Who Fed It And Who Ate It: 2018 Divisional Playoffs
After a Wild Card Weekend that saw three road teams pull off the seeding upset, the Divisional Playoffs became more compelling as a result. Would one of those wild card teams carry enough momentum to beat the best in each conference on this crucial stage? Not quite.
Kansas City sent the Indianapolis Colts packing on a cold day at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs win their first home playoff game in 25 years, 31-13. The two teams that faced one another in KC each carried their own seasonal credentials with them into this game. The Colts were one of the hottest teams in the league by winning 9 of their last ten games to earn a playoff berth and then smoked their divisional rivals, the Houston Texans, last week. Further, with the cold temps and snow on the ground, this seemed to play right in their hands as a team who have been strong on defense and content to let RB Marlon Mack pound the rock against a vulnerable Chiefs defense. On the other side is the AFC's best team in the Chiefs, led by NFL MVP candidate QB Patrick Mahomes and his arsenal of phenomenal pass catchers, who can leave both opposing defenses and fans alike gasping for air. This game would be close, surprisingly led by Kansas City's defense, who would frustrate Indy both on the ground and in the air. While KC's offense didn't light up the scoreboard, the defense made everyone take notice. If their defense has hit its stride now, they could be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in about three weeks time. For the first time in the post merger era, the Chiefs will host the AFC Championship game. And given their opposition, they're going to need every edge they can muster.
The Los Angeles Rams dominated the Dallas Cowboys for their first postseason victory since relocation, 30-22. One theme that stands out in this set of games is that for three of them, the score was no indication of the competitiveness of those contests. And seeing how teams like the Cowboys came in, their performances were far from spectacular. Entering this game, Dallas had two things that many teams with title aspirations possess: a big ground game, led by Ezekiel Elliott, and a ravenous defense. If they played their game, even against the high octane Rams, they could win. Instead, Elliott was stuffed by LA's defense, and it was the Rams who ran wild on the Cowboys, racking up a playoff franchise record 273 yards rushing with the tandem of Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson taking the most of that real estate. Take that offense with anointed Defensive Player of the Year in defensive lineman Aaron Donald leading his unit, and this could be the makings of a new league champion. But they have a couple more stops to make before that becomes a reality, and the next game will not be easy.
The New England Patriots make quick work of the Los Angeles Chargers in a 41-28 contest that was no where as close as the score would indicate. Leave it to the NFL to make everyone think one thing, then completely blow it out of the water the next moment. The Chargers were undefeated on the road, 9-0 including the playoffs. If their was a team that can live out of a suitcase for a month and finish up carrying championship hardware, this was the group. Conversely, despite the Pats' long held dominance, the 2018 version seemed as vulnerable as ever since the early 2000's. Throw all that in the trash; the Patriots ran up a 35-7 halftime lead and never looked back, with the Bolts punchless on offense and feckless on defense. Needless to say, the reports about the demise of the New England Patriots are greatly exaggerated. One caveat, though: this game was played in the friendly (if not frigid) confines of The Razor, Gillette Stadium, where the Pats were undefeated this year. Their next game, which will be their unprecedented eighth straight conference championship appearance, will be in Kansas City, Missouri, against the Chiefs in what is being forecasted as a very cold game, with conditions that could make it the coldest AFC Championship game ever. Can they still grow their impressive legacy one more chapter?
The New Orleans Saints beat back a tough defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to advance to the NFC Championship, 20-14. This was by far the most competitive game played through four quarters, even though it didn't open up as such. The Eagles would capitalize on a Drew Brees interception and stagnant Saints offense to jump out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Philly was looking for the knockout punch early, but missed the mark when Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore picked off Nick Foles to end an Eagles drive dead in its tracks. The ensuing drive would be critical for New Orleans, as they would convert two fourth downs (one on a fake punt, the other a touchdown pass from Brees to WR Keith Kirkwood) to halve the lead. Ultimately, the Saints would score 20 unanswered points to take the lead, one that was only secure when Lattimore snagged an INT off a ball that slipped right through WR Alshon Jeffery's hands with two minutes left to play in regulation. A thrilling win for the Saints, who will host their first NFC Championship game in almost a decade when the Rams come calling for the right to play in Super Bowl LIII. These teams played one another in a classic in the regular season. Will they repeat that performance with the George S. Halas Trophy on the line?
