NFL Notebook: Divisional Round Recap

The NFL Divisional Round is in the books. Here’s a look back at the four games from this past weekend:

NFC

Washington 45 Detroit 31
The seeds of the Disaster in Detroit were planted back on November 10. The Lions were playing a Sunday Night game in Houston. Jared Goff threw five interceptions. Amazingly, Detroit managed to pull that game out. But it showed what Goff’s fatal flaw was—when mistakes came, they would come in bunches. His season-long interception percentage was 2.2%. Ideally, you’d like to see a 1-handle on that number, but it’s manageable. What that season-long number didn’t tell you was that when Goff threw one pick, more were coming. Could he go three games in a row against the league’s best without melting down? It turns out he didn’t even make it through one game.

Goff threw three interceptions and lost a fumble. The latter came early in the game when Detroit still seemed to have some control. One of the picks came in the end zone right before halftime when the Lions were going to make it a one-score game. The 30-year-old Goff seemed like the rookie, while the actual rookie, Washington’s Jayden Daniels, was cool and collected. Daniels carved up the Detroit pass defense. The Lion running game still hummed—over 200 yards—but an imploding quarterback and a tattered defense weren’t going to be overcome.

Philadelphia 28 LA Rams 22
This recap could easily have turned into an indictment of Jalen Hurts. The Eagle quarterback was tentative in the pocket and looked like a deer in the headlights when the pass rush come. He took four unnecessary sacks, all of which were costly. Two came when Philly was around the L.A. 30-yard line and took them out of field goal range. Another one directly cost points, resulting in a safety. Another created a 3^rd-and-forever when the Birds were trying to kill the clock. Amidst all this, for the second week in a row, Hurts did not make big plays down the field against a team with vulnerable corners.

But there’s one big number on the stat sheet that Goff would envy—a “0” in the turnover column. The Eagle defense made a big play in the second half, stripping Ram running back Kyren Williams and setting up points. All of it was enough for Saquon Barkley to take over. The great Eagle running back rolled up 205 yards, including a 78-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference. Hurts still doesn’t look comfortable after his concussion. But for two straight weeks, he’s been mistake-free at home, and that’s been enough.

AFC

Kansas City 23 Houston 14
I haven’t written these words very often in the NFL playoffs, but this was a game that mostly unfolded as I expected. Kansas City didn’t look overwhelming. But they beat up on the Texan offensive line. Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud made some plays, going for 19/28 for 245 yards and didn’t make mistakes. But the Chiefs sacked Stroud eight times, three by George Karlaftis III. Patrick Mahomes stayed mistake-free, going 16/25 for 177 yards. And he did some vintage improvisation, flipping a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce early in the fourth quarter when it looked like the play was dead.

As expected, Kelce—in spite of a season that was pedestrian by his lofty standards—was able to get some favorable matchups against a Houston defense that is sketchy in the middle. Kelce caught seven balls for 117 yards, including a big play that set up the first K.C. touchdown. Houston also had special team mistakes—a big return allowed to start the game, a missed extra point that would have tied 13-13, and a missed field goal from makeable range. Stroud is a gutsy young quarterback and Joe Mixon had a respectable game running the ball But no pass protection and special teams blunders aren’t going to beat Mahomes in his own house.

Buffalo 27 Baltimore 25
Lamar Jackson’s story is the opposite of Jalen Hurts. Lamar, playing on the road and in the same snow that blanketed the Northeast last night, was clutch throwing the ball. He went 18/25 for 204 yards. He got better as the game went on. But Lamar’s early interception and early fumble helped Buffalo build a 21-10 lead by halftime. And even though the Ravens controlled the second half, that lead was too much to overcome.

Nor was Lamar the only Baltimore player to make mistakes. Mark Andrews is going to have a long offseason. Trailing 24-19, the Raven tight end had a mostly unforced fumble as his team moved into Bills’ territory and looked unstoppable. That was just the prelude to the play that will live in Baltimore infamy. Andrews’ dropping of a easy catch for a game-tying two-point conversion with a minute and a half left, will go up there with Billy Cundiff’s missed chip shot field goal in New England in 2011.

Buffalo was outgained 416-273. But they didn’t beat themselves. James Cook’s stat line of 17 carries for 67 yards doesn’t stand out, any more than his season-long numbers stand out. But a hat-tip to CBS’ Tony Romo for the insight that Cook and the Buffalo running game is situationally good. It just seemed like Cook was getting more yardage. If you think, as I do, that the Ravens are the most complete team in the NFL, yesterday did nothing to change your mind. But it underscored just how important basic execution and care of the ball matter in a league where no one is talented enough to overwhelm their opponent.

We started watching football back in late August and there’s only four games left. Every one of them will decide a championship. The final stretch drive tonight begins with college football’s national title game. And our preview of that will be up before the morning is out.