JON RALPH
I went out into the backyard on Sunday night and started throwing tight spirals to my nine-year-old son.
The evil empire had finally been toppled, I was back in love with this maddening game and all was right with the (NFL) world.
The grass looked greener and the sun brighter – balance had been restored after the first-round exit of the mighty New England Patriots.
It took a rampaging Tennessee weapon in running back Derrick Henry (182 yards, all the decisive moments and a score) in the defining 20-13 victory.
So for the first time in a decade the NFL’s divisional rounds will not feature the Patriots in what screamed the end of an era for Bill Belichick’s six-time Super Bowl victors.
If those of us who cheered against them given their lack of morals and dodgy tactics were euphoric, consider what the eight remaining playoff head coaches are doing.
After an epic wildcard playoffs series that delivered across all four playoff games, they know the Super Bowl picture is gaping wide open.
First, DeShaun Watson spearheaded the Houston Texan’s overtime victory, clawing back a huge first-half deficit against the plucky Buffalo Bills.
Then Tom Brady (20 from 37, 209 yards and an interception in a decidedly frail performance) didn’t have what it took against rival QB Ryan Tannehill and Henry’s marauding style of play.
On Monday morning the 13-4 New Orleans Saints were rocked by an upset of similar proportions with NFL touchdown record holder Drew Brees not even the best quarterback on his own team.
Saints utility Taysom Hill set up one touchdown with his booming arm and received another from Brees, but around him the Minnesota Vikings were more dynamic in a 26-20 playoff win.
The Vikings walk-off touchdown in overtime came with the Saints not receiving an overtime possession and Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph arguably pushing off for the game-winning score.
Then in another one-score wildcard game Russell Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks kept a banged up Philadelphia at arm’s length (17-9) as a season of toll for the Eagles finally caught up with them.
With quarterback Carson Wentz out of the game, concussed after a crushing blow from Seattle’s Jadeveon Clowney, journeyman backup Josh McCown actually made a fight of it.
But Clowney was the wrecking ball who also sidelined tight end Zach Ertz (he would later return) and made the fourth-down stop that allowed Wilson to seal the game with a critical first down.
So what does all of it mean?
Firstly, the Patriots aren’t dragging down another rival with an outlandish comeback with a seventh title and the Saints aren’t racking up 40-plus points in a playoffs shootout.
And every one of the eight teams left in it will believe the Super Bowl is theirs – even Tannehill’s Titans and Kirk Cousins’ Vikings.
After a perfect start to the playoffs in the 100th NFL season, the Divisional contests next weekend are just as mouthwatering.
NFC Divisional Games
Minnesota Vikings (6 seed) at San Francisco 49ers (1 seed) – Sunday 8:35am AEDT
After toppling the New Orleans Saints on away turf, why can’t the Vikings do it again?
Adam Thielen tortured fantasy football owners all year with hamstring issues but came up big after an early fumble against the Saints, while they established the run with Dalvin Cook’s brilliant first half.
Stefon Diggs complained he was under-utilised but with match-winning tight end Rudolph running hot, the many mouths Cousins has to feed underline the Vikings’ offensive depth.
Yet this Vikings team has lost nine of its past 10 games away to San Francisco, which is rested and ready after a sublime season with Jimmy Garoppolo under centre.
Tight end George Kittle should again explode after a week off (he has had his own niggles this year) so all points to another spectacular contest.
Seattle Seahawks (5 seed) at Green Bay Packers (2 seed) – Monday 10:40am AEST
These regular playoff rivals look evenly matched despite the seeing discrepancy.
In today’s playoff victory Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalfe broke out with a monster game (160 yard, one touchdown) that ensures a week of analysis leading into the divisional contest.
He becomes a genuine threat that takes pressure off leading wide out Tyler Lockett, even if Seattle’s running game faltered when Wilson himself wasn’t surging upfield.
Green Bay’s Aaron Rogers is the pin-up boy of quarterbacks given his gun-slinging style but according to ESPN’s statistics he ranked only 20th in quarterback ranking this year.
If Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney can come up big again and get to Rogers, look out.
AFC Divisional Games
Tennessee Titans (6 seed) at Baltimore Ravens (1 seed) – Sunday 12:15pm AEST
The Ravens will enter this contest as heavy favourites given their scintillating regular season, aware they beat the Titans if they beat running back Henry.
That’s easier said than done, as the elite Patriots crew stacked the defensive line yet still couldn’t bring the hulking Henry down.
The Ravens not only finished the regular season as the leading rushing side, they had Lamar Jackson throwing darts down the field at will when he wasn’t piercing defences with his legs.
Jackson finished the regular season with 3127 passing yards, 36 touchdown passes, 1206 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
A year on from his playoff debut – 194 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers – he is a player transformed.
The Ravens have weapons on both sides of the ball and the game’s most lethal quarterback, so deserve their favouritism.
Houston Texans (4 seed) at Kansas City Chiefs (2 seed) – Monday 7:05am AEST
Patrick Mahomes has been seen as Tom Brady’s heir apparent for some time but is still smarting from his loss to the Patriots in last year’s NFL Conference Champions.
Now the path is clear of Brady and the stage is set for Mahomes to win the Superbowl that would set him on the path to greatness.
Mahomes has no shortage of weapons after a 26-touchdown season that featured a dislocated knee cap and ankle issues.
Damien Williams became the Chiefs’ go-to rusher while tight end Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill remained key targets in an offence that will have to deal with star defender JJ Watt, impressive in his return from a torn pectoral muscle.
DeShaun Watson’s sparkling quarterback play saw Houston put on 19 consecutive points against Buffalo but Will Fuller’s availability would give him the deep threat that stretches Kansas City’s ball-hunting defence.
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Super Bowl 2021 in Tampa Bay