The first ever NFL Super Wild Card Weekend was filled with games that sorted out the “pretenders” from the pack of playoff teams, but this year’s Divisional Round was arguably the best in NFL history, including a game that some, including myself, consider to be the greatest NFL game they have ever seen. After last weekend, there are now final 4 teams that remain in the NFL, all looking to punch their ticket to Los Angeles for Super Bowl 56.
Cincinnati Bengals (12-7) @ Tennessee Titans (12-6)
Final: Bengals-19 Titans-16
Player of the Game: Cincinnati Bengals Defense
Despite allowing a record high 9 sacks to their QB Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals escaped the Music City on the leg of Evan McPherson, who was prepared for the moment that he was presented with. Joe Burrow threw for 348 yards in the game, but 0 TD and 1 INT, with his partner in crime Ja’Marr Chase racking up 109 yards on 5 receptions. Joe Mixon had an efficient day, totaling 105 yards and 1 TD on 20 touches. D.J. Reader was a terror in the run game, totaling many tackles for loss, and the Bengals back end hauled in 3 INT, by Logan Wilson, Jessie Bates III, and Mike Hilton, respectively. The Cincinnati Bengals, who now advance to the AFC Championship for the first time since 1988, will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the defending Kings of the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs.
The #1 seed in the AFC, Tennessee Titans put out a disappointing effort on Saturday night, falling short on their home field. In a weekend where both the #1 seeds in the AFC and NFC lost, the Titans seemed doomed from the very first play of the game, when Ryan Tannehill threw an interception, and he finished the night with 3 total. Tannehill’s performance in this game where he finally had a fully healthy Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones, has forced many to question whether Tannehill should stick around in Tennessee for long. The Titans will look to stay among the AFC’s best teams as they go into the offseason.
Game Highlights (All footage courtesy of the NFL): Bengals vs. Titans Divisional Round Highlights | NFL 2021
San Francisco 49ers (12-7) @ Green Bay Packers (13-5)
Final: 49ers-13 Packers-10
Player of the Game: Talanoa Hufanga
In perhaps the most shocking upset of the week, the San Francisco 49ers played their hearts out and sent the Green Bay Packers packing in a snow covered Lambeau Field. Talanoa Hufanga returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, the only touchdown that the 49ers scored the entire game. Robbie Gould sealed the deal with a game winner and sent the 49ers back to the NFC Championship for the 2nd time in 3 years. Despite many people saying that QB Jimmy Garoppolo was not fit enough to lead the 49ers deep into the playoffs, he proved many doubters wrong, even with some mediocre performances, they find themselves primed to make a run for the Super Bowl against their NFC West rivals Los Angeles Rams.
The Green Bay Packers have experienced yet another year of playoff disappointment, a trend that has surprisingly plagued Green Bay during the Aaron Rodgers era. Aaron Rodgers now finds himself with an 0-4 playoff record against San Francisco, and not even a 13-4 record and #1 seed could shield him from his tragic fate. The now obvious story for this Packers team is the future of Aaron Rodgers, and whether he will return, retire, or leave for another team. If Rodgers decides to stay, then the Packers will remain in Super Bowl contention for as long as he is there, but if he decides to move on from Title Town, then the keys to one of the NFL’s most prestigious franchises will be handed down to Jordan Love.
Game Highlights: 49ers vs. Packers Divisional Round Highlights | NFL 2021
Los Angeles Rams (14-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14-5)
Final: Rams-30 Buccaneers-27
Player of the Game: Cooper Kupp (Honorable Mention: Matthew Stafford)
Matthew Stafford earned the biggest win of his long career on Sunday afternoon, and it isn’t even close. After winning his first ever playoff game last week against the Arizona Cardinals, the Rams have now slain the defending Super Bowl champions, ensuring that there will not be a repeat championship winner once again. The dynamic duo that has been torching the league continued to do so, in Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, who ensured a Rams victory after a deep ball reception that resulted in yet another game winning field goal by kicker Matt Gay. The Los Angeles Rams are now one game away from hosting Super Bowl 56, and they will look to get the job done when they host the San Francisco 49ers next week.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season came to an end on Sunday afternoon, leaving the future of many on the team up in the air. With the impending status of free agents like WR Chris Godwin and RB Leonard Fournette, the future of this team is unknown. QB Tom Brady has made some comments in the days after the game that have now made his future uncertain. If the greatest QB of all time truly is to retire, then what a career it was, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have to retool their roster to remain competitive. If Brady remains in the league, then the Bucs will obviously remain among the NFC’s contenders, so everyone around this franchise will be holding their breath awaiting Brady’s decision.
Game Highlights: Rams vs. Buccaneers Divisional Round Highlights | NFL 2021
Buffalo Bills (12-7) @ Kansas City Chiefs (14-5)
Final: Chiefs-42 Bills-36
Player of the Game: Patrick Mahomes (Honorable Mention: Josh Allen)
The game I referenced earlier being arguably the greatest of all time was of course the Sunday finale featuring the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs. This game cemented a fact that many around the league now accept. The QB tiers in the NFL are Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen…. And then everyone else. In the fourth installment of the QB rivalry that will rule the NFL for the next decade at least, both franchise QB’s showed up and showed out. Mahomes and Allen both finished as the leading passers and rushers for their teams, both refusing to lose, until the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss and ended up scoring the game winning TD. In the 4 years that Patrick Mahomes has been the starter for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Chiefs have been in the AFC Championship game 4 times, and every one of those games has been played in Arrowhead. The Chiefs will hope to carry this momentum into next week when they host the Cincinnati Bengals.
The city of Buffalo added another tragedy to their sports collection on Sunday night. The Music City Miracle, Wide Right, The Foot in the Crease, and now 13 Seconds. While the heart wrenching end of the 2021-2022 season left many western New Yorkers devastated, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Josh Allen is only 25 years old. To add some perspective, Hall of Famer Jim Kelly was 26 years old when he started his first game in a Bills uniform. The future is tremendously bright for the Bills, arguably the brightest in the league besides Kansas City. It seems as if it’s only a matter of time before Josh Allen is hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and finally breaking the Buffalo Sports championship drought, but for that image to become reality, another year will have to pass. The Buffalo Bills will go into the offseason with the opportunity to add some legit talent to their roster and some new blood that they hope will help them get over the last roadblock in their way in the playoffs; The Kansas City Chiefs.
Game Highlights: Bills vs. Chiefs Divisional Round Highlights | NFL 2021