Monday, January 11, 2021

NFL Playoffs - Wild Card Round Review

The Wild Card round of the 2020 NFL Playoffs are over now and six teams move on to the divisional round next weekend. In the NFC, it will be the Los Angeles Rams facing the top seeded Green Bay Packers while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints will meet for the third time this season, but this time with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line. The AFC will see the top seeded Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Cleveland Browns while the Buffalo Bills will play at home against the Baltimore Ravens. 

 

The AFC Wild Card game on Saturday saw the Buffalo Bills defeat the Indianapolis Colts, 27-24 while two others were played on Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the host Tennessee Titans, 20-13 and the Cleveland Browns opened up with a 28-0 lead in the first quarter en route to a 48-37 road victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

 

BUFFALO 27, INDIANAPOLIS 24 - Bills QB Josh Allen threw for two scores along with 324 passing yards and rushed for another to lead his team in rushing (54 yards) in the playoff win, which was the first for the Buffalo Bills since the 1995 season. Colts QB Philip Rivers (309 passing yards) had two TD passes in the loss. The Colts were driving in the final minute of the game, but a fourth down desperation pass was batted down by the Buffalo defense near the Bills' goal line to end the game.

 

BALTIMORE 20, TENNESSEE 13 - Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (pictured right) took over this game, rushing for 136 yards and scored on a 48-yard run to tie the game, 10-10 by halftime. The Baltimore defense


limited Titans running back Derrick Henry to just 40 yards on 18 carries to lead the way after Tennessee got out to a 10-0 lead, thanks in part to a ten-yard TD pass from QB Ryan Tannehill to wide receiver A.J. Brown. For the game, Tennessee gained only 209 yards in total offense. Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins helped seal the game with a four-yard TD run in the third quarter. The Ravens rushed for 236 yards in the win.

 

 

CLEVELAND 48, PITTSBURGH 37 - The game started with the Browns defense scoring on a fumble recovery in the Steelers end zone and the Browns had a 28-0 lead after the first quarter and coasted from there for their first playoff win since the 1994 season. Cleveland QB Baker Mayfield had three TD passes and RB Kareem Hunt scored two rushing touchdowns while the defense intercepted Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (501 passing yards and four TD) four times along with the fumble recovery. The Steelers closed to within 35-23 and had the ball early in the fourth quarter, but punted and from there, the Browns put the game away with a 40-yard TD pass play from Mayfield to RB Nick Chubb. 


In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams surprised the Seattle Seahawks, 30-20 on Saturday while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held off the host Washington Football team, 31-23 on Saturday night. On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints blasted the Chicago Bears, 21-9 for the home victory to move on to the divisional round. 

 

LOS ANGELES RAMS 30, SEATTLE 20 - The Rams defense scored on a 42-yard interception return by cornerback Darious Williams and it also had five quarterback sacks to lead the way in the win. Rams RB Cam Akers scored on a five-yard run and had 131 yards on 28 carries as Los Angeles used a balanced offense (164 rushing yards, 169 passing yards) including a stellar effort from QB Jared Goff, who came off the bench for starting QB John Wolford (neck injury) and had a 15-yard scoring pass (with a broken thumb) to WR Robert Woods with 4:46 remaining in the fourth quarter to give them a 30-13 lead. Rams kicker Matt Gay added three field goals to help the effort. Seattle QB Russell Wilson was just 11-for-27 passing in the game for 174 yards with two touchdowns and the interception. The Seahawks also lost a fumble and were limited to 278 yards in total offense in the loss. 

 

TAMPA BAY 31, WASHINGTON 23 - Buccaneers QB Tom Brady (pictured left) passed for 381 yards and two touchdowns and RB Leonard Fournette gained 93 rushing yards and scored a touchdown and kicker Ryan Succop kicked four field goals in the win. Washington QB Taylor Heinicke had 306 passing yards


along with a TD pass and an eight-yard scoring run to help keep things close. A 37-yard field goal by Succop with just under three minutes remaining in the game put the Buccaneers up by eight points and the Tampa Bay defense did the rest as Washington turned the ball over on downs to finish up the game. 

 

NEW ORLEANS 21, CHICAGO 9 - The Saints advanced in the home win behind two TD passes from QB Drew Brees and a three-yard scoring run by RB Alvin Kamara, who had 99 rushing yards in the game. The Saints defense limited the Bears to eleven first downs and 239 yards in total offense, including just 48 rushing yards. The game was close with the Saints ahead 7-3 at halftime before they scored twice in the second half to open up a 21-3 lead. The Bears scored their only touchdown with a 19-yard pass play from QB Mitch Trubisky to tight end Jimmy Graham on the final play of the game.

 

Saturday's Results 

Buffalo 27, Indianapolis 24

L.A. Rams 30, Seattle 20 

Tampa Bay 31, Washington 23

Sunday's Results 

Baltimore 20, Tennessee 13

New Orleans 21, Chicago 9

Cleveland 48, Pittsburgh 37


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