd and 4 from the Kansas City 9, McCaffrey was stopped for no gain. On 3rd and 4, Purdy threw incomplete. Moody hit the 27 yard field goal. The 49ers led 22-19. Yet the Chiefs would get a chance with the ball. 4 years ago, the 49ers defense wilted when it mattered most against Mahomes. Now was their chance for redemption. 

After a touchback, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Pacheco got the carry and got stopped cold for no gain. With 6 minutes left in overtime, the 49ers were one defensive stop from being World champions. The Chiefs needed one yard to keep alive their season. After calling a timeout, the Chiefs surprisingly were in shotgun formation. This seemed nuts. Even pass happy Walrus Andy Reid with a great quarterback in Mahomes was not going to risk a pass in this situation. Would he? Mahomes kept the ball and found a lane for an 8 yard gain. The Chiefs were still alive. On 3rd and 6 from their own 46, Mahomes went to Rice for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 32, Mahomes was again in the shotgun. Again, Mahomes kept the ball himself and gained 19 yards. Pacheco gained 3 and Mahomes hit Kelce for 7, but the clock was winding down. For some reason Reid was not calling a timeout.

Yet this time, Big Red Walrus Andy Reid understood what many fans did not. letting the clock tick down to triple zeroes would not end the game. The overtime was treated like the first half, the first of to quarters. If a team held the ball at the gun, the game would just go to a double overtime until the drive finished. There was no pressure to score immediately. With 10 seconds left in overtime, no matter what, the Chiefs would have 3 opportunities if they held on to the ball. They would not need them. On 1st and goal at the 3, Mahomes hit Hardman for the touchdown. With 3 seconds left in overtime, the Super Bowl was over. 

The 49ers had lost to the Chiefs for the second time in five years in heartbreaking fashion. For the third time, Kyle Shanahan oversaw his team blow a double digit lead int he Super Bowl. All 3 ties, his stubborn refusal to run the ball in running situations harmed his team. Yet it is not his fault that the opposing team has a bionic Buck Rodgers creature at quarterback. 

The Chiefs under Walrus Andy Reid and Mahomes had become the first team in nearly 2 decades to win back to back Super Bowls. Next year they will try to become the very first team in the Super Bowl era to win 3 straight Super Bowls. Mahomes was the Super Bowl MVP for the third time in his career. The Chiefs won their 3rd Super Bowl in 5 years. They were now officially a dynasty, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 25-22 Chiefs, OT

The 2023 NFL season is now in the books. 

3 months until the 2024 NFL Draft. 

eric 

Kyle Shanahan has blown 2 double digit fourth quarter leads in 2 different Super Bowls with 2 different teams.

He was the offensive coordinator for the 2016 Falcons, who led 28-3 and lost he was the head coach of the 2019 49ers, who led the Chiefs 20-10 with 10 minutes left in regulation and lost.

The reasons are the same. You don’t close out games with West Coast Offense dinking and dunking.

Kyle Shanahan will figure out what Andy Reid finally figured out in 2019. When you have a lead in the fourth quarter, no matter how great your passing game, you RUN THE D@MN BALL.

You run it again and again and again and again and again. If they stop it on one play, you run it again.

Peyton Manning was one of the greatest passers of all time. He finally won it all in 2006 because the Colts ran the ball.

Shanahan’s father Mike Shanahan has 2 Super Bowl rings because he figured it out. John Elway was a quarterbackgor the shes, but he didn’t get a ring until Terrell Davis ran the ball at opposing defenses.

Kyle Shanahan should have 2 rings already. Yet Reid does because Reid figured it out. Let’s see if Shanahan has.

With a fourth quarter lead, you must run the football.

eric 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

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