Yeah, I had to give it to both of them, because if the coin came up heads, Allen and the Bills likely win and I do the exact same thing. I'll probably write about that game later in the week, the true masterpiece that it was, but for now let's just extol the two QBs. It is fair to do so due to the incredible performance of each, from escaping sacks and extending plays in the first half when both defenses were locked in. For the series of ridiculous throws, from Mahomes side-arm nonsene to the cannon that was the 75-yard TD to Gibson. From each of the incredible moments late. Just bravo to both of them, and as always hope this is just the first of many. We are so blessed as football fans to have both of these insane players and that each, adn their teams, gifted us with that bounty.
Runner-Up: Cooper Kupp (WR, LAR)
Stafford himself had a great game - quietly maybe as good a game in a sense to Allen, but I want to call out Kupp for being able to still beat coverage this late into this season. It is insane that he always seems to be able to get open, whether its deep on the TD or the final pass, or short t move the chains. That game was insane and very much needed given how everyone else in the Rams seemed content to throw the game away.
Goat of the Week: Packers Special Teams
Has to be, right? Even if the Packers offense did not show themselves well at all, they would have won the game, and fairly comfortably in the end, if the Packers special teams didn't put up an all time bad playoff performance. The block field goal was simply just terrible execution - and while that would ahve just made it 10-3, the 49ers were in really poor shape after Garoppolo's brutal pick and that would have been a huge three points. The block punt is worse. Truly, that was their game before that moment. There were also bad returns coverage as well. This team's worst aspect just cratered in the biggest moment. Teams have lost on special teams miscues before - my own Colts in Manning's last game as a Colt were guilty of this giving up a long kickoff return after taking a 16-14 lead with 30 seconds left. This was worse, this was truly special.
Runner-Up: Ryan Tannehill (QB, TEN)
I had this problem a couple times earlier when we had weeks where each game was good and reasonably well played. The last one I remember was the 2015 Divisional Round, where each home team won by six or seven points. In this case, even Tannehill wasn't terrible, as two of the interceptions were not fully on him. But man were his picks just killers - from the very first play of the game (talk about not setting the tone - and that was a brutal throw), to the tipped screen pass on 1st and Goal that took away their chance to build a bit of a lead. Of course the last pick cost them the game in the end, and while that was more about a great play by the Bengals secondary, at the end of the day, in Tannehill's second biggest game of his career (2019 AFC Title Game being the other) he came up small.
Surprise of the Week: 49ers Secondary
The 49ers front seven is great, and they were great, so more on them later. But the fact that their secondary did so well bottling up Adams after that first drive, keeping everything in front, tackling well, getting in passing lanes. They weren't perfect by any means as Rodgers did throw away open receivers chasing big plays, but for what is the weakness of the team (granted, they're good at everything) the secondary played great and will need to repeat that level against the Rams.
Runner-Up: Kansas City running game
Nothing else was too surprising, so I went with the running game here, both with Mahomes but also Edwards-Helaire who played well in his first action in weeks, and Jerrick McKinnon in consistently picking up 3-5 yards to get them ahead of the sticks. It really impacted the Bills plan - which worked for most of the game - to limit the passing game by playing zone. The Bills did that and until the last portions of madness were limiting Mahomes to about 10ypc, but when they're always in 2nd and 6 that isn't good enough to end drives. The Chiefs OL did a great job run blocking and they were able to keep the game moving really nicely.
Disappointment of the Week: Rams sphincter clenching
It is just staggering how talented, well coached teams, just refuse to keep any semblance of control when faced with the prospect of actually beating Tom Brady. For as bad as the Falcons collapse in the Super Bowl was, this was arguably worse (though of course, they still won). The fumbles, the missed field goal - and to miss it SHORT. The fumble at the goal line, which was bad luck more than a bad play. The stupid snap that propelled back 30 yards. All of it was maddening. Thank god the Rams still won that game, but it amazes me how poor teams get when all they need to do is play decent football. Gives me a new respect for the Manning teams, Harbaugh's Ravens, the Shanahan Broncos and other teams that didn't turtle when up on Brady's teams.
Runner-Up: Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB)
Rodgers didn't play terribly, but for a guy that is about to win his fourth MVP in a couple weeks, that was a mystifying sloppy game. I get the 49ers are a great defense but as the All-22 showed, many times he just passed up open players, including on the ill-fated 3rd and 11 bomb to a double covered Devante Adams. The worrying sign is that type of play, holding on too long not going with open guys waiting for one of his favorites to get open deeper, is exactly the type of nonsense that took over Rodgers's game the last few McCarthy years. It turned a brilliant player into one that wasn't nearly as great as his numbers in 2016-2018. I do hope this isn't a full reversal the first sign of struggle under Lafleur.
Team Performance of the Week: 49ers front seven
That was about a good front seven performance as you can have. Five sacks, numerous more pressures leading to throwaways and short throws. When those short throws happened they clamped down, with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw both having brilliant games. This was a throwback to the 2019 49ers defense, or better yet the 2011-13 49ers defenses. Bosa and Armstead were great, but so were their depth guys on the defensive front. If you take away the 75 yard catch by Aaron Jones from a busted coverage on a scramble, Rodgers wen 19-28 for 150 yards - that 150 from 19 catches is all to a defensive that gang tackled as good as any. The 49ers had no business winning that game, but the only reason they could steal it was from a defense that covered up so much.
Runner-Up: Rams pass rush
If the Rams were going to win, they needed a great game from their pass rush, a job made easier by the fact Tristan Wirfs was out. Well, the Rams certainly got a great game from their pass rush, a performance good enough that if not for like twenty different Rams mistakes, they would have won more than comfortably. Donald was his usual great self, especially the few times he was moved outside Leonard Floyd had a great game after a pretty quiet year. Von Miller is continuing his renaissance, just abusing Donovan Smith in what for Brady must have been a bad case of dejavu from the 2015 AFC Championship where he was doing the same things over and over. That is the pass rush of a Super Bowl champion.
Team Laydown of the Week: Tennessee Running Game
I should probably exclude D'Onta Freeman who had 65 yards on 4 carries, but Henry was a nothing in the playoffs again, going 20-62. However, what was more worrying was how often he was met in the backfield. How little time he had to manuever. Tannehill provided nothing as a runner. The Titans invest a lot in the OLine and it didn't show up for a second straight playoff game following their awful performance against Baltimore last year. It seems clear, really, that this offense cannot function at top value if the running game is not working, and if they feel compelled to get it to work - which is why with Henry back but not operating at top efficiency, things fell apart quick.
Runner-Up: Cincinnati Offensive Line
Yeah, they won, and yes, Burrow himself needs to improve on getting rid of the ball, or at least not turning five yard sacks into fifteen yard sacks, but man was that OL terrible against the Titans. Pass rushers running free from every gap. Basically every lineman losing his one on one matchup consistently throughout. With a better QB in the pocket, instead of 9 sacks for 68 yards, maybe its 4 sacks for 22 yards, but either way it is nowhere near good enough and is only now going to get tougher against frankly a better defensive front that did great work against a better OL in Buffalo. In the Bengals have any chance they'll need that line to ball out.
Storyline that will be Beat Into the Ground: The OT Rules
Look, I get it, on its face it seems dumb that a team can lose in OT without touching the ball. The rule change in 2010 that made it so you can't win on a FG made it better, but over ten years not much so: the team that receives first in OT is 10-1 in the playoffs, granted in three occasions that team didn't win on its first drive. The big difference as I see it is playoff offenses are generally good, and therefore more likely to score a TD than in the regular season.
Then again, I don't think the idea is to just have the second team get a chance, as hten there is a massive advantage to being the second team: you know what you need. If the Chiefs score a TD, then the Bills would've gotten a chance while also knowing they can go for any 4th down and effectively run a drive knowing they have four tries for a first down.
Personally, I've come away from my pet idea (not uniquely mine) of an auction where the more aggressive team to say they'll start from further back gets the ball, but to just extend the game and play to the clock ends - maybe its 10 minutes, maybe its 15 minutes, but just keep playing. I don't see much against it. Yes, in theory team #1 still has a bit of an advantage (less so in a 15 minute period), because they are still more likely to get more possessions, but at some point you have to draw the line. Everyone complaining about the rules are correct, but they need to answer what it should be and answer to the issues with everyone's favorite idea of just letting team 2 get the ball.
Storyline that will Deservedly be Beat Into the Ground: Best Divisional Weekend Ever
We'll see this a lot, and it is absolutely true. Yesterday is probably not the best single day of football ever just because of you get a Championship Game Sunday with two great games that will supersede a Divisional Weekend day (look back to 2018 and you have one that arguably was better, that or 2011 for sure). But as far as a whole weekend, this is the best. The 'bad' game featured either a walk-off win by the Bengals, or an amazing defensive effort in a snow game in Lambeau (arguably best setting in football). There was that comedy of errors in Tampa, which was elevated given the historical implications of basically any Tom Brady game. And of course that masterpiece to cap it all off. Even if the Bills won that 36-33, it was an all time game. It was an all time weekend. The only close ones recently were 2003 (4th and 26 game, great Chiefs-v-Colts shootout, the Panthers 2OT win over the Rams) or 2006 (Marty's last game for San Diego, two 27-24 games in the NFC side, including one in OT). But this was insane, each game being one on the last snap. Each game having a field goal with implications at the gun. It was so memorable, so good after a wild card weekend of duds. It was why we all love football and keep coming back.
Storyline that Should be Beat Into the Ground: Can the NFC Bring it finally
The NFC hosts the second title game, e.g. the main event in boxing/UFC parlance, in odd-number seasons. From 2007 through 2013, each time the NFC had their game they delivered with a beauty - from the Giants wins in Lambeau and Candlestick in OT, to the Saints over Minnesta OT epic, to maybe the best played of any with the Seahawks picking off the 49ers at the end. It is not hyperbole to say that given the stakes these are some of the most important, memorable playoff games of the last 15 years. Since then the NFC has had the second game three more times, and they were absolute duds, despite being the #1 v #2 each time - with the Panthers, Eagles and 49ers blowing out the Cardinals, Vikings and Packers respectively. Well, for the Rams and 49ers you have your shot to carry the torch for your conference. Give us round three of a great rivalry, give us something close to the show these two put out in Week 18. Give us a great ride in the last 'real' game of football that isn't at some whitewashed neutral site.
