Player/Coach of the Week: Andy Reid (Coach - KC)
So many aspects of the game showed just how great Andy Reid of a coach is. Let's start at the end - the stones of Reid to not only go for it on 4th down near midfield to clinch the game, but then to throw a sprint-right throw with the backup QB is just bananas. Maybe it was winning a Super Bowl has just unleashed a new level of ballsiness, but seeing Reid do that was incredible. Before that though, when Mahomes was in the game the Chiefs offense was scary good - and so much of that is still Reid scheming guys open play after play after play, getting Kelce singled up, the quick throws to Hill, the end-arounds to Hardiman. All of it was so special. If it has to be Henne in the Title Game, I still give the Chiefs a punching chance purely because of Andy Reid's ability to scheme that offense. He's a special, all-time coach, and I'm so glad we all get to see and appreciate it.
Runner-Up: The Aarons, Rodgers & Jones (QB/WR - GB)
The Packers offense quietly had a legendary season. They averaged a little over 3.2 pts/drive, which is an all-time good number (third highest ever, with 2007 Pats and 2018 Chiefs ahead). Now, the league average has increased over the years so in terms of level relative to average they aren't top-3 but more like Top-10, but this is still an incredible offense. Against teh best defense in the league, they rolled them, and while I'll talk about the OL later, for now let's focus on the two stars. Aaron Rodgers was brilliant in that game, throwing well to covered receivers, throwing on the run when needed, hitting a few deep shots when it was there. he was in tota control - as was Aaron Jones whose 60-yd run broke the game to start the 2nd half. Jones's emergence as a runner has been central to LaFleur's scheme and opened everything up. The best offense steamrolled the best defense (some red zone hiccups) and the two Aaron's were at the centerpiece of that effort.
Goat of the Week: Jared Cook (TE - NO)
I want to know what the Saints win percentage was right before Cook fumbled. Before that play, the Saints were at a 83% win percentage, which was a 3rd and 2 from the 45 up 20-13. He broke free and was reaching the edge of field goal range when the fumble ocurred. Up to that point, despite the interception the Saints were outplaying Tampa fairly easily. They had held the Bucs to two FGs and a 3-yd TD drive. They were potentially on the way to going up 27-13 (or 23-13) and the way their defense was playing a two-score lead might have been enough. And then Cook fumbled. He also dropped the pass that got picked for the 3rd interception. Just a mess of a game for Cook (though as we'll come to basically ever non-Kamara skill position player gets some blame here). Aside from the Taran Johnson pick-6 there was no bigger play in the weekend that swung a game (maybe the 4th and 1 by KC as well) and unlike Johnson's pick-6 being a great play, this was just a disaster by Cook.
Runner-Up: The stupid touchback fumble rule
Everyone knows this rule is stupid. If Higgin's fumble goes two feet another way, its 1st and Goal at the 1. Now, for something that had nothing to do with either team (the trajectory of the ball after a fumble) its KC's ball at the 20. This isn't a new rule, but probably the most high profile example of it coming up. Why the NFL doesn't change it makes no sense. If you think the offense should get some penalty for fumbling (again, this doesn't exist if the offensive player fumbles out of bounds ANYWHERE ELSE) make it a loss of down and put the ball at the 10 or 20 yard line (just as arbitrary, but a lot less punitive). The league needs to do something. Chiefs v Browns was right before that fumble shaping up to be excellent. In the end it ended great because Mahomes left the game but that could've short-circuited the closes game the NFL would get that weekend.
Surprise of the Week: The Bills run defense
The Bills rush defense isn't bad, its just not particularly good. Even as the overall Bills defense got better as the season went on, the rush defense didn't really - see even the Wild Card game where the Colts ran against them well. For this game though? They were coached masterfully. Collinsworth hinted at it a couple times that they brought a safety down every play and attacked every option with two people, and it worked from the jump. After the first few runs by Gus Edwards, the Ravens run game got nothing. The Bills needed the defense, and particularly the rush defense, given the wind was causing Allen and the offense problems, and they were spectacular. The focus will shift back to the pass rush and coverage next week but the Bills have shown remarkable schematic and focus flexibility.
Runner-Up: The Chiefs run defense
Oh hey! Another maligned rush defense that played well against a team that needed to run the ball and wanted to. The Browns rush offense on its face ended with nice numbers but a lot of their 112 yards came on a select few big runs. The Chiefs did a great job on ealry downs forcing the Browns into a lot of 2nd & Longs. The Chiefs rush defense got great contributions from the normal guys like Chris Jones, but also great work from the second and third level in shooting gaps and stretching plays out. Spagnuolo's defense was great in this game, as its been in last year's playoffs as well. They'll need to switch tracks fully in the Title Game - much like the Bills.
Disappointment of the Week: Not getting Brees v Rodgers
We were so close to finally getting a Rodgers v Brees playoff game. For a good 5-6 years (2009-2015), the NFL had four QBs spearheading it: Brady, Manning, Brees, Rodgers. Two in the AFC, two in the NFC. The AFC two played five playoff games against each other. They've also combined to go to 13 Super Bowls and win 8 (9 & 6 for Brady, 4 & 2 for Manning). Brees and Rodgers, despite being HOF QBs the whole time, have never met and combined only went to one Super Bowl each. The prospect of finally getting Brees v Rodgers in the playoffs, with the winner getting their long-awaited 2nd Super Bowl appearance, was so tantalizing. And it doesn't happen - and in the saddest way, with Brees likely ending his career with an absolute dud. My mind raced immediately in that game to Peyton and the Broncos loss in 2014 to the Colts - similarly at home with the QB throwing a disaster. Peyton was a little more careful with the ball but to the point of just plain missing throws short. Peyton, like Brees, got hurt mid-way through 2014 and his play dropped. In Peyton's case he never truly recovered (though of course did somehow win a Super Bowl). It seems like we won't get a chance to see if Brees recovers. If that was the last game for Brees, it was such a joy watching him over the years. There are a few regrets - the heartbreaking playoff losses he was on the losing side of - but one will always be we never got him to play his NFC QB rival in the playoffs.
Runner-Up: Raven's Special Teams
Yes, I get that it was windy, but man was that a disaster. People will harp on the three points, but it should've been 9 (not great, mind you, but better). Seeing Justin Tucker miss two field goals was just staggering - seeing him miss by both hitting the uprights was fascinating - even in misses he's doing some absurd (two straight doinks). The special teams issues went beyond just the kicking game - there were a couple shanked punts giving Buffalo good field position, and zero returns. The Ravens special teams have been great for basically the entirety of Harbaugh's tenure so to see it be downright bad was just not surprising in a bad sense, it was downright sad.
Team Performance of the Week: Packers O-Line
No David Bakthiari, and no problem. The Packers offense was fantastic - and it helps having Rodgers and Jones (and even Adams winning his matchup against Ramsey). Let's not underrate how good that OL is, especially in the interior. Donald had a quiet night, as did the rest of that front that absolutely dominated Seattle the week prior. The Tackles were fine against Floyd and the other edge rushers. They picked up the few blitzes well. They opened up hole after hole. The Packers will need to repeat every bit of that performance next week against Tampa Bay but the Rams have shown just how good their OL can be even without Bakhtiari.
Runner-Up: Buccaneers Back-7
The Bucs defensive strength most of the year was its pass rush and front, both in getting good consistent pressure and clogging the run game. Well, in this game they didn't do that much of either, but the back-seven was fantastic. The coverage guys all played straight up man most of the game and did it well - not fearing deep shots helps! Devin White in his game back from COVID was excellent. Winfield Jr's forced fumble on the Cook catch likely turned the game from a potential loss. Given the Packers strength is their interior OL, I have to think the Bucs will need a similarly great performance from their back-7 to win in Lambeau.
Team Laydown of the Week: Saints skill guys
Look, Brees was awful. It was tough to watch. Worse than not having an arm, he turned it over and threw dangerous passes. But the Saints skills guys gave him zero help aside from Kamara. Michael Thomas had drops and couldn't beat or body simple man coverage. Sanders was awful on his few attempts. Tre'Quan Smith admittedly had a decent game, but when he is your standout you aren't going to win. And of course there was Jared Cook. The Saints had a workable offense this season because their skill guys could elevate Brees (or Hill), and in this game they just laid a flat out egg.
Runner-Up: Ravens O-Line
The Ravens OL was injured and decinmated this year but rounded form so well the last few weeks. Whatever gains they seemed to have made disappeared. Jackson was pressured instantly often. The run game had no holes to run through. Credit the Bills defense (and I've done so already) but the Ravens OL did not play up to the standard they themselves have set over the second half of the season. That game was there for the taking due to the way the wind effected the passing games, and the Ravens needed their OL to dominate in a way they have so often. More than Lamar, the OL falling apart was a bigger factor in the Ravens loss.
Storyline that will be Beat Into the Ground: Brady v Rodgers
We didn't get Rodgers v Brees, but we do get Brady v Rodgers, and especially since there is uncertainty on Mahomes's availability (get to that in a moment), man will we be inundated with the Brady v Rodgers angle. I get it - two of the 5-7 best QBs ever, one of which could be playing his last few games (though pretty obvious Brady comes back next year). Playing in Lambeau, in potential snow (forecast is 25 degrees with 40% of showers). This shapes up to be an epic.... that I will barely stomach to watch. Anyway, Rodgers is the MVP, win or lose. He's a better QB at this point in his career, win or lose. But damn it all if Brady wins people will slurp him immediately.
Storyline that Should be Beat Into the Ground: Mahomes concussion and the NFL concussion protocal working
We won't now for sure that Mahomes will play until Saturday - though with him already Tweeting in joking manners (of course, might be his 'team') gives the indication Mahomes at least thinks he should be good to go. But the main point is we won't know. We won't know until the day before. Obviously, from a competitive standpoint this has absolutely huge implications - turning the Chiefs into a slight favorite to a significant underdog. But I do want to pause a second and give credit to the NFL, the Chiefs, the league, that Mahomes was not allowed back in the game. We've long wondered what would happen if the QB gets a concussion deep into a competitive playoff game. We saw it twice this weekend, but more obliquely with Mahomes. And he was removed - there was no star treatment, there was no looking the other way (remember the furor around Edelman in the Falcons comeback Super Bowl). The league's protocols worked in the highest profile moment to date. We shift now to seeing if Mahomes gets cleared, and he very well may but if he does get cleared, I'm good to assume it was because he passed his medical clearance tests.
Moment of the Week: Taran Johnson's Pick-6
This is a new category, maybe one that will stay but I did want to add it just to talk about the Taran Johnson Pick-6 for a moment. Not even talk about the nature of the play and how it was the most meaningful interception since James Harrison's in SB XLIII. No, I want to talk about that moment - that long pick return in Buffalo, in the cold, in a night playoff game. That is a perfect NFL moment. The only imperfect aspect was there were only 6,700 fans there to soak it in instead of 67,000. We all know the reasons. COVID has robbed the world of so much, and included in that (nowhere near the top) is no or limited fans. With that in mind, I was so happy there were 6,700 fans there to go insane at that moment. It was a small little piece of normalcy. It was left to the mind to imagine how a filled Bills Stadium would've reacted - it would have been insane. This team hadn't won a playoff game in 26 years. They have a home Divisional Round game, at night, in the Cold. I think the Bills will be good for a while so hopefully we don't have to wait too long to get a similar moment with a packed house.
