2022 NFL playoffs: Reaction from Divisional weekend
The 2022 NFL playoffs are moving onto the final three games of the season, but first we look at the Divisional round and what went down.
– Both the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants should be very proud of their seasons. Both ended on Saturday night — with the Jaguars playing much better than the Giants, for sure — but there’s no reason for pouting. The Jaguars have their quarterback, their coach and a litany of good pieces. New York has the coach, might have the signal-caller, and enjoys a budding defense with stars along the front. There’s plenty of reason for excitement.
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– What’s going to happen with Patrick Mahomes and that famous right ankle? The Kansas City Chiefs were able to beat Jacksonville 27-20. Although, if Mahomes isn’t right, they’ll have a much tougher time handling the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch of their AFC Championship Game from a year ago. Kansas City’s defense has been playing much better down the stretch. However, it’s unlikely to be enough if the offense is really limited based on the lack of Mahomes’ normal mobility.
– Where do the Buffalo Bills go from here? Buffalo was throttled 27-10 by the Bengals at Highmark Stadium. As a result it’s going to be a long offseason for the preseason Super Bowl favorites. Buffalo won the AFC East for the third straight season but something is amiss in western New York. Quarterback Josh Allen was asked to largely be the entire offense under new coordinator Ken Dorsey, and it led to a boom-or-bust offense that went bust in a big way in the playoffs.
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– Don’t sleep on the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite being the last undefeated team this season before finishing 14-3 — with only one loss with quarterback Jalen Hurts — the Eagles have been undervalued throughout the campaign. After blowing out the Giants by a 38-7 count, they’ve served notice they might be the favorite, and not only in the NFC.
– There’s no reason to doubt the Bengals any longer. In two straight postseasons, Cincinnati is 5-0 against other AFC foes including road wins at Buffalo and Kansas City. Joe Burrow appears to be a future Hall of Famer, and is flanked by elite weapons. The defense is loaded with front-seven talent and has a top-tier coordinator in Lou Anarumo. Cincinnati now goes back to Arrowhead Stadium, facing a Chiefs team its 3-0 against over the past two seasons.
