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Chapter I was set up perfectly to deliver us pure electricity across a jam-packed Super Wild Card weekend. Unfortunately, we were let down in grand fashion. Football fans across the nation need to give thanks and gratitude to the Rams and Lions for delivering the only slobber-knocker across a six-game slate. Outside of that Sunday primetime fist fight in the D, we suffered through AWFUL coaching --- AWFUL coaching, blowouts, and a disrespectful hurdle over winter warfare.
The coaching was so-so-so bad this weekend that as I write this, I will need to continually refrain myself from spewing all of my opinions and feelings here on this piece. I could keep ya for twenty minutes if I started to revisit all the negatives we saw in round one. We have the entire off-season to talk that nonsense, we will allow those nasty cats some alone time as they sorrow in Cancun. I won't give them the time a day on this one, lets get to the bracket and matchups for next week. Here is how the bracket fares going into the Divisional round of the Big One:
Would you look at that... the Clash III is set between Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. We also are blessed with another special playoff atmosphere in Detroit, and another playoff clash between Green Bay and San Francisco. Hey football gods, lets turn things up a notch this time, eh?
Location & Time: Sunday in Buffalo - 6:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: CBS
Sports really are a beautiful thing, as bittersweet as they can be. We throw the word 'immortal' around when discussing legacies due to the fact sports can't be cancelled. Can't be forgotten about. Sports are forever lasting, they have made it through war, divide, and time. One of the most telling examples of such beauty is an era ending to a new era beginning. As we reach the first quarter of the 21st-century, we are at the point of flippin' the pages to new eras in sports. An era ending is a tough pill to swallow for ageing goers, especially those who witnessed an era from front to back. The forever lasting reality of sports allows us to welcome a new era despite having complete sadness for that of the previous era coming to a close.
Those born before 2000 felt that sadness when Peyton Manning and Tom Brady hung their cleats, ending the best QB versus QB playoff rivalry of an era. The new era doesn't have Manning and Brady, but it does have the same level of QB versus QB greatness. Mahomes vs. Allen. Ready to run it again in do or die fashion. The two join Brady and Manning as the only QB rivalry from different divisions to meet seven times in a four-year span and are the only two QBs to face each other three times in the playoffs before turning 29 years old. Allen and Mahomes sit 3-3 on the head-to-head. Playoff clash number three is set; overall clash number seven is ready to bring more noise.
We all remember how the last playoff matchup between the Bills and Chiefs went, as it has been hailed as a top playoff game of all-time. No cap or exaggeration on it either- arguably one of the best in NFL history. Now the two are ready to run that back to deliver us major goods in effort to forget about the lackluster Wild-Card weekend of the bracket. The madness that transpired during the last playoff meeting (an OT that forced a rule change) and the WK-14 matchup during the regular season this year has built major steam for Sunday's upcoming clash to set off fireworks. Bills may have won the regular season meeting, but that wasn't their revenge opportunity. Sunday is their revenge opportunity. All football fans, except for Chiefs' fans, wanted Josh Allen to get a shot to match Mahomes in that playoff overtime. Which led to the playoff overtime rule to be changed. We wanted them to duel until one of them had no ammo left. Bills watched the Chiefs march on to a Super Bowl dub as they sat derailed and angry. Now, they have a chance at revenge. How does this game not deliver?
Both squads welcomed foes into their respected frozen tundra in round-1, just to drop a statement on them that elevated each forward on their quest for the Lombardi. Chiefs completely shut down the Dolphins in a -4 degree primetime chiller that had the third-coldest kickoff wind chill of all-time at -27 Fahrenheit. Bills saw their game be moved from Sunday to Monday to avoid high levels of snow and rapid winds, but still faced the bitter cold as they controlled the Steelers across four quarters of chilly football. As figured, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are going into this playoff matchup playin' their best ball. Can Allen and Sean McDermott finally send the Chiefs packin'? Or will Reid and Mahomes get another laugh to move to 3-0 against the pairing in the playoffs and 4-3 overall? We get that answer after what I believe will be another playoff thriller. My prediction? I think Buffalo finally does it... I think they get their revenge. The game being in Buffalo and not in Arrowhead is a big reason why I pick the Bills. Bills Mafia are you re... yeah I know you're ready.
Location & Time: Sunday in Detroit - 3:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: NBC
Buccaneers set off their cannons to bury the Eagles in swift business who came back up the waters to ambush the Bucs in Raymond James Stadium, to no prevail. Tampa Bay moves on in their quest for the Lombardi, but must anchor and take the shores to go to war inside the most feared territories of enemy territories. Detroit Rock City... and boy is the city rockin'. Lions secured their first playoff win in 32 years, and their first inside Ford Field, where they are set to battle once again on Sunday. If you thought the atmosphere was nuts against the Rams, just wait for the Lions' faithful to roar again just seven days later. Tampa Bay is truly entering a dangerous --- dangerous territory. An off-shore war awaits.
The clash between the Rams and Lions inside Ford Field is the only clash of the playoffs that has delivered thrilling noise to this point. Noise on the gridiron, not just the massive echoes of Lions Nation. Which in itself, was pretty damn special. Goff versus Stafford was unreal. The atmosphere was unreal. The moment valor became victory through the emotions of the fans was unreal. To see the longest drought end... ah, so special. Everything about it was special, BUT we still have more special moments to happen inside Ford Field this year.
Detroit waited 30 years for a home playoff game, now, they have back-to-back home playoff games to cherish. For those who will be attending both, the upcoming game should be different compared to last week's game. The monkey is officially off the back. The curse/drought is no more. Now, you can go into the game with a bit less nerves, sounds wild with the game being further along in the quest for the Lombardi, but it's true. The drought is over. You have reached a new chapter, you have reached new life. Super Bowl thoughts can actually hold weight. The clouds are gone, you have sun and a glorious chance to continue on in the quest. The crowd should be even more loud, creating that dangerous territory for the visiting Bucs. Despite the danger, I expect this game to bring the noise.
Baker Mayfield played exceptionally well for Tampa against Philadelphia last night. The stats don't show justice as his receivers had a slew of drops that hurt Mayfield's completion percentage, but the cat was slingin' the laces and stepped up in the big moments. When Baker is playing with his trademark confidence and motor, he is a damn tough competitor to stop for any team. Even when you have the atmosphere in the stands, like what the Lions have. It's like havin' a brother wand from the same source... you can cause damage to the other but you can't kill 'em. After seeing how the Bucs played in the Wild-Card, I won't compare regular season resumes in my prediction for this game.
Todd Bowles and his defense can cause fits for Ben Johnson's Lions offense. Mind you, the Bucs are going from playin' against the worst OC in the playoffs, to the best. They need a great week of practice and a full understanding of the difficulty ahead to give them the best shot on Sunday. Philadelphia's Brian Johnson and Nick Siranni couldn't adjust to the all-out blitz packages of Bowles. Ben Johnson and Jared Goff will. Lions can KILL them up the middle of the field if they run the same packages they did against the Eagles. Amon-Ra St. Brown is doing the feed me emote as he watches the tape today. I trust Bowles to know this, he should be well prepared. Dan Campbell and the Lions need to get Montgomery and Gibbs going early and often. Having balance will beat down the Bucs' defense, control the game, and more importantly, will create those big shots down-field for St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Jamo had a deep, nuclear tuddy when these squads met in WK-6 (Lions win, 20-6). Those big shots will feed the game-breaker bar for the Lions fans.
I think we get a good game here. I'm rolling with the Lions, but the points in my prediction are garbage time points. Should be a chess match and an off-shore war between these two through at-least three quarters. If the Bucs' defense can keep the Lions offense at a slow pace, get to Goff, and cause a turnover or two, then the game could be a nail-biter to the end. Just have to limit the big plays. The Bucs' O must not turn the ball over. Can't afford to give up highlight plays with the type of roar Ford Field can let off. A roar that can spiral the visitors out of control and QUICK. I am excited for this one. Baker's grit versus the heart of Detroit. Run it up.
Location & Time: Saturday in Baltimore - 4:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN
The new era brings us an epic AFC QB matchup of two cats we could see lite up the playoffs for years to come in the AFC. Action Jackson. The Rook. Let the flames rise!
C.J. Stroud and the 4-seed Texans travel to the east side of the states to face Lamar Jackson and the 1-seed Ravens in a loud Saturday afternoon war in Baltimore. Ravens spent last week in the sauna watchin' the rookie Stroud break playoff records as the Texans SCORCHED the Browns in the opening round. Stroud became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game (22 years, 102 days). The poise that Stroud showed in his playoff debut deserves major praise. Same goes for head coach DeMeco Ryans. What a coaching display and all-around team effort from the Texans in the Wild-Card round. I picked them to win, but no way did I think they would smoke those cats the way they did. Which sets up the divisional matchup with the Ravens to be a fun one.
Ravens and Texans opened their seasons up against each other in WK-1... with the Flock cruisin' to a 25-9 dub over the Texans. That was some time a go that was. Both teams have changed. Both teams are better and stronger. C.J. Stroud is sure better and stronger as he looks to to join Mark Sanchez (NYJ '10), Joe Flacco (BAL '09), who Stroud just beat, and Ben Roethlisberger (PIT '05) as the only rookie quarterbacks since 2000 to lead their team to the AFC Championship game. DeMeco Ryans and his coaching staff are also much better than they were in the season opener. This game will NOT follow that suit. This game should be damn good. Both teams are hungry. I am one that thinks the bye is deceiving. Texans are coming off an unreal playoff experience, creatin' confidence and a heatwave while the Ravens rested and watched from the sidelines. That plays dividends. I truly believe that. So does the Ravens' home-field advantage, however. Another factor: John Harbaugh has been here before... a lot. Ryans hasn't been here before as a head coach. That same thing reverts over to Lamar Jackson the rookie Stroud. Action Jackson dreams about that Lombardi. He's a winner... and is tired of coming up short. He should be playing like rent is due. Like he hasn't ate in weeks. Something will have to give.
I predict the game to be a tight one throughout with Stroud and Jackson goin' fist for fist on the scoreboard. The end result will come down to the turnover game, which coach wins the clock management scenarios, and all-around game management. I think John Harbaugh and the Ravens will win those factors. A nail-biter? Yes, I see it. I can see a Justin Tucker boot winnin' it. However, If I were to make a prediction, I pick the Ravens to pull away with the dub in the 4th quarter. Trench warfare is their domain. Give me the Ravens by 10. Win or lose, it was one helluva season for the Texans. If they win, it's the first time the franchise will have ever made the AFC Championship. Just a few more sleeps.
Location & Time: Saturday in San Francisco - 8:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: FOX
Playoff X. 49ers and Packers will duke it out under do or die circumstances for the tenth time, the most playoff meetings between two teams in NFL history. Last week it was the 2-seed Cowboys, now the Pack look to end their other playoff rival as they travel to the Bay for war against the top seed 'Niners. San Francisco spent last week learning not to take the 7-seed Packers lightly after Green Bay went into Dallas and SMOKED the Cowboys 48-32, with a Jordan Love that looked like a carbon copy of his predecessor.
J-Love was beyond spectacular in his playoff debut. Love posted the 4th-highest passer rating (157.2) ever in a NFL playoff game. I don't exaggerate when I say he is a carbon copy of Rodgers (from a looks standpoint). The IQ. The reading. The back-foot dimes. The flick and torque. Love had a great season, but the way he operated in Dallas deada** made the cat look like a top-5 quarterback. This play proves both those evaluations:
video via PackerScribe//X
Jordan Love was operating on another level, one I hope we see again. He still needs to prove he can do what he did in Dallas again... and that it wasn't just another Cowboys playoff collapse. Love gets to prove it in the best way possible: against the mighty 49ers in their backyard at Levis Stadium. A tough task. A very tough task.
Packers' head coach Matt LeFleur is very-very excited to have this opportunity against the 49ers despite the difficulty. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have ended LaFleur's Packers twice now in the playoffs, including the stunner last season in what became Aaron Rodgers' last game in Green Bay. LaFleur looks for revenge as Shanahan looks for the sweep. Love looks to cement himself as Brock Purdy looks to quiet his doubters as well. Major intrigue with this matchup. Part of me believes the 49ers cruise, while the other part envisions a close war that will lite some fireworks. A bit torn I am. After last weekend, lets just hope for the positive. I have the Niners pullin' away late in the 4th quarter after a closely fought game. San Fran 31-17... I do hope I am wrong (sorry not sorry). Underdogs rule! I mean, Packers versus Lions in the NFC title game... in Detroit!? YES PLEASE!
Football gods we are beggin' ya! Turn the notch up. I was written all these hyperboles last week; spittin' alllllll this good stuff to hype the "SuPeR" Wild-Card and you let a brotha down. Ya let US down, cha heard. Josh Allen and Patty Mahomes run that thang up, fellas. Run it all the way up. Detroit madness? Mmm hmm. Packers/Niners X? Mmm hmm. Let's f'n go! Divisional round warfare is upon us. Run it though our veins.
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