Top four scoring teams move into conference title contests
All contenders, no pretenders, vie for Super Bowl berths
NEW ORLEANS — The big boys showed up this weekend and showed those usurpers from the wild-card round how it’s done.
The top two seeds from the AFC and NFC returned to action in their comfortable home settings — ice and snow and chills be darned in the AFC — and swatted aside the survivors of the opening set of games. Only the Saints struggled against the resilient defending Super Bowl champion Eagles, and even as that game wore on, New Orleans wore out Philadelphia.
Sure, the Eagles had a chance to move on even after blowing an early 14-0 lead and then being dominated for nearly three quarters. But the Saints (14-3) got through it, and they’ll likely be the better for it when they host the Rams (13-4) next Sunday.
It’s certainly easier on the nerves when you pretty much blow away the opposition, as the Chiefs (13-4) and Patriots (12-5) did. The Rams never seemed threatened by the Cowboys down the stretch Saturday night. But Drew Brees and company have some evaluating and adjusting to do after the banged-up Eagles nearly pulled off another stunner.
Brees is certain a lesson has been learned.
“We found a bunch of ways to win during the season,” Brees said after the 20-14 victory. Every game kind of stood alone, but many of them came down to third-quarter, fourth-quarter, second half-type comebacks and Defensive standing Rank, Team Scoring differential
Rank, Team Points it took everybody. It took maybe a big play on offense or a big play on defense or a big play on special teams to kind of turn the tide. But they were all great team victories and it looks like that carried over into the playoffs.”
One lesson, perhaps, from all four divisional-round contests: Balance is going to matter.
We know these teams can light up the scoreboard; for the first time, the top four scoring clubs in the league make up the final four. But if you can’t play solid defense at some point, you’re probably doomed.
“The only thing we’re thinking is get on the field and get back off the field,” Patriots safety Devin Mccourty said after a 41-28 romp over the Chargers. “We play defense. We know how hard it is if an offense has a long drive … and if we can go and get stops and get the (New England offense) right back out there. It’s tough as a defense, for one, to get the adjustments that are happening, to catch your breath — like, you just feel like you’re out there, you’re out there.”
If there’s one defense among the final four that might not be on the field for long stretches, it could be New England when it journeys to Kansas City. Not because the Patriots are staunch, but because the Chiefs have a tendency to make big plays, to score quickly.
New England — and New Orleans — showed tremendous aptitude for long, clock-eating drives on Sunday. The Rams have their super running back in All-pro Todd Gurley, and a dynamic offensive scheme. No matter how it’s sliced, championship weekend is going to have a shootout taste.