About a month ago, eight of the NFL’s best teams battled for the opportunity to play in their conference’s championship game.
The Chiefs, Bills, Packers, and Buccaneers all succeeded. Let’s dive into each of their matchups and find what these teams did to find themselves playing for a shot at the Super Bowl.
Packers vs Rams
The first game of the weekend was a battle between the #1 scoring offense and the #1 scoring defense. The Packers’ well-rounded performance was led by their offensive line and defense. Despite losing tackle David Bakhtiari due to a torn ACL, the offensive line was able to stop the 3rd ranked defensive line of the Rams. The time that Aaron Rodgers was given allowed him to throw for just under 300 yards and post a passing rating of 108.1. The Packers defense also stifled the Rams offense. Led by the highest-graded cornerback in the NFL, Jaire Alexander, the Packers defense was able to disrupt a deep Rams pass attack led by Robert Woods and Josh Reynolds. Jared Goff was held to less than 175 yards through the air. The Packers’ offensive line and secondary were able to lead them to Aaron Rodgers’ 5th career NFC Championship.
Bills vs Ravens
The low scoring affair between the two was spearheaded by the Bills’ highly underrated defensive unit. Though the Bills boast one of the leagues’ highest-powered offenses, ranking 2nd in the NFL for yards per game, the unit had a relatively ineffective night, ultimately relying on the defense to carry them through the night. Josh Allen only threw for 206 yards and had a passer rating of 86.1. The Bills running game only combined for 32 yards on 2 yards per carry. However, the Bills defense, which limited the Ravens to 3 points and had a critical pick-six in the red zone, are the true MVPs of this game. They were able to hold the Ravens offense to only 150 yards, compared to their season average of over 190. Also, they kept Lamar Jackson in check through the air. He only threw for 162 yards and had a passer rating of 61.5. By utilizing blitzes and packing the box, the Bills were able to defend the best ground game in football, leading them to the win.
Chiefs vs Browns
I credit the Chiefs victory over the Browns to their run game, which is surprising considering they ranked 15th in rushing yards per game on the season. They were able to rack up 123 yards on 5.1 yards per carry against a strong Cleveland front seven. While everyone focuses on the heroics of Patrick Mahomes, establishing the run game was critical in this game as it forced the Browns defense to stay true. By establishing the run game and letting Patrick Mahomes run wild, the Chiefs were able to put up a strong performance against the Browns. At least, until Mahomes went down with a concussion. This is when the run game was especially important. Chad Henne was able to lead the Chiefs to victory following a heroic 14-yard scramble on 3rd & 15. All in all, the Chiefs run game helped them beat the Cleveland Browns.
Buccaneers vs Saints
The final game of the weekend was a showdown between two future hall of fame quarterbacks, Drew Brees and Tom Brady. The Buccaneers were able to win due to a stellar performance against Drew Brees in potentially his last game. It was the turnover differential and the short field opportunities that were given to Tom Brady and the rest of the Bucs high powered offense that won them the game. After picking Drew Brees off three times and forcing a critical fumble down 20 to 13 in the third quarter, the Bucs offense was able to capitalize. Red zone efficiency, a +4 turnover differential, and pressuring the quarterback is what led to the win for the Buccaneers.