Josh Allen faces a defining moment against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, says Neil Reynolds | NFL news
Josh Allen booked another blockbuster playoff date with Patrick Mahomes as Jayden Daniels and Saquon Barkley stole the show once again – Sky Sports NFL host Neil Reynolds has the final say on the weekend’s Divisional Round…
After a so-so Wild Card weekend, the games and tension increased in the Divisional Round and it did not disappoint.
We were filled with great matches, incredible stories and legacies and career-defining moments, both early and late. We’ve seen it all.
Some old story for the Chiefs
Let’s start in Kansas City, where the Chiefs’ 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans felt very familiar. It must be playoff time again, because Patrick Mahomes is throwing punches to Travis Kelce, the two combining for over 100 yards and over 16 yards per reception while Kelce averaged just 8.5 during the regular season.
Make no mistake, the Chiefs are now a defensive football team. They gained just 212 yards of offense, the fewest by a winning playoff team since 1991, and relied on those eight sacks by CJ Stroud to advance to the next round.
This is an incredible period of success for the Chiefs as they prepare to play in the AFC Championship Game for the seventh straight year. Mahomes is a big, big part of that, but Andy Reid has also been a big factor in the way this team has been able to evolve over all these years through all those championship runs to where they are now, led by defense and big enough plays by their ‘magic man ‘ Mahomes.
They are very, very capable of winning the Super Bowl for the third year in a row.
Detroit’s Cinderella story debunked
I’d like to say something dramatic at the beginning of this section about a star in the making, but Jayden Daniels was already well on his way as a rookie quarterback for the Washington Commanders before he led his team to Saturday’s incredible 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions .
Just like that, the magical season for the Lions ended. Daniels was so cool, so calm, looking like a veteran chasing a Super Bowl, not Jared Goff, who was really struggling under the bright lights. It was back and forth with these two backs.
Detroit turned it over five times, which led directly to 21 Washington points, a big score in a game decided by 14. It was an incredible game, with more than 1,000 yards of offense. There were six touchdowns and 42 points in the second quarter — the latter a playoff record — five of which came in a six-minute span.
The teams went back and forth, but it was Jared Goff who made the key mistakes: Washington’s pick-six and an interception in the end zone before halftime. Daniels played with ice in his veins, was unflappable, made all the big plays on all the big downs and is the main reason the Commanders, who won just four games a year ago, are just 60 minutes away from the Super Bowl.
As for the Lions, their Cinderella season has been shattered into a thousand pieces. What next for them? Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the Chicago Bears, Aaron Glenn could also leave. What’s next for Dan Campbell on the coaching side? And will their Super Bowl window stay open?
Saquon stars in the snow
I was thrilled to see a snow game in Philadelphia on Sunday. love it It’s just a fantastic backdrop to the drama of the NFL, especially at playoff time.
It must have been deja vu for Matthew Stafford. In 2013, he led the Lions against an Eagles team in a blizzard in a game where LeSean McCoy had over 200 yards rushing for the Eagles. On Sunday, Stafford played the Eagles in a snow game, and Philadelphia’s running back gained more than 200 yards – this time it was Saquon Barkley.
Barkley broke the Rams’ hearts in Week 12 by rushing for 255 yards, and this time he passed for 205 yards, scoring on runs of 62 and 78 yards, taking advantage of huge holes created by a great offensive line.
The problem for the Eagles was the injury to Jalen Hurts, who suffered a knee injury. He was sacked seven times that night while throwing for just 128 yards, compared to just 131 the week before. Should we be worried about that? And will that lack of passing make up for it, or will Barkley lead this team all the way to New Orleans?
The Rams showed great fight and nearly won the game at the end, the Eagles relied on a late defensive stand. Sean McVay’s team enters the offseason with plenty to be excited about and optimistic about heading into 2025.
Another lost season for Lamar Jackson
We wrap up with the most anticipated game of the weekend when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Buffalo Bills.
It was 27-25 Buffalo inside the final two minutes, Lamar Jackson had just made a late heroics to throw a touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely, and the two-point conversion would have tied a tight game in cold conditions – and Mark Andrews dropped the ball!
His tight end has been so reliable that he’s caught 11 red-zone touchdowns this year, but he dropped this one while falling backwards toward the field goal. Absolutely heartbroken for the Ravens. Another lost season for Jackson, who won’t be too comfortable being named MVP for the third time before the Super Bowl.
Mistakes killed the Ravens in this close game. Lamar threw an interception and lost a fumble, and Andrews also lost a fumble while catching the ball in the fourth quarter. But I think Lamar was magical when they needed him on the right side, so he shouldn’t be criticized too much. This remains a fact, he has yet to reach a Super Bowl in an illustrious career on a personal level.
Buffalo’s MVP candidate Josh Allen was able to play inside himself with just 127 passing yards and no touchdowns while scoring a pair of runs. The Bills were balanced, and while they gave up more than 400 yards of offense to Baltimore, they came up with big defensive plays when they needed them.
Buffalo certainly looks capable of going to Kansas City and giving the Chiefs a run for their money. This is a defining moment for Allen. He played against Mahomes three times in the playoffs, each ending in a Chiefs victory. Can he lead the Bills all the way to the Super Bowl?
What’s next?
Sunday January 26th is the NFL Conference Championships – Live Sky Sports NFL – with the Philadelphia Eagles first hosting the Washington Commanders in the NFC title game at 8 p.m., followed by the Chiefs taking on the Bills at 11:30 p.m.
Super Bowl LIX takes place on Sunday, February 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, live on Sky Sports NFL.
