This year’s playoffs were one to remember, with blowouts, heartbreaking losses, exciting storylines, and no clear favorite to win the Super Bowl, unlike other years. The playoffs started with Browns vs Texans. Former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and the Browns played potentially the next superstar quarterback in C.J. Stroud and the young Texans. Joe Flacco, trying to resurge his career, was destroyed 45-14 by Houston, who had won just three games the previous year. The Dolphins-Chiefs game was one of the coldest NFL games ever, with a negative four temperature and wind chills that made it feel like negative 18 degrees. The Miami Dolphins were no match for the Chiefs in the freezing Arrowhead Stadium, losing 26-7. The Cowboys lost again after being Super Bowl contenders all year, this time to the 7th-seeded Packers, where Jordan Love proved he will be a good quarterback for years. In Detroit, the two quarterbacks who got traded for each other three years ago matched up in the playoffs. The Lions got their first playoff win over 30 years over Mathew Stafford and the Rams 24-23. The Eagles continued to crumble after starting the season 11-1, losing 32-9 against the Tom Brady-less Buccaneers. In the divisional round, the first-seeded Ravens beat C.J. Stroud and the Texans with a score of 34-10. Even though they lost, the Texans should not be worried because they soared past expectations with a rookie quarterback and coach this season, and it looks like they will be a contender in the AFC for a while. The Packers lost 24-21 in a very winnable game against the 49ers after their kicker missed a crucial field goal and Jordan Love threw an interception on the game-tying drive. Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers went down to the Lions 31-23, with Baker Mayfield also throwing a game-ending interception. Josh Allen and the Bills lost one of the best games of the year against the Chiefs, 27-24, after their kicker Tyler Bass missed a game-tying 44-yard field goal, making this the third time in the last four seasons the Chiefs beat the Bills in the playoffs. In the AFC Championship, the league MVP, Lamar Jackson, and the red-hot Ravens took on the Chiefs in a low-scoring game. Still, crucial mistakes, including a Zay Flowers fumble at the one-yard line giving the Chiefs the football, led to the Ravens’ downfall, allowing the Chiefs to go back to the Super Bowl for the 4th time in 5 years. The Detroit Lions, looking to go to their first Super Bowl, held a 17-point lead going into the 2nd half over the 49ers. Still, a truly tragic collapse in the second half with multiple questionable coaching decisions, such as going for it on 4th down and bad timing fumbles leading to their defeat, and the 49ers clinched their third Super Bowl appearance in the last 12 years. The game was a rematch of Super Bowl LIV in Miami, where Kansas City came out on top 31-20. Similar to then, the Chiefs also staged a ten point comeback this time around, and won the game in overtime, 25-22. Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl MVP, and this was the Chiefs’ third title in five years. Mahomes had a spectacular performance, going 34-46 with 333 yards and two touchdown passes. Travis Kelce also caught 9 passes for 93 yards. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey also had an outstanding game, running for 80 yards on 22 carries and catching 8 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. The first half of the game was dominated by both defenses, as San Francisco led 10-3. The halftime show featured Usher, along with guests Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil’ Jon and will.i.am. Then the action picked up in the second half, as the game was tied 19-19 at the end of the fourth quarter. During the coin toss, the 49ers were considered by some to be a questionable decision to receive the ball first, meaning if they scored a touchdown they would win, but if they kicked a field goal then the Chiefs would get the ball back. San Francisco marched down the field and looked like they were close to winning, but were unable to punch it into the endzone and had to settle for a field goal. The Chiefs got the ball back, and after converting on a crucial 4th and 1 near midfield, there was no stopping Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense as he threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to seal the victory. Kansas City became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowl since the Patriots did in 2003 and 2004. Many are now calling the Chiefs the newest dynasty of the NFL.
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