Some Quick Hits from the Divisional Round

Packers v. Falcons

I do not think anyone saw that coming. The most logical prediction was a close game decided by 3 or so points, with the victor being the team that committed the fewest mistakes. The Atlanta Falcons were known for taking care of the football. Aaron Rodgers had been pegged to play the role of the one who would make that crucial mistake. That all came crashing down on Saturday with the Falcons committing an astounding 4 turnovers and Rodgers playing, in his words, "the game of [his] life."

This game begs the question: is Rodgers an elite quarterback in the same class as Brady, Manning, Brees, and (I hesitate to write his name) Roethlisberger? When comparing bodies of work, Rodgers does not  yet come close to the aforementioned signal callers. Nevertheless, Saturday proved a lot. It was a game on the road, against the best team in the NFC led by a quarterback, Matt Ryan, who has an impressive home record. Rodgers torched the Falcons defense, eluding tacklers, hitting receivers in tight spots and even running for a touchdown. I do not feel that the gravity of this win can be understated. Even though the number-one seed has a history of losing to the number-six seed in the divisional round, the ease with which Rodgers and the Packers accomplished it sets this game apart. This was not mere lack of preparation by the Falcons, this was a game in which one player, Rodgers, owned the stadium. He ran the show with the Packer defense playing back-up. For Rodgers to be in the conversation of the elite quarterbacks of the league, he needs to lead his team to the Super Bowl. Win the Super Bowl, and there is no question where he belongs.

Packers - 21 Bears - 10

Seattle v. Chicago

Seattle's win over New Orleans was fantastic. It had all the drama that NFL Films needed to produce a classic, including the clinching play that came from nowhere, namely Marshawn Lynch's run. Despite this, I found it hard to consider Seattle a "cinderella" team. After that win over the Saints, Seattle still sat at 8-9. The loss to Chicago is only surprising because the Bears managed to put up so many points. I have found it difficult to buy in to the Bears this year and their victory over Seattle did nothing to convince me otherwise. Nevertheless, as long as that defense plays like they have been and the offense does not screw it up, they should have a good chance to get back to the Super Bowl.



In AFC news, after having a day to digest the Patriots/Jets game, a couple of thoughts have been stewing in my brain. First, the Patriots have seemed to become the team of the regular season. It is a shame because during their dynastic reign you could always count on New England being involved in a great playoff game of two each season. Tom Brady still has a few years left of top-tier play and Belichek will not be going anywhere so they have a chance to prove me wrong. Second, I wonder if Mark Sanchez's career is following the Roethlisberger path. Big Ben's success was always perceived (correctly or incorrectly) as the product of a solid running-game and a punishing defense. Eventually, clutch play with the game on the line was added to his perceived resume. Now, he is generally seen as a good QB who can win games on his own. Sanchez, in his second year, has led his team to the AFC championship twice. His success is seen as the product of a good running game and defense. Sanchez will have another chance to prove himself this week against Big Ben and the Steelers.