By Brandon Simmons
Texans Get Revenge
The Houston Texans pummeled the Cleveland Browns 45-14 in their first playoff win since the 2019 Wild Card. It was a rematch of a game the 2 teams played on Week 16 in which Cleveland had the upper hand. Texans QB C.J. Stroud – who kissed the first matchup because of concussion protocol – lead his team to a dominant performance. Stroud threw for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns against a Browns defense considered one of the best in the league.
This was the game that might’ve given C.J. Stroud the MVP. In the first matchup against the Browns, the Texans just didn’t have it. In yesterday’s game, it looked like a whole different team, for both squads. Cleveland didn’t look like they were playing with a number one defense all year and Joe Flacco didn’t like the QB who was playing lights out for a month. Houston didn’t look like the team that got blew off the field on Christmas Eve. It probably helped that the players who were missing from that game, played in this one, but whatever the case may be they played at an exceptional level.
Chiefs Put a Freeze on Dolphins Offense
The Kansas City Chiefs played the Miami Dolphins in frigid temperatures, but it was the Chiefs who were the stone cold killers. The Chiefs beat the Dolphins 26-7 in the other playoff game that saw extrmemly cold weather. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes did not seem to mind the cold weather or be bothered by the winds that came with it. Mahomes thew 23/41 for 262 yards and 1 touchdown. A big surprise was that his favorite target – Chiefs tight tend Travis Kelce – did not benefit from his production. Chiefs rookie wide receiver Rasheed Rice hd 8 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown. The Kansas City defense also joined in on the fun. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton led those efforts with 10 total tackles while Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis had 1.5 sacks.
This was a game that showcased the winning culture of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs did not have spectacular regular season compared to recent years, and it left many to question how far they woud go in the playoffs. Fast forward to this past week where the weather was predicted to reach sub zero temperatures, and the speculation heightened with concern over how the offense would thrive in this environment. Kansas City answered all of that playing a physical brand of football that is usually not part of their identity. Chiefs running backs Isiah Pacheco had 24 rushes for 89 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins’ speedy backfield was held in check to just 75 rushing yards. The Chiefs had a lot of issues during the regular season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, but in this win, none of that seemed to matter or even existed.
Pack Smacks Dak
A headline that reads “The Green Bay Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys in a Playoff Game” is nothing new, except when you learn that the {ackers were led by their new franchise QB Jordan Love. The Packers stomped the Cowboys 48-32 in game that saw the Psck dominate from top to bottom. Love put on an amazing debut throwing for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns. He should the 3 touchdown total with Packers running back Aaron Jones who also ran for 151 yards. When you look at the final numbers for Cowboys, you would think they either got a win or played a close game but neither things happened.
The story is going to be about how the Cowboys blew this game at home, even though it should be how the Packers played. This is literally a new generation of Green Bay Packers going against a more experienced Cowboys team, but watching this game, you would think it was vice versa. Green Bay was dominant on essentially all fronts. The Cowboys had no answer for this team offensively or defensively. Prescott, who was considered an MVP canidiate at one point, threw 2 pick sixes in the first half. Still, the Cowboys’ shortcomings should not eradicate the Packers’ efforts. Green Bay showed up and competed, something that can not be said about Dallas.
Lions Welcome Back Stafford with Giving Him a Playoff Loss
Quarterback Matthew Stafford made his return to Detroit, for the first time as a Los Angeles Ram, but his “homecoming” didn’t go as planned. The Lions beat the Rams in a suspenseful matchup. Stafford – who spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions before getting traded to the Los Angeles Rams – did not let the emotions of get to him at all. He threw for 367 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, Lions QB Jared Goff – whom Stafford was traded for – had a good game of his own throwing for 277 yards and 1 touchdown. The Lions got things started early jumping to a 14-3 lead, courtesy of rushing touchdowns from running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Rams tried to answer in the 2nd quarter with a couple of scores of their own, but the Lions came out in the 2nd half controlling the clock fending the Rams off.
The Lions showed the whole world they are a dangerous group in this postseason. The offense showed how many weapons they have outside of wide receiver Amon Ra St. Brown. Lions receiver Josh Reynolds had a huge start to the game and finished with 5 catches for 80 yards. Montgomery and Gibbs served as a solid 1-2 punch on the ground. Defensively, the Lions brought the pressure, including defensive end Aidne Hutchinson’s 2 sacks. Detroit Lions held their own in an emotional thriller but sealed the win a skillful efficiency.
Bills Shovel 4 Touchdowns on Steelers in Postponed Game
The Buffalo Bills finally played their playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that was postponed because of the snow, but the Bills shoveled their opponent out of the stadium. Buffalo beat Pittsburgh 31-17 in a game that saw Bills QB josh Allen go off for 4 total touchdowns. In addition to his four scores, Allen threw for 203 yards – where 3 of his TD’s came from – and rushed for 74 yards on 8 carries – which provided the other TD. He started the game with a 14-0 lead, throwing a TD each to tight ends Dalson Knox and Dalton Kincaid. In the 2nd quarter, he had a 52 yard run for his 3rd score. His last score came in the 4th quarter, a pass to Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who broke a tackle on the catch and run to enter the end zone, which put the game away.
The Bills handled their business and Josh Allen was the CEO. He was a threat to the Steelers defense in the air and on the ground. If you look at the numbers for the various skill position players for the Bills, nobody’s stat line really stands out. No Buffalo receiver topped 60 yards but 7 of them received a pass. Allen took it upon himself to put this team on his back and he delivered.
Tampa Bay Gets Buc on the Eagles
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have pulled the 2nd biggest upset over Wild Card weekend, but the word “upset” might feel more fitting for the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans. The Buccaneers beat the Eagles Monday night 32-9. Tampa Bay was in control the entire time. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield entered the game dealing with all sorts of injuries, but you couldn’t tell by the way he played. Mayfield threw for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns in this game. A lot of Mayfield’s throws ended up being completions over 20 yards; not because he was throwing that deep, more so because the Philadelphia defense kept missing tackles. That did not help the Eagles’ cause on offense at all. Philly QB Jalen Hurts – playing without wide receiver A.J. Brown – threw for 250 yards and a touchdown. The other Eagle that seemed to have shown up was wide receiver Devanta Smith, who had 8 catches for 148 yards.
Tampa Bay deserves all the credit in the world, even though Philadelphia showed up to the game weak and unprepared. Mayfield was bouncing around from team to team the past couple of years and has not found himself winning his 2nd ever playoff game, a year after the Bucs got bounced in the first round at home. The defense also put on a hell of a show holding the Eagles to just 9 points. Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean racked up 10 total tackles, one of them being for a loss, and a pass deflection. However, while this should be a moment to recognize the hard work of the Bucs, it’s hard to gloss over the ineptitude of the Eagles defense. Since Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni gave playcalling duties to Matt Patricia, that unit has been struggling and the players have been very vocal about it, citing complications with adjusting to what Patricia wants. It’s a big story because the team has been spiraling out of control, so much so they ended up losing the NFC East division title to the Dallas Cowboys. You would think that a team that almost won the Super Bowl last season would put better fight but that was not the case. They just could not seem to wrap up any Bucs players. Even Eagles safety Kevin Byard, who was acquired in the middle of the season, missed a tackle on a big play. The Eagles should be embarrassed by their play tonight but the Buccaneers should relish in kicking this team while they’re down and doing their part to move on to the next round.