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Sunday Games
Baltimore 20, Tennessee 13
Ravens Overcome Early Double Digit Deficit To Stun Titans
Last season, the Ravens stormed into the playoffs with 12 straight wins, looking like possibly one of the most dominant teams in history. Then, they got upset at home by a Titans team that found a way to kill all of that momentum.
This weekend, the Ravens returned the favor, knocking off the Titans in Tennessee to move onto the divisional round. They had to overcome an early 10-0 Titans lead in the first quarter in order to do it.
To his credit, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson kept his composure, and he used his arms and legs to allow the Ravens to battle back and tie the game by halftime. They took the lead in the second half, and never relinquished it after that.
On the day, Jackson completed 17 of 24 passes for 179, with one INT. He also led his team on the ground, producing 136 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries, including a beautiful 48-yard touchdown run that tied the game late in the first half. Marquise Brown was his favorite target in the air, hauling in 7 receptions for 109 yards.
The Ravens controlled the ball for well over 33 minutes, and produced just over 400 yards of total offense, with 22 first downs produced. The Titans, by contrast, only earned 209 yards on offense, and 12 first downs. Both teams committed one turnover apiece.
Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill completed 18 of 26 passes for 165 yards, with one touchdown and one INT. A.J. Brown led all Titans receivers with 6 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. Running back Derrick Henry, who joined the elite club of runners who gained over 2,000 yards in one season, was basically shut down by the Baltimore defense, only managing a modest 40 yards on 18 carries.
For the Titans, it is obviously a disappointing outcome. But the Ravens are the ones who will move on, as they get ready for a showdown with the Bills in Buffalo on Saturday. What a game that should be!
My pick: Accurate
New Orleans 21, Chicago 9
Saints Convincingly Dominate the Bears to Move Onto the Divisional Round of the Playoffs
This was a classic case of the final score not quite reflecting how this game turned out. In this case, it was not as close as the 21-9 final score would suggest, even though it would not suggest a very close game. In fact, the Bears scored a garbage time touchdown on the game’s final play for their only touchdown of the afternoon.
Still, Da Bears deserve some credit for keep the game as close as it was for as long as they did. The Saints scored a touchdown in the first quarter, but held only a 7-3 lead by halftime. New Orleans would not score another touchdown until late in the third quarter, before getting yet another midway through the fourth to put the game well out of reach.
The Saints held onto the ball for just under 39 minutes, or nearly two-thirds of the game. They produced 385 total yards, to just 239 for Chicago. They earned 27 first downs, while the Bears only managed 11 first downs. However, the Saints did produce the game’s only turnover, although it was clearly not a deciding factor in this game.
New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who will turn 42 later this week, completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Deonte Harris was his favorite target with 7 receptions for 83 yards. On the ground, Alvin Kamara pounded out 99 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries.
In a losing cause, Chicago quarterback Mitchell Trubisky completed 19 of 29 passes for 199 and one touchdown. His favorite target was Allen Robinson II, who caught 6 passes for 55 yards. On the ground, David Montgomery added a pedestrian 31 yards on 12 carries. For the Bears, a long offseason begins. They did qualify for the postseason for the second time in three seasons. But they have not won a playoff game now in over a decade.
As for the Saints, they move on and will next host their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, next weekend. Interestingly, it will pit two of the most accomplished quarterbacks that the game has ever seen, as Drew Brees, who will turn 42 by the time that that game kicks off, will take on 43-yard old Tom Brady.
Should be interesting!
My pick: Accurate
Cleveland 48, Pittsburgh 37
Browns Get Huge Road Playoff Victory Against Their Biggest Tormentors
Admittedly, I got this game wrong. I expected the Steelers of old to return back to form just on time for the playoffs. Not a Super Bowl run, or anything. But a home playoff win against the Browns, a team that they have owned for a ridiculously long time now? Yeah, that seemed very likely. A lot of people – not just me – were worried that this would be more of the same. The same old Browns, and the same old Steelers, pounding the Browns once again.
But the Browns had other ideas. Cleveland became the first team in NFL playoff history to score 28 points in the first quarter. They jumped out to a huge 28-0 lead, and then hung on for a huge, statement win. They did it on the home field of the team that symbolized their own torments more than any other franchise.
What a win!
It started on the game’s very first play, when the Steelers, backed up deep in their own territory, made an early, unforced error as a snap went well over Roethlisberger’s head. The ball wound up in the Cleveland end zone, and the Browns recovered for a very early touchdown lead. It was a sign of things to come, as it turns out.
Young Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield had a tremendous day, and it sure looks more and more like he is the real deal, the QB that this franchise has been looking for. On the day, he completed 21 of 34 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns. Jarvis Landry was his favorite target, with five receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Nick Chubb was solid on the ground, pounding out 76 yards on 18 carries, who also caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that almost iced the game for the Browns.
Ironically, despite what would seem to be incredible numbers by th Browns offense, the Steelers offense produced greater numbers in every category except points. They held onto the ball for over 32 minutes, gained 34 first downs to just 20 for Cleveland, and produced 553 yards of offense, to 390 for the Browns. Veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a statistically very impressive day, completing 47 of 68 passes for 501 yards and four touchdowns. However, he also threw four picks, and the Steelers suffered five turnovers overall, to none for the Browns. That was not an insignificant factor in explaining why Pittsburgh lost this game.
Julu Smith-Schuster led all receivers with an astounding 13 receptions for 157 yards and one touchdown, in what has to be a banner day for him. On the ground, Pittsburgh running back James Conner only managed 37 yards on 11 carries, although he did get a touchdown.
Finally, the Browns win a playoff game, for the first time since the 1994-95 season. Back then, they had a young head coach by the name of Bill Belichick, who had the unique distinction since the Patriots started their dynasty in 2001 of having been the most recent playoff winning head coach for two franchises. But all of that is done, and the Browns won against most likely the one team that they wanted to win the most against in as huge and important game as this. And the fans in Cleveland were loving it! They were out in the streets celebrating their team’s huge accomplishment, as well they should.
Good for them!
Just don’t celebrate too long, because the Browns have a date with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium next weekend. For now, though, the Browns and their fans definitely earned the right to celebrate this win!
My pick: Inaccurate – but I am glad to have been wrong!
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