The conference championships in the NFL are set — and rivalries will rule the day.
For the fourth time in their postseason careers, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will face Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. The only matchup between quarterbacks to take place more times in the playoffs was Tom Brady against Peyton Manning, which happened five times. For the Bills, this will be a little more personal; Kansas City has won all three of the previous postseason matchups in which Mahomes and Allen played.
In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles will host their NFC East rivals, the upstart Washington Commanders, whose upset Saturday stunned the NFL. These two teams split their regular-season series, though the Eagles, who rolled through the Los Angeles Rams behind Saquon Barkley in a snow game, are playing very clean football.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday of the divisional round in the NFL.
WINNERS
Bills overcome sluggish third quarter
Buffalo entered halftime mostly in control. But the Ravens adjusted, mixing up their rushes and leaning on Derrick Henry to alter the game. It worked. Baltimore outgained the Bills by a margin of 120-38 in the third quarter, the Bills earned just two first downs and the Ravens put up nine points in the period. Buffalo did not record a single score and by the end of the period, it was a two-point game.
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Buffalo answered with a steady dose of Josh Allen, combining quick release throws and designed runs. And, after the Bills’ defense forced a massive Mark Andrews fumble in the fourth quarter, Buffalo steadied in the fourth, and executed a pair of drives of 10 and 11 plays, both of which resulted in insurance field goals.
Saquon Barkley, Howie Roseman and the steal of free agency
Yes, the running back market has been depressed for some time. And, yes, investing lucrative contracts at the position still may not be good for business in the NFL. That changes categorically, however, if the running backs are superstars like Saquon Barkley.
Barkley rolled up 232 yards from scrimmage on 30 touches (7.7 yards per touch), including a pair of touchdown rushes of 62 and 78 yards. He has had a historic season, and he fits perfectly with Philadelphia’s identity. So Barkley’s three-year deal, worth an average annual value of $12.6 million, is a relative bargain. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman struck once more.
Buffalo’s pressure package
The Bills aren’t known for bringing extra pass rushers, at least not nearly at the clip they did against Baltimore. Coach Sean McDermott’s team blitzed Lamar Jackson on 48.4% of his 31 dropbacks, the fifth-highest rate during McDermott’s eight seasons in Buffalo.
The added pressure affected Jackson; against a four-man rush, Jackson completed 10 of 11 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. On plays when Buffalo blitzed, Jackson completed just eight of 14 for 132 yards and an interception. The results were surprising as Jackson had fared mostly well against blitzes this season. This pressure may even be something the team looks to keep next week against the Chiefs.
Jalen Carter
The second-year defensive tackle, fresh off his Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro selections, posted a monster game, collecting five tackles, two sacks, three QB hits, one pass deflection and a forced fumble. Carter’s big plays were made during crucial stretches; his punch-out fumble came as L.A. had seized some momentum. His third-down sack (on a blown protection) came with 1:14 left in the game with the Rams at the Philadelphia 13-yard line.
Carter, 23, is a burgeoning star, and one who become a dominant force in the NFL for years to come.
LOSERS
Kyren Williams, Matthew Stafford and L.A.’s inability to secure the ball in the snow
This game turned entirely on one team’s inability to secure a slick, cold football. Entering the fourth quarter, the Rams had just sacked Jalen Hurts in the end zone for a safety, cut the deficit to one point and got the ball back. On the first play of the fourth, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter punched the ball out of Kyren Williams’ hand. Philadelphia turned that into a quick field goal.
On the following drive, Matthew Stafford had the ball poked out near midfield; the Eagles also turned that fumble into another field goal.
Same goes for Baltimore
Though the conditions weren’t as snowy as in Philadelphia, the Ravens turned the ball over three times, with two of those being fumbles that appeared to be influenced by a slick football.
That means that, from Sunday’s games, the two winning teams did not commit a single turnover, while the losing teams combined for five — three of which were in the second half. The Eagles and Bills combined for 16 points off those turnovers
Mark Andrews
And, speaking of turnovers, the one that completely altered the course of Baltimore’s season was tight end Mark Andrews’ fumble in the middle of the fourth quarter that completely robbed the Ravens of their momentum. Baltimore, which was facing a five-point deficit at the time, had been driving up to that point. It came on a 16-yard catch that would’ve put the Ravens in Bills territory inside of nine minutes to play. The Bills would then go on an 11-play drive that took 5:12 off the clock and set up a field goal.
Unfortunately for Andrews, that wasn’t the worst of it. His bobble of what would’ve been a clear game-tying two-point conversion will certainly be the play Ravens fans remember all offseason.
The health of Jalen Hurts’ knee
That Jalen Hurts stayed in the game after getting his left knee twisted during a third quarter sack indicates that perhaps Hurts avoided serious injury. Yet, for the rest of the game, his mobility was clearly limited.
Conditions were wet and slick, but the banged up knee presumably led to his standing stagnant in the pocket during a safety late in the third. If Hurts is limited with his scrambling and rushing, that could open a space for the Commanders – who ranked fifth in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt (8.67%) – to alter the game.