To start off the playoffs, the Los Angeles Chargers played the Houston Texans. This game was played in Houston, but a lot of people thought the game could go either way. The Chargers started off leading the game 6-0 after two made field goals by kicker Cameron Dicker. After this lead, it all went down hill for the Chargers. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had arguably his worst game where he threw four interceptions. It is almost impossible to turn the ball over this much and win the game. The Texans were able to score off their chances and beat the Chargers 32-12 showing that they are contenders. The Texans play the #1 seed in the AFC, Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at 4:30 PM.
Shortly after the Texans and Chargers game, the next matchup happened. The two divisional rivals Steelers and Ravens played each other in the playoffs for the first time since 2015. As soon as this game started it was clear that the Ravens were the better team. Ravens running back Derrick Henry had a bunch of explosive runs through the defense which was one of the main reasons why they won. He ran the ball 26 times for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns which just shows how big of a problem he is. The Steelers offense struggled in the first half which resulted in them being down 21-0 at halftime. Their offense picked up in the third quarter, but it was too late at that point. The Ravens won 28-14. The Ravens play the Buffalo Bills in the next round on Sunday at 6:30 pm. This is probably the biggest game of the year because both quarterbacks are leading the MVP race and this is a matchup the world wants to see.
On Sunday, the first matchup of the day was the Buffalo Bills versus the Denver Broncos. Rookie quarterback for the Broncos, Bo Nix has had a solid year and this was his time to prove himself when it matters most. They were able to score first putting themselves up 7-0, but this lead didn’t last long. Whether it was using his legs or his arm, Bills quarterback Josh Allen played almost perfectly. He only threw six incompletions out of twenty six attempts. He threw for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also rushing for nearly 50 yards. Bills running back James Cook also had a big game rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown. The Bills showed once again that they have arguably the best offenses in the league and that they have a big chance to win the Super Bowl. The Bills won 31-7.
After the Bills game, the NFL jumped over to the NFC where the Green Bay Packers played the Philadelphia Eagles. This game was pretty similar to the Chargers game because Packers quarterback Jordan Love struggled. Throughout the whole game he couldn’t find the end zone while throwing way too many interceptions. The Eagles took an early lead in the first quarter where they went up 10-0. When the second half started the Eagles were still in control of the game and never lost control. Love ended up throwing three interceptions while Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw two touchdown passes. The Eagles ended up winning 22-10. The Eagles play the Los Angeles Rams in the next round of the playoffs on Sunday at 3:00 pm.
To finish off Sunday, the Washington Commanders played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Commanders historically haven’t been great so for NFL fans it was exciting to watch them in the playoffs with a rookie quarterback. This game was constantly back and forth with the scores changing. Both offenses played very safe and didn’t turn the ball over once. Due to the fact that both teams were exchanging the lead, the fourth quarter was where most things happened. The Buccaneers were up 17-13. With about 10 minutes left, the Commanders were in field goal range on a 4th and 2, but they decided to go for it. Quarterback Jayden Daniels threw it to wide receiver Terry Mclaurin in the endzone, and he caught it for the touchdown putting the Commanders up 20-17. In the Buccaneers next drive, Baker Mayfield led his team down the field which resulted in a field goal to tie the game. When the Commanders got the ball back, they went on a long four minute drive to get in field goal range with no time left. With three seconds left in the game, the Commanders kicked a 37 yard field goal to try and win the game. When the kicker kicked it, the ball went right, hitting the post. Luckily, the ball bounced and still made it through the goalpost making the Commanders come out victorious 23-20. The Commanders are now set to play the #1 seed in the NFC, Detroit Lions on Saturday at 8:00 pm.
To finish off the Wild Card round, the Minnesota Vikings played the Los Angeles Rams on monday night. The Vikings were favored to win this game which made this game surprising. Throughout the game, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was sacked a total of nine times while also turning the ball over twice. Although during the regular season the Vikings offense was great, they struggled and were only able to score nine points all game. The Rams defense looked very solid and their offense was able to score a lot of points which made them come out with the win. Although the Vikings only lost 4 games this year, they only lost to two teams. The Rams and Lions beat them twice. The Rams ended up winning 27-9.
Coming up this weekend is the Divisional Round which holds some very big matchups. It will be exciting to see which teams make it to the AFC or NFC championship and which teams season comes to an end.