The Saturday edition of the divisional round lived up to the hype as the best football weekend in the calendar year. The Texans and Commanders entered their games against the number-one seeds as underdogs. It was reasonable given that a sophomore and rookie quarterbacks were facing one signal caller looking for a third consecutive championship, and the other appeared in a Super Bowl. The games provided contrasting results, with the AFC matchup low-scoring while the NFC matchup proved to be shotout. Ultimately, the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders are moving on to the NFC Championship Game. How did we get there? In this article, we discuss how the teams in red won both matchups.
Chiefs 23-Texans 14
It was never in doubt! It wasn’t pretty, but the Chiefs did what they have all season, find a way to win. The Chiefs won this game despite being outrushed 149 to 20 yards and outgained in the passing yard 187 to 162 yards. The Texans must be wondering how they did not win this game, especially after Joe Mixon pulled them closer to a 13-12 deficit. However, special teams cost Houston with a missed point after touchdown and 2 field goals, which cost them potentially 7 points. Also, a 60-yard kick-off return on the first play of the game led to a field goal. Another letdown for the Texans was that they incurred eight penalties costing 82 yards, which is four penalties and 53 yards than Kansas City.
The Chiefs took full advantage of these mistakes by the Texans, and Travis Kelce starred for the two-time Champions. Kelce tallied seven catches for 117 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown in which Mahomes threw the ball while being hit and falling to the turf. Kansas City’s defense limited the Texans from moving the ball by clamping down with eight sacks on the day. The victory was special for Andy Reid because it moved him to 300 wins, which sits him at fourth all-time behind Don Shula (347), Bill Belichick (333), and George Halas (324). The Texans’ season ended in disappointment, but the future is bright for a team battling through injuries and making simple mistakes in the matchup that cost them. As for the Chiefs, they advance to their 7th straight AFC Championship Game, and they can rest up and watch the drama unfold in Buffalo to face the winner at home next week.
Commanders 45-Lions 31
The Lions earned their way to the number one seed with home-field advantage for as long as they remained in the playoffs. However, the team has been decimated by injuries on the defensive side, and it caught up to them in this matchup. Jayden Daniels, the Commanders’ rookie quarterback, feasted on the Lions for 51 yards on 16 touches and completed 22 of 31 passes, 299 yards, and two touchdowns. The Lions’ defense sent extra rushers on a blitz to hurry Daniels, but he consistently made the right plays either down the field, using his legs, or a quick pass to his playmakers. The Lions’ offense was the most prolific in the regular season, but in this matchup, the unit struggled with five turnovers including three interceptions from Jared Goff. The Commanders had zero turnovers and could bring enough pressure on Goff with two sacks.
Washington played a bold strategy on the road by converting 3 of 4 fourth downs to cause misery inside Ford Field. The Commanders also played keep away by dominating the time of possession 33 to 26 minutes. The Lions players, coaching staff, and fans looked bewildered by the end of the game. They will feel aggrieved about missing this opportunity and could potentially lose both of their Coordinators during the hiring carousel. On the other hand, Washington will now advance to their first NFC title game since 1991 and will travel to the winner of the Rams and Eagles that will be played later today. Ironically, it now means their divisional rival, the Dallas Cowboys, now have the longest drought of not appearing in the Conference Championship. After remarkable back-to-back road wins in the playoffs, the Commanders must feel, “Why not us?”