Divisional Round Thoughts

 


What a weekend of football. After a Wild Card Round that was mostly predictable, with five of six home teams prevailing and four of six games ending in blow out wins, the Divisional Round was anything but predictable. Three of four road teams won and every game came down to the final play.

It was exciting, interesting and, at times, heart-breaking. What we're left with is the Bengals at the Chiefs in the AFC and the third meeting between the 49ers and the Rams in the NFC. All that will lead to an interesting Super Bowl, but we'll have plenty of time to reflect on that later. For now, here's a few take aways from the Divisional Round.

* We need to look at the overtime rules. The end of the Bils-Chiefs game was great. In 1:54 to end the Fourth Quarter, we saw 25 points scored. Then the flip of a coin determined possession, the Chiefs scored quickly, and the game was over. The Bills had a chance to win and should take a hard look at the defense played in the last 13 seconds. But, I wish they'd gotten a chance to answer in overtime.

* The future is uncertain for Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. The two veteran quarterbacks head into a long off-season. Will Rodgers leave Green Bay or retire? Will Brady play again in 2022? All that remains to be answered, but what we do know is the top two contenders for the NFL MVP slot, and the top two seeds in the NFC, are out.

* The 49ers just keep rolling. The 49ers are the team that could. They knocked out the Cowboys then the Packers. If I'm the Rams, I'm concerned. The 49ers beat the Rams twice in the regular season and have won six straight. They've also been on a roll in the post-season. Should the 49ers reach the Super Bowl, that could set up an interesting off-season decision about Jimmy Garappolo and Trey Lance.

* The Bengals are the most fun story in the playoffs. The Bengals have been a punchline for seasons but now the team not only won the AFC North, they won their first playoff game in 31 years followed by their first road playoff game in franchise history. Now, they get to battle a Chiefs' squad they beat 34-31 in Kansas City in Week 17. Buckle up.

* Patrick Mahomes is incredible. He had 13 seconds. Down three, with 13 seconds, Mahomes made two clutch throws to get the team into position and got them a tying field goal. Then the Chiefs won in overtime to advance to their fourth straight AFC Championship Game. It's an impressive record of success, no matter how it makes me fell.

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