NFL playoff bracket made to order

There was no shortage of intensity during last week’s NFL divisional playoff round, with the stakes raised yet again.

Last year’s Super Bowl champion, the New England Patriots, kicked off the weekend facing possibly the hottest team in the AFC, in the Kansas City Chiefs. But the Patriots were ready to go, playing at home and with weapons like Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Dont’a Hightower healthy and returning to the active roster. QB Tom Brady wasted no time utilizing his arsenal, connecting with Edelman straight out of the gate. After a touchdown pass and a quarterback sneak, the Patriots gained a 14-6 lead by the end of the first half, due in part to some questionable game clock management by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

Kansas City gained a little momentum in the second half, but a fumble recovered by the Patriot defense produced an even bigger lead. However, the Chiefs’ offense didn’t go down without a fight. After the Chief scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter with 1:13 on the clock they went for the onside kick. Unfortunately for Kansas City, star tight end Rob Gronkowski was there to recover the ball, sending New England to their fifth consecutive AFC Championship game.

Out west in the NFC, the Arizona Cardinals hosted the Green Bay Packers in what proved to be the most electrifying game of the weekend. Both teams kept pace with one another for the majority of the game, only the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers had to switch up his passing targets since Davante Adams was out, along with Randall Cobb, injured early in the game, and Micah Hyde injuring his hip. With injuries accounted for, the Packers got the ball at the start of the second half and Aaron Rodgers began targeting Jeff Janis, eventually connecting with him for a touchdown. But his Arizona counterpart, Carson Palmer, did not disappoint in the passing game, making play after play on Green Bay’s secondary.

The fourth quarter is where things got really interesting. One costly tip off the shoulder of a Green Bay defender landed the ball right into the hands of an Arizona receiver and resulted in a touchdown, giving the Cardinals the lead. With less than three minutes left to play and the Green Bay down by 7 points, the Packers then drove the length of the field with Jeff Janis catching the ball on two fourth-down situations, the latter on Aaron Rodgers’ unbelievable Hail Mary to the end zone that sent the game into overtime.

The team captains met in the middle of the field for the coin toss, but what would normally seem like a simple determination hit a slight complication as Julius Peppers of Green Bay pointed out that the referee hadn’t actually “flipped” the coin. The coin was flipped again, and the Cardinals (again) won the toss. The very first play, Palmer faced lots of pressure but scrambled and managed to find Larry Fitzgerald wide open across the field, who then ran for 75 yards to the Packers’ 4-yard line. Two plays later, Carson completed a shovel pass to Fitzgerald to secure the touchdown, and the OT win for Arizona.

On Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks visited the Carolina Panthers for a game that began looking like a complete blowout. Carolina had the lead 31-0 at the half, but Seattle QB Russell Wilson was not ready to give up just yet, stating on the field that this would be the most epic comeback ever. He certainly gave it a mighty effort, bringing Seattle back to just a 7-point game after a comeback that included a successful fake punt play. But, with limited time on the clock, the Seahawks also had to go for an onside kick that was unsuccessful, and the Panthers advanced to the NFC title game.

Finally, another seemingly close game was the matchup between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout the game, Denver showcased their highly skilled defense, with Aqib Talib lighting up Steeler wide receivers and breaking up several passes, one-on-one. Through three quarters, both teams were just one point apart, but Pittsburgh couldn’t muster another touchdown against the Broncos’ “D”. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning was more successful, slipping a pass rush to avoid a sack, and complete a crucial pass to further the drive. The Broncos would go on to score a touchdown, and a good 2-point conversion extended the lead to 7.

With the Steelers in critical condition, QB Ben Roethlisberger was sacked on 4th down, giving the ball back to Denver. In the final minutes, the teams traded field goals, but the score remained 23-16 for Denver, as Pittsburgh – you guessed it – also tried for an onside kick. It also didn’t work, and now the stage is set for Manning to face Brady for the 17th, and most likely the final, time in their great careers, for the AFC Championship.