Lynch Carries for 140 and Win

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

With about two and half minutes to play in Saturdays divisional match up between the New Orleans Saints (12-6) and the Seattle Seahawks (14-3), Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch found the corner and ran 31 yards for a game sealing touchdown.  Lynch would finish with 28 rushes for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Seahawks would clinch a spot in the NFC title game with a 23-15 win. They will face the winner of Sunday’s game between the 49ers and Panthers.

The “Beast Mode” performance by Lynch made up for a bad day for QB Russel Wilson. Wilson only passed for 103 yards and was 50% accurate with his passes. The Seahawks also lost WR Percy Harvin to a concussion after he left the game multiple times for injury.

The Seahawks defense also came up big, holding the Saints to a shut-out on the first half, and holding Saints QB Drew Brees to only 34 first half yards. They also held Saints star TE Jimmy Graham to one catch which end up coming with under 30 seconds to play.

The Saints had an opportunity for a comeback when  Brees found Marques Colston in the end zone for a 9 yard touchdown. Colston would then recover the ensuing onside kick to give his team a chance. But Colston would make a mistake on the final play of the game when his attempt for a cross field lateral was ruled a forward pass  and would end the game.

Why the endings of the 49ers and Saints wins were disappointing.

The NFC Wild Card round of last weekends NFL playoffs where some of the most exciting games of the season. In the first on Saturday night, the Eagles came back from an early deficit ti take the lead, only to lose on a last second field goal. The Sunday night game featured a rematch between the Packers and the 49ers. It was a thrilling back in forth game, which ended on a time wasting drive and a last second field goal to win it for the 49ers.

What do they have in common? Both were exciting games the entire time, but ended on a boring, long, drawn out drive ending with a field goal to win. From a strategic point of view, this is perfect. You bring the clock as low as possible, than kick a game winner, and head to the next round.

But for a viewer, This could be the worst finish. A game filled with excitement and amazing plays, a game that we are all waiting for the last two minutes of just to see an amazing finish, and what happens in those final minutes? A power back pounding it up the middle over and over and wasting time. The defense burning timeouts. Then finally the kicker comes on to the field to nail an easy field goal for the win.

A game filled with excitement finishes in the most boring way possible.

Andrew Luck Leads Amazing Comeback

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

With about 4 minutes left to play in a playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts (12-5) and the Kansas City Chiefs (11-6 Playoffs), Colts QB Andrew Luck found receiver TY Hilton deep and behind the secondary for a 64 yards touchdown pass. With an Adam Vinateri extra point, the Colts would take a 45-44 lead.

This would put the Colts in the lead, after trailing by 28 early in the second half.

The game would start off well for the Chefs, as, despite a injury to RB Jamal Charles, they would take a 38-10 lead. They were led by QB Alex Smith’s accurate and long passes down field to open receivers.

The Colts would begin there comeback, when Donald Brown quickly scored to touchdowns, catching one, rushing for the other. The Colts would bring it to within three when Andrew Luck would pick up a fumble in backfield and dive in for the Touchdown.

The Chiefs had a late chance to extend the lead, but the drive stalled around the 25, and they were forced to kick a 43 yard field goal.

Luck would end the game with 4 touchdowns, 2 to TY Hilton, including the game winner.

The comeback by the Colts is the second team in NFL Playoff history to come back by 28 or more. The only other being the Bills 1993 comeback against the Houston Oilers.

The Colts will either face the Broncos or Patriots next round.

Why the Eagles Will Win

Ever since taking over for an injured Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) QB Nick Foles has been lights out. He has thrown for 27 touchdown passes, including 7 in three quarters against the Raiders. He also has only thrown two interceptions this season, one of which was in white out conditions vs the Detroit Lions.

The New Orleans Saints (11-5) are led by MVP QB Drew Brees. Brees has yet again thrown for over 5,000 yards on the season, a feat no other player has achieved multiple times. A player that Foles says that he has “watched and learned from”.

But the difference will be the rushing game. Eagles RB LeSean McCoy led the league with 1,607 yards this season. The Saints defense has not showed that it is to strong against the run this season, and McCoy will be the key. If the Eagles give him the ball, they should be able to win.

Another advantage to the Eagles, is the fact that they are at home. This isn’t just a normal home field advantage. The Saints ended the season losing there final three away games. And, as a franchise, has never won a road playoff games. While the Eagles have won 4 straight at home, and are winners of three of the last four at home in the playoffs.

Despite Injury, Chiefs Dominate First Half

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA-

On the Kansas City Chiefs first possession of today’s playoff games against the Indianapolis Colts, star running back Jamal Charles went down with an injury. He would later be ruled as having a concussion and will not return for the remainder of the game.

Few plays later, Chiefs QB Alex Smith would find Dwayne Bowe in the end-zone for a 7 yard touchdown. The Colts would respond with a ten yard touchdown catch by TY Hilton, but the Chiefs would take over.

Smith would find Bowe for a 63 yard gain, setting up a Ryan Succop field goal to take the lead, then found Donnie Avery for a long touchdown in which he practically jogged the last 20 yards due to how open he was. After a Knile Davis touchdown run, the Chiefs would go up 31-10.

The Colts had one more chance to end the half, but Brandon Flowers would intercept Colts quarter back Andrew Luck around midfield. The half would end with the Chiefs having a three touchdown lead.

Smith would end the first half passing for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns off of 14 completions. Backup running back Knile Davis has 51 rushing yards off of 12 attempts in the first.

Luck would throw for 129 yards and touchdown off of 12 completions, but he also threw an interception late. Half of those completions were to receiver TY Hilton who caught 6 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.