This past Sunday was filled with much hope for the NFC and AFC Championships. Aaron Rodgers versus Matt Ryan was supposed to be an offensive fireworks display. The Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger duel would be just as competitive. Sadly, the fourth quarters of both games proved meaningless. The 44-21 and 36-17 scores for the NFC and AFC respectively show the lopsided wins. Disappointed fans are hoping for a better Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots match-up for Super Bowl LI.
NFC Championship game gets away early
With Aaron Rodgers on so much Hail Mary fire, many fans thought the Packers would stomp Matt Ryan and the Falcons.
Ryan proved to be the stomper. He was a kid in a candy store, as he exposed the Packers’ putrid defense. The Packers’ defense couldn’t stop a fly as Ryan threw passes to wide receivers all over the field. Julio Jones showed why he was a top pick with two touchdowns. Throw in dropped passes by Jared Cook, a fumble ripped out of Ripkowski’s hands, and you have a nightmare for Rodgers’ and his crew. Down at the half at 31-0, the Packers needed to summons the 90’s Buffalo Bills spirit and rally from a 31-point deficit. The Bills did it in the 1993 Wildcard game against the Houston Oilers. Down 35-3 at the half, Buffalo won the game 41-38 in overtime. It is the greatest comeback in NFL history. Unfortunately, the football Gods had different plans for the Packers: A defense that gave up over 400 yards, 4 missed turnover opportunities, and a 44-21 loss.
Rodgers tried his best, but the team fell short.
AFC Championship is a one-way street
The Pittsburgh Steelers came out flat on offense and defense. Trips to the red zone ended up in field goals or scoreless. The Patriots’ defense took out top wide receiver Antonio Brown. Whether it was Brown’s locker room social media fiasco that took the air out of his game or New England’s great cornerbacks, Brown was ineffective.
Le’Veon Bell was injured in the first quarter. Add in fumbles, an interception, and dropped passes, and you have a 36-17 loss. Tom Brady’s greatest weapon was wide receiver Chris Hogan, who pulled in two touchdowns and 180 yards. The Steelers struggled to score touchdowns. The Patriots proved too much for the Steelers as they made them pay for mistakes and moved down the field with ease.
Football fans are hoping for an exciting Super Bowl LI as Matt Ryan squares off against Tom Brady. The two are great pocket passers who also have excellent defenses. High scoring and magnificent receptions are sure to dominate. Can Ryan keep Brady from winning 5 Super Bowls? Watch on Feb. 5 as the two teams battled for the top crown.
