And Then There Was Four – NFL Playoffs

Digesting The Biggest Upset Of The Year

So here we are with just two games left in the NFL this year. After a boring wild card weekend, the playoffs followed up with a fun weekend of great matchups. Although the scores were off by a bit, last week we successfully predicted all four matchups. It’s true many of the experts expecting the Dallas Cowboys to be in the Super Bowl, we just couldn’t shake our gut feeling. Aaron Rodgers has looked really good for the past 10 weeks. Rookies also tend to perform poorly in the playoffs. We were surprised the experts couldn’t see this coming from a mile away. Maybe next year Dak & Ezekiel can get their discount double check. Needless to say, these sort of games where the last team with the ball wins are always the most fun to watch.

The formula was winning playoff football back then was simple. You run the ball, and you stop the run. A great defense paired with a solid running game to take time off the clock was the model of success. Green Bay is relying on a more modern formula. An elite quarterback and a great kicker, arguably the two most important positions in today’s playoff era. Makes you wonder what the 80’s and 90’s Dolphins could have done in today’s NFL with Dan Marino where the game has become a weekly aerial assault by most teams. The Packers are without fault, but it’s tough to bet against a red-hot Rodgers.

Those Sneaky Falcons Are Better Than You Think

Remember that sneaky prolific Atlanta offense we mentioned, maybe now people can start taking them seriously. Even against Seattle’s famous secondary and great a day of many blitzes, Matt Ryan displayed why he is the 2016 MVP soon to be. He was calm, collected, and spread the ball around like the Pro Bowl QB that everyone expects him to be. The Seahawks didn’t have an answer for him as Russell Wilson tried his best but ultimately came up short. Seattle fans have to wonder if the Jimmy Graham trade is a bust, as the Seahawks haven’t looked the same since. A battle-proven team is supposed to win these type of road games against teams like the Falcons with a history of dying in the first round. It’s gonna take a bit more for Matt Ryan to convince everyone he is no longer a choke artist. But he has plenty of help in Julio Jones, Devonte Freeman, and Tevin Coleman. With the Cowboys eliminated from the playoffs, Atlanta fans have reason to get excited this year. We will have to wait and see, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Falcons winning their first ever Super Bowl.

An Ugly Win For The Steelers, But They’ll Take It

What can you say you advance to the AFC Championship game on a night where your only points came off of a record six field goals. All 18 points came from the kicker, and it was enough for Pittsburgh to eliminate the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs failed a crucial 2 point conversion that would have tied the game at 18-18 but came up short. The Steelers have proven they can win pretty, and they can win ugly. Sometimes the gap of talent is too much to overcome. Le’Veon Bell continues to have an excellent playoff this year with another huge game, after making the bold statement that he is changing the NFL like Curry changed the NBA. Big Ben is once again delivering results as the savvy veteran, but this time with the help of his greatest WR ever in Antonio Brown. It’s easy to forget, but Brown wasn’t around for those Super Bowl’s in 2006 and 2009, having been drafted in 2010. It was a fun ride to see the Chiefs overcome obstacles on their way to winning the division. There is plenty to build on and we’re certain we’ll see them again.

Texans Corralled By Brady In New England

What more can Houston fans expect? This team had only won 9 games and won an opportunistic match against the Carr-less Raiders. They were on the road against New England against Tom Brady. The Patriots have won the AFC six times during the Brady era, there was little reason to expect an upset here. Nevertheless, the Texans showed signs that they aren’t too far away from being an AFC contender. If they improve at QB in free agency or via the draft, this is a team that can get further into the playoffs. But then again, the same can be said of a handful of NFL teams. Year after year, the playoffs reveal just how big the gap is between the Patriots and their conference foes. If not for Eli Manning and the New York Giants, Brady would have six Super Bowl rings, easily making him the greatest of all time. Eventually, we are just going to admit that the Patriots are perhaps the most clutch team in NFL history. This will be true if Brady wins ring #5 to surpass Joe Montana.