After a Wild Card weekend full of duds, the NFL playoffs got a huge upswing this week in the Divisional round. Let’s go back game by game, working backwards from Sunday night’s finale, to recap the highs and lows of the weekend.
NFL scores and more: What happened in the Divisional round this weekend
We finally got some good playoff football this weekend.
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First, the conference championship games are all set. It’ll be the Falcons hosting the Packers on Sunday afternoon followed by the Steelers at Patriots on Sunday evening.
Also, a mock draft.
2017 NFL mock draft: What if only seniors got drafted? This week we exclude all juniors and redshirt sophomores from the draft.
STEELERS 18, CHIEFS 16
Eric Fisher’s hold on 2-point conversion cost Chiefs the game vs. Steelers. A brutal penalty.
Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones got so pumped that he threw up everywhere. Whatever works, right?
Five Winners and One Loser for the Steelers after their playoff win over the Chiefs. All Le’Veon Bell did was rush for 170 yards on 30 carries. Wow. Too bad they couldn’t translate that into touchdowns.
The Chiefs and Steelers had a little scuffle after the game. Chiefs CB Terrance Mitchell and Steelers WR Antonio Brown appeared to get into it after the game.
Travis Kelce goes off on refs after Steelers-Chiefs game. “He shouldn’t be able to work at ***ing Foot Locker.”
Patriots open as favorites in AFC Championship game vs. the Steelers. After the game, Tomlin made his feelings about the Patriots VERY clear. "We spotted those assholes a day and a half." Antonio Brown's video contained a little bulletin board material for the Patriots.
PACKERS 34, COWBOYS 31
Packers and Cowboys gave us the best 120 seconds of the NFL playoffs. The final two minutes of Green Bay’s win over Dallas were phenomenally entertaining.
Jared Cook's amazing sideline catch sets up the Packers' game-winning field goal. What an ending that made for. Aaron Rodgers drew up that critical play in the huddle. "Drew it up in the dirt," as the kids say.
Cowboys declined a fair catch kick and a chance for three points at the end of the first half. It would have been a 73-yard field goal attempt to close the half.
Dak Prescott proved why he’s the Cowboys’ quarterback after everyone said he should be benched. Fans were ready to bail on Prescott after his slow start against the Packers. Then he showed how great he can be.
Ezekiel Elliott blew Clay Matthews’ mind with his spin move. Just ... wow.
Elliott and Prescott were being serenaded with “we are proud” chants from fans stuck inside AT&T Stadium. Stay safe, Dallas.
Cowboys’ playoff loss takes some of the shine off of a stellar season. The Cowboys loss was a huge blown opportunity, but fortunately they have set a foundation for future success.
PATRIOTS 34, TEXANS 16
New England overcame uncharacteristic turnovers with big plays that Houston couldn’t match. The Texans didn’t have a single offensive play of 20 yards or more, failing to capitalize on mistakes made by the Patriots.
Patriots were prepared for Texans pass rush, but failed to execute. The Texans pass rush got to Patriots QB Tom Brady all game. Jadeveon Clowney was a monster. And Brady had a temper tantrum after Clowney hit him and referees didn’t throw a flag.
Bill O’Brien lays rumors to rest, says he will be the Texans’ coach again in 2017. Despite reports that the coach was butting heads with the general manager, O’Brien assured reporters he’ll return in 2017.
FALCONS 36, SEAHAWKS 20
Atlanta arrives with great fanfare and a big win over Seattle. The Falcons dominated the Seahawks, and now they’ll host the Packers.
How the overlooked Falcons defense found a winning formula. Atlanta’s offense is usually the big story surrounding this team, but the defensive performance against the Seahawks deserves recognition.
Seahawks-Falcons Rule Explanation: Why the final interception was not reviewed. It sure looked like it should’ve been, but there’s a reason it wasn’t.
Michael Bennett lost his cool in that game, and one of his teammates called him out for it, pointing out that the Seahawks’ history of fighting after the whistle costs them games.
The Seahawks were a huge let down for Russell Wilson’s MVP-level season. They’ve got to do something about that offensive line.
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