NFL PLAYOFFS - Divisional Round Recap

Broncos QB Bo Nix and Bills QB Josh Allen meet up after the overtime playoff game. 

On Saturday, the Denver Broncos were the recipients of late penalty flags that kept a drive going in overtime, which led to a game winning 24-yard field goal by Will Lutz in a 33-30 decision over the visiting Buffalo Bills. The officials decided to drop the flags after letting the players decide the action for most of the game until a very questionable pass interference call put the ball at the Bills 36-yard line. The Bills were also their own worst enemy, committing five turnovers (three fumbles, two interceptions) in the loss. The Broncos will host the AFC Championship Game next Sunday, but will be without starting quarterback Bo Nix, who suffered a season ending ankle injury on the next to last play in the game.

As far as the action in the game, it was back and forth throughout and the Broncos were able to go ahead, 30-27 late in the fourth quarter when Nix threw a 26-yard TD pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims, Jr. with 1:01 left. The Bills drove downfield and tied the game with a 50-yard field goal by Matt Prater with just five seconds remaining to force the overtime. For the game, Nix finished with 279 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Bills QB Josh Allen had 283 passing yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions and also lost two fumbles, one of which happened in his own end of the field late in the first half that gave Denver a 20-10 halftime lead when Lutz kicked a 50-yard field goal as time ran out. That proved to be the difference in the final outcome. 

The Saturday night game in Seattle was all Seahawks as they demolished the San Francisco 49ers, 41-6 and it all started on the opening kickoff, taken back by Rashid Shaheed 95 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 lead before the fans had even settled into their seats. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for three touchdowns and 116 yards on 19 carries while QB Sam Darnold had a scoring pass and the defense forced three turnovers. The 49ers were never in this one as they managed just two field goals by Eddy Pineiro in the second quarter prior to Walker's first TD run (seven yards) as they trailed 24-6 at the break. In the second half, Seattle added another field goal by kicker Jason Myers and two more Walker scoring runs to wrap up the rout. 

 

The New England Patriots defense dominated the AFC divisional game against the visiting Houston Texans and that led to an easy 28-16 win as Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was intercepted four times, including a "pick six" interception return of 26 yards by Marcus Jones in the second quarter that swung the game for the Patriots. The Pats defense had three sacks and held the Texans in check throughout the game after grabbing the 14-10 lead  following the interception by Jones. Patriots QB Drake Maye (pictured right) passed for 179 yards and had three TD passes and one interception in the win. He also was sacked five times and lost two fumbles. Meanwhile, Stroud had 212 passing yards with one touchdown pass and the four interceptions in defeat. 

The NFC divisional game in snowy Chicago went to the Los Angeles Rams, 20-17 in overtime on Sunday evening as kicker Harrison Mevis made a 42-yard field goal to send the Rams to the NFC Championship Game in Seattle next week. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw a 14-yard TD pass to tight end Cole Kmet with 18 seconds remaining to tie the game at 17-17 and force the overtime. Rams running back Kyren Williams (87 yards on 21 carries, two TD) ran for the go ahead score from five yards for the 17-10 lead with 6:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. The game was tied 10-10 at the half and the second half was a defensive struggle with both teams seeing drives stall. Rams QB Matthew Stafford had 258 passing yards while Bears QB Caleb Williams (257 passing yards, two TD, three INT) threw his third interception in the game in the overtime and the Rams took over at their own 22-yard line and eventually on a third-and-six play, Stafford hit WR Puka Nacua for a 16-yard gain to the Bears 27-yard line. Three plays later, the winning field goal propelled the Rams to the NFC title game. 

 

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF ROUND RESULTS 

Denver 33, Buffalo 30 (OT)  

Seattle 41, San Francisco 6  

New England 28, Houston 16

L.A. Rams 20, Chicago 17  (OT)