Man, have these playoffs been entertaining so far!? From the Andy Reid show continuing to disappoint Chiefs fans around the world to the Falcons playing in their Super Bowl form, these games have been intense. Let’s get right to the game by game analysis.
Tennessee Titans 22 Kansas City Chiefs 21:
Another home game lost in KC, extending it to 6 playoff home games lost in a row for the Chiefs. Most fans (like myself) had this being a one sided affair in favor of the Chiefs, but thanks to the heroics of QB Marcus Mariota and RB Derrick Henry, the Titans managed to steal a one point victory away from home. You know this game was destined to be one for the ages when Mariota literally threw a TD pass to…himself! This may very well be Alex Smith’s last game in Kansas City and many questions will now be asked of head coach Andy Reid’s future on the team.
Atlanta Falcons 26 Los Angeles Rams 13:
While this was a surprising result, it was one that was justifiable on the part of the L.A. Rams. QB Jared Goff had himself a solid game, as well as the strong Rams defense, but thanks to RB Todd Gurley having a tough outing and the lack of overall playoff experience of this team, the Falcons were able to feast on them. The Matt Ryan and Julio Jones show was on full display, as the two connected for 94 yds and a TD, averaging 13 yards per catch. L.A. fans, while disappointed, will be optimistic of the future of this squad and hope that they will use this playoff experience to generate more success next year.
Jacksonville Jaguars 10 Buffalo Bills 3
Myself and many others got this prediction right. This was an extremely back and forth defensive match, where even getting 3 points on a drive was a major boost. QB Blake Bortles ran all over the Buffalo defense for 89 yards and threw a TD, that ended up sealing the game for the Jags. The phenomenal Jacksonville defense was the highlight of this game for Jacksonville, as they completely locked up the Bills offensive unit as a whole. The game made fans from all over the world nervous, as it came down to the final play where CB Jalen Ramsey of the Jags made the game saving interception to take his team to the divisional round.
New Orleans Saints 31 Carolina Panthers 26
This close game between bitter division rivals put everyone on the edge of their seats. It came down to the late game heroics of the New Orleans front 7, that got the game-clinching sack on QB Cam Newton to win it. QB Drew Brees showcased his talent and accuracy to the world and proved that he isn’t losing a step due to age at all. The Saints are looking to use this momentum and display of dominant football going into Minneapolis next week to play the red hot Vikings.