The eight best teams are left in the NFL playoffs.
It doesn’t always happen this way, where the divisional rounds feature only teams that deserve to be there based on their play over the regular season. And what great games they are.
The Cincinnati Bengals, those lovable losers from Ohio, eliminated the best of the pretenders when they held the Raiders from scoring the winning touchdown inside the 10-yard-line. Mack Brown knows that when you have first and goal to win the game, you should score.
The Bengals and way-underrated quarterback Joe Burrow have a legit chance against the top-seeded Titans who have the AFC bye and will be trying to decide how to break Derrick Henry (back from an injury) into the lineup without being a detriment to the game plan.
The 49ers go to also-idle Green Bay to face the NFC’s top-seeded Packers, whose golden boy quarterback Aaron Rodgers spent the bye week immersed in more controversy over vaccinations. San Fran sent the Cowboys to yet another disappointing end to the season for the one-time America’s team, which last went to the Super Bowl in 1995, if you can believe that!
The talented Niners on both sides of the ball and under-the radar quarterback Jimmy Garappolo have a chance on the frozen tundra to send Rodgers Packing into an early decision about his future.
On Sunday, I love the LA Rams’ chances to oust the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers and Tom Brady, who is playing with depleted weapons due to injuries. The Rams defense, led by Aaron Donald, will pose the biggest threat to TB12’s pocket even with the game in Tampa, where the Bucs easily dispatched the woeful Eagles last weekend.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford walks off the field after the Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Inglewood, Calif., Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
At 44, Brady has had another MVP season, but something tells me this is the end of the line for him after seven Super Bowl titles. And with the Antonio Brown antics and coach Bruce Arians whacking players on the helmet, the Bucs have lost their Cinderella luster.
The fourth quarterfinal Sunday night features the long-suffering Buffalo Bills with a serious chance at Kansas City to deny the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes a third straight trip to the Super Bowl. The Bills’ Josh Allen, almost perfect against the over-matched Patriots last week, has the game and supporting cast to upset the Chiefs and after playing in zero degrees in Buffalo, KC will feel like Indian summer for the Bills.
I like the Titans and Bills and Rams and Packers to advance to the NFL Final 4 next weekend.
Photo via AP Photo/Joshua Bessex.
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