Divisional Round Takeaways: Joe Burrow Rises, Cowboys Fall

January 23, 2023 Eric Jensen Nfl, Uncategorized 0

 

Did the divisional round of the NFL playoffs live up to the hype? Certainly not, but we did get the four best teams in the league moving forward to the title games next Sunday. Divisional round weekend provided lots of key takeaways let’s get to the bulleted list of what we learned from each game below. 

Chiefs 27 Jaguars 20

  • There are few players in the NFL that make me love football more than Patrick Mahomes. While the story of the game Saturday was the high ankle sprain suffered by the star quarterback late in the first quarter, to me this game was a defining legacy moment for Mahomes. Patrick Mahomes came back, and played through one of the most severe injuries one can suffer on a football field while leading his team to victory. Mahomes on even one leg is better that a majority of QBs in the NFL. A harrowing and heroic performance that just makes you love the art that is professional sports.
  • Let’s calm down with the Trevor Lawrence hype. You simply cannot put him on the same level as Mahomes, Allen, and Burrow going into next year. He still needs much more time to mature as a QB. The game is still to fast for Lawrence at points and you can tell that.
  • Getting Calvin Ridley will help the Jags, they still need more weapons though. Counting on Zay Jones again as he gets another year older would be a mistake. The Jags simply put need at least one more weapon aside from Ridley if they hope to be competitive in the AFC next year.

Bengals 27 Bills 10

  • The Bills have a lot of work to do as a roster. We came into this season looking at this Bills team as one of the most complete rosters in the league, that isn’t how it feels at the end of the year though. Blaming injuries is fair but the fact is, on defense especially this team was not deep enough.
  • The Bill’s offensive line is a mess and needs a total remake. Two weeks in a row the Bills were totally dominated up front. The group protecting Josh Allen is nowhere near as talented as it needs to be. The number one goal this off-season must be to make sure Allen’s protection holds up next year.
  • The football public as a whole owes Zac Taylor and apology. He has now shown for two straight seasons that he is one of the best coaches in the league. Look no further than what the offensive line, down three starters, did to totally silence a talented Bills defensive front. Not to mention the fact that Bengal’s weapons remained wide open for most of the day against the Bill’s secondary. Taylor is one of the best coaches in the league and deserves to be spoken about as such.

  • It’s hard not to agree with Albert Breer. Joe Burrow has the elements of Tom Brady in his game. A clinical pocket passer. An uncanny ability to find space within the pocket and make plays with his legs in said pocket. Plus of course, that ability to win when the moment is brightest. All that’s missing is a Super Bowl ring. After the Bengal’s performance Sunday it’s hard to argue that a Super Bowl victory isn’t in the cards for Burrow somewhere down the line.
  • Josh Allen needs help, Stefon Diggs is not enough, the Bills must continue to draft weapons for Allen. One big game every month from Gabe Davis is simply not enough to consistently run a great NFL offense. The Bills have one of the most fascinating offseasons ahead, they cannot just run it back, changes must be made, and the window is closing it seems.

Eagles 38 Giants 7

  • Short and sweet here: The Eagles are the best roster in the NFL. The Giants are nowhere close.
  • This was a positive building season for New York but they still need to build out the roster more. Signing Daniel Jones to a long-term deal must be done with just the right circumstances in mind. Divisional round weekend should be a goal for this team next year. You cannot overpay Jones and limit your options, if you feel you find a better option in the draft, swing at that option.
  • Jalen Hurts was that option for the Eagles years ago, now he sits as one of the league’s best QBs, exciting times are ahead in Philly.

Niners 19 Cowboys 12

  • The Niners are on a pennant run. Just no other way around it. The team can win in so many different ways. This is a testament to what Kyle Shannahan and John Lynch have built. KS has done what many coaches can only dream of, which is creating and coaching a roster that makes it to the conference title game nearly every year. The Super Bowl is still a mountain to conquer but the Niners, they are oh so close to ultimate glory.
  • Fred Warner is the best linebacker of his generation. To me, there is no debate. Year after year he does spectacular things and saves his best games for the big games.
  • Trading from Christian McCaffery at the trade deadline was a dynamite move by a dynamite front office. The calf injury is a concern but even if he’s limited the rest of the way CMC has been a difference-maker for the Niners when it matters most.
  • The Cowboys cannot get out of the divisional round. Every year it is the same thing. I know I don’t have it that bad as a Broncos fan, Cowboys fans exist.
  • It’s becoming hard to defend Dak. He comes up small in the biggest games over and over again. His talent is undeniable but something about January causes him to crumble. I keep coming back to it, but in every way, the perfect Dak Prescott comparison is Tony Romo.