With the divisional round of the NFL playoffs behind us, there are four teams remaining in the chase for the Lombardi Trophy. The Green Bay Packers will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Kansas City Chiefs will host the Buffalo Bills in the two conference championship games. The Packers had the easiest time of the four winners, rolling over the Los Angeles Rams. Tampa Bay scored 17 unanswered points to knock off the Saints on the road, snagging three interceptions and a fumble in the win. Buffalo shut own the Baltimore offense and had a 101-yard pick six to end the Ravens’ season, and the Chiefs survived a visit from Cleveland, as a fumble in the first half may have kept the Browns from eventually winning as Patrick Mahomes went down with a concussion in the fourth quarter.
Don’t miss our NFL betting thoughts on the four remaining contenders.
NFL News: Power Rankings after the Divisional Round
#1 Green Bay Packers
The Rams came into the game with the top rated defense in the NFL, but they could not get to Aaron Rodgers. This was the fifth contest this year in which he did not go down to a sack. The offensive line continues to be the unsung hero for the Pack, a major factor in his career best 48 touchdown passes. The Packers will face additional stress on Sunday, as it was the Tampa Bay defense that gave Tom Brady short fields after turnovers.
That O-line also opened up all kinds of holes for Aaron Jones, and Allen Lazard has joined Davante Adams as an elite receiver, giving Rodgers two huge targets down the field. The fact that the Packers get to host Tampa Bay will give them another edge this week, as Aaron Donald was not able to do much with his injured ribs on a cold day at Lambeau Field, and Jared Goff, with his thumb still holding three pins, could not throw the ball well down the field. That allowed the Packers to stack the box against the run. Will that work against Tom Brady?
#2 Buffalo Bills
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier did a stellar job bottling up the Baltimore offense in the divisional round. Their strategy was to stack the box and emphasize containment on Lamar Jackson and then dare him to throw the ball down the field. There were two times when Jackson was able to break free for long runs, only to have holding penalties bring the ball all the way back. Jackson had “Hollywood” Brown as his primary threat down the field, though; the Chiefs have Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce — and may get Sammy Watkins back.
The Bills should be pleased by the return of John Brown to the lineup. He wasn’t a speedy burner but made some key catches, which took the burden off Cole Beasley, whose knee injury continues to slow him down. Stefon Diggs, of course, had a fine game, extending drives. If the Bills don’t have to face Mahomes, the task becomes a lot easier, but their defense might have what it takes either way.
#3 Kansas City Chiefs
How did the Chiefs fall to #3 on this list? They were only up 19-3 on Cleveland at the half, and that should have been 16-10, as Rashard Higgins fumbled a ball out of the end zone for the Browns late in the second quarter, giving Kansas City a touchback. So even before Patrick Mahomes went down, the Chiefs were struggling to get touchdowns against a secondary they should have been able to shred. Then the Browns started to come back in the third quarter — again, with Mahomes still in the game. I’m not sure that the Chiefs still have the hunger to win at this elite level, and any of the other three teams would have done more on offense against the Chiefs than the Browns were able to do.
#4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Aaron Rodgers has thrown five interceptions this season, but two came against Tampa Bay in the Buccaneers’ shocking win. It was also the only time a team beat Green Bay by more than one score. In that game, though, Davante Adams was recovering from a hamstring injury. Can the Buccaneers pressure Rodgers again? Can Tom Brady find his targets down the field against the Packers’ defense? This will be a classic, but I don’t see Green Bay losing to the Buccaneers twice this season.
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