Takeaways: Divisional Round surprises set up AFC, NFC title games
Although Pittsburgh Steelers fans didn’t get to enjoy watching their team in the Divisional Round of the 2024 NFL playoffs over the weekend, they did get the opportunity to watch the Baltimore Ravens fail to advance; the same team that knocked the black and gold out of contention. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders may have been the most surprising victors in the league to move to the Championship Round. We offer our takeaways from the Divisional Round and how surprises set up the AFC and NFC title games.
Takeaways from the AFC
The play everyone was talking about following the Ravens’ two-point loss to the Buffalo Bills was the Mark Andrews drop that prevented Baltimore from tying the score in the final minutes of their game. The other chatter surrounded questions as to whether Lamar Jackson‘s two turnovers to the Bills may have moved the presumptive nomination for him being named NFL MVP for 2024 to Bills quarterback Josh Allen, instead.
“Tonight — the turnovers. We can’t have that s—, you know? And that’s why we lost the game,” he told reporters. “As you could see, (we were) moving the ball wonderfully. Hold on to the f—ing ball. Sorry for my language,” Jackson said in the postgame interview.
Baltimore took the lead early, but after settling for short field goals and giving the ball away three times -despite wearing down the Bills defense and enduring a change in weather conditions – they were in a difficult situation to post a win, even though they nearly got there. Thanks to the play of Bills linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, Buffalo checked the run game and made game-changing plays.
Allen, who was tasked with carrying the Bills offense with his legs and throwing arm, will now get another opportunity to go head-to-head with Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs utilized second-half magic to pull away from the Houston Texans in their game over the weekend. And while teams creating dynasties generally upset the balance of fanbases across the league, Kansas City was the benefactor of at least one questionable call that drew ire from fans – not just those supporting the Texans.
Houston became the team known for being the first in NFL postseason history to outgain their opponent by 100 yards, give away zero turnovers, yet still lose the game. Prior to C.J. Stroud and the Texans truly challenging a Chiefs team that played a mediocre game, teams in the playoffs that had out-gained their opponents by the same margin had a win-loss record of 49-0.
The Bills and Chiefs will meet for the second time in the AFC Championship game (fourth postseason meeting) where the Buffalo has a notch in their belt for beating Kansas City during the regular season and holding a 3-1 record in their favor during their last head-to-head games.
Takeaways from the NFC
Not many NFL insiders would have gambled on the Washington Commanders being able to shut down Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions offense for a big win, but that’s exactly what happened. Despite allowing 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns, the Commanders defense grabbed five turnovers in their matchup.
Jayden Daniels didn’t let the atmosphere in Detroit destroy his composure as he picked-away at the Lions’ injury-riddled defense. The rookie’s 271 combined passing and rushing yards were the most in the first half of an NFL playoff game since Tom Brady‘s 282 (in Super Bowl LII).
Despite their regular-season record, which wasn’t bad but had featured games that hadn’t gone quite to script, the Commanders took command of their fate and look ahead to the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Los Angeles Rams were somewhat of a surprise entry into the playoffs after an 11-8 regular season that had its ups and downs. They deserve credit for finding their rhythm in the second half of the game with the Eagles over the weekend, nearly pulling off the comeback in non-favorable weather conditions.
The Eagles leaned on Saquon Barkley after he gashed the Rams on a 62-yard touchdown run, but his 205 rushing yards came, mainly, on two big carries. The Rams held him to just 2.5 yards per carry on 24 other rushing attempts.
Despite sacking Jaylen Hurts seven times, the weather played a factor in how the Rams executed overall. Hurts had a 44-yard touchdown run to open the game but suffered a knee injury. His stat line wasn’t amazing, even though his grit was admirable as he remained in the game. Hurts completed 15 of 29 passes for 128 yards.
The Hurts vs Daniels QB battle should be a fun one to watch in the NFC Championship game should Hurts’ injury not hamper him leading up to the meeting.
