
After the opening 4 video games of wild-card weekend resulted in double-digit victories, soccer followers had been begging for only one shut recreation.
The Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers heard the plea, and delivered one of the best recreation of the playoffs to this point on Sunday night time that ended the weekend with a bang, or extra precisely, a doink.
Washington’s last-second win was the primary by a highway crew, as favourites largely dominated their wild-card opponents.
Two of these favourites had been the Buffalo Payments and Philadelphia Eagles, who each soundly dealt with inferior opponents on Sunday and proved why they’re two in style picks to hoist the Lombardi Trophy come February.
With the divisional spherical image almost full, this is what we realized from Sunday’s three video games.
COMMANDERS 23, BUCCANEERS 20
Daniels proves why he is not your common rookie
All season lengthy, Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels performed with poise past his years.
However in his first playoff begin, when the lights are the brightest, may he actually carry over his regular-season success?
In spite of everything, playoff rookie QBs beginning their first playoff video games on the highway had been a mixed 5-17.
Daniels appeared unfazed by the post-season environment as he led the Commanders to the franchise’s first playoff win in 6,945 days and confirmed why, in the end, the long run appears to be like very brilliant in Washington.
“It means so much, man,” Daniels stated of the victory. “You possibly can simply see all of the followers over right here, man, they’re ready for us. They’ve waited a very long time for this second and this sense, so I’m simply so blissful for them.”
Final yr’s Heisman Trophy winner completed the sport with 304 complete yards and two landing passes, one among which was a fourth-quarter bullet to Terry McLaurin with the Commanders down 4.
The Commanders completed the sport with zero turnovers and 0 punts, which has solely occurred 3 times in NFL historical past with a rookie at QB, per OptaStats. When had been the opposite two occasions? Daniels in Week 2 and Daniels in Week 3.
Daniels now will get a matchup with the top-seeded Lions, however along with his first playoff win beneath his belt and the Offensive Rookie of the Yr award quickly to comply with, the sky seems to be the restrict for the 24-year-old pivot.
Daniels will garner many of the headlines for the win, but when it weren’t for some easy errors by the Buccaneers, it would’ve been celebration time in Tampa Bay.
Two comparatively routine errors price the Buccaneers late within the recreation. The primary was a botched handoff to WR Jalen McMillan that resulted in Daniels’ strike to McLaurin. The subsequent was what seemed like a tousled snap depend on a Third-and-1 within the pink zone that compelled the Bucs right into a game-tying discipline objective as a substitute of probably a go-ahead TD.
You have to be basically sound to win within the NFL post-season. The Bucs weren’t, and now they’re going to have an extended low season to consider what may’ve been.
Payments’ balanced assault wears down Broncos D
Who wants a No. 1 receiver anyway?
One of many largest query marks for the Payments heading into this season was how they might have the ability to deal with the lack of star WR Stefon Diggs.
Time and time once more this season, the Payments proved that the lack of Diggs was an overblown storyline, and that continued of their wild-card matchup with the Broncos on Sunday.
Josh Allen accomplished a go to eight completely different receivers, James Cook dinner grew to become the primary Payments RB to hurry for over 100 yards in a post-season recreation since Thurman Thomas in 1995 and Buffalo had their longest time of possession of the season (41:43).
“I don’t assume there was one sure factor over one other. We simply wished to come back out and execute effectively,” Allen stated after the sport. “On the finish of the day, we simply wished to come back out and play our greatest soccer, and I really feel like we did that in the present day.”
After a shaky first half, the Payments’ range on O was an excessive amount of for a gifted Broncos defence within the remaining two quarters en path to a convincing victory.
Early in Allen’s profession, he was recognized for making unimaginable performs however was additionally vulnerable to head-scratching errors. Now, in his seventh season, one among Allen’s finest attributes is that he is greater than snug simply taking what the defence provides him.
Do not get us unsuitable, he is nonetheless one of the dynamic playmakers within the NFL in the present day. However subsequent weekend, within the heavyweight showdown with the Baltimore Ravens, he must be cautious to not get right into a Superman-off with Lamar Jackson.
As a result of as Allen would absolutely attest to, stats do not matter within the post-season, solely Ws do.
After shocking season, Broncos get actuality verify
Regardless of the loss, this season must be seen as a hit for the Broncos.
With a rookie QB and a second-year head coach, Denver made the playoffs for the primary time since 2015. Sunday was extra of a “we’re simply blissful to be right here” second than something.
A gap-drive TD might have made Broncos followers consider they might pull off the upset, however these can be the one factors they might rating within the recreation.
Actuality set in after that, and the extra skilled Payments crew imposed their will for the remaining three quarters.
With Allen, Jackson and Patrick Mahomes all within the AFC for years to come back, the Broncos bought a first-hand have a look at the extent that they’re going to must construct towards on Sunday.
“I’m actually happy with these guys. We’ve overcome so much and probably not been counted in lots of video games,” rookie QB Bo Nix stated post-game. “However to make the playoffs was a particular second for this group. It’s one thing we are able to construct off of. … Our objectives are altering.”
Eagles depend on strengths to advance
Regardless of a Twenty ninth-ranked passing offence, the Eagles gained 12 of their final 13 regular-season video games behind a dominant speeding assault and their No. 1-ranked defence.
Each had been on full show in Sunday’s wild-card win over the Packers.
The Eagles D picked off Jordan Love 3 times and allowed only one first down within the first quarter as they jumped out to a 10-0 lead.
On the offensive aspect of the ball, Saquon Barkley was the intense spot. Regardless of a season by which he almost broke the all-time speeding file, Barkley wasn’t introduced in to set particular person data; he was signed to assist the Eagles win playoff video games.
Thus far, so good, as Barkley completed with a game-high 126 yards on the bottom.
The Eagles know the place their bread is buttered, and having an id within the playoffs goes a great distance.
A.J. Brown channels “Interior Excellence”
The most important winner of wild-card weekend may be writer Jim Murphy.
Through the Eagles’ win, WR A.J. Brown went viral for flipping by Murphy’s “Interior Excellence.”
It is a e book that’s supposed to assist a person “Prepare your thoughts for extraordinary efficiency and the very best life.”
Sunday was something however a rare efficiency from Brown, as he completed with only one catch for 10 yards.
However the Eagles No. 1 receiver says he brings the e book to each recreation to assist him by each the ups and downs.
“If I rating a landing or drop a go, it is one thing how I refocus,” Brown stated after the sport. “I all the time revert again to the start of the e book. It states in the event you can simply have a transparent thoughts and do not forget that nothing else issues, clear conscience, nothing issues destructive or constructive. You are prepared to take dangers. It additionally says in the event you’re humble, you’ll be able to’t be embarrassed.”
Brown definitely will not be embarrassed if the e book helps him earn his first Tremendous Bowl ring.
Errors, accidents an excessive amount of for Packers to beat
To win a playoff recreation on the highway as a No. 7 seed, loads of issues need to go proper.
Lots went unsuitable for the Packers on Sunday.
It began proper from the opening kickoff once they fumbled the opening kickoff and located themselves down 7-0 earlier than they even blinked.
Love’s three interceptions additionally did not assist, and neither did the flurry of accidents that befell Inexperienced Bay’s offence.
Already with out WR Christian Watson, the Packers noticed their high two remaining WRs, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed, go down with accidents, in addition to their terrific left guard Elgton Jenkins.
The mix of errors and accidents most likely would’ve been an excessive amount of for even one of the best to beat, not to mention a No. 7 seed up in opposition to the league’s No. 1 defence.
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