By Max Ferguson, Staff Writer
This NFL postseason has been a wild ride, to say the least. Some of the most exciting games have come from the final portion of this already electrifying season. Between tragedy on the field, triumphant upsets, and regular disappointments, there has been a lot to process in the last couple of weeks of professional football.
Unsurprisingly, the Dallas Cowboys have reminded the world that they do not know how to play playoff football. In the wildcard round, the Dallas Cowboys kept it too close for comfort with a very unhealthy Miami Dolphins. With QB Tua Tagovailoa out on another concussion and backup Teddy Bridgwater unable to throw a football due to an injured finger, third-stringer Skyler Turner was called in to play at quarterback. Starting running back Raheem Mostert was also out with a broken finger, along with three injured linemen. Dallas only held off the ragtag band of second- and third-stringers by a field goal.
Then, in the divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys were beaten by seven. Somehow, the team that spends almost $222 million on player salary only held off a .500 Dolphins team by three points and got beaten the next week by a third-string quarterback who was the last pick in the 2022 draft. For being the second highest paid quarterback in the league and eating 8.9 percent of the Cowboys salary cap, Dak Prescott has not been a positive return on investment.
Completely opposite to the Cowboys, the aforementioned 49ers have risen to the occasion to make a conference title bid. Star running back Christian McCaffery has been showing out all season. Even when they lost their two starting quarterbacks to injury, Brock Purdy—third-string rookie out of Iowa State—stepped up to the plate and has been playing like an experienced veteran since. Not only that, he is the first “Mr. Irrelevant” to lead their team to a conference title game since the creation of the infamous title in 1976. If he keeps up this effort, he may cement himself as the greatest “Mr. Irrelevant” of all time. Likewise, Nick Bosa has been keeping opposing teams at bay with his leadership on defense. Their game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday is set to be a good one.
Although they are no longer in the running, the New York Giants had a superb run this season. They upset a strong Minnesota Vikings team in the wildcard round after previously losing to them on Christmas Eve. This was a good diagnostic season for the Giants. Although being eliminated from the playoffs is no team’s goal, Brian Daboll has shown he is the right man for the job in his first season at the helm. At the same time, Giants’ scouts should put most of their time into finding good receivers. Halfback Saquon Barkely is great at what he does; however, once teams figure out the Giants’ running playbook, the offense comes to a screeching halt. It is rumored that free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. may consider rejoining the Giants roster for the right price. If this holds true, the Giants could be in for something special with an OBJ homecoming.
The AFC conference game is going to be a clash of titans. The Cincinnati Bengals are looking at another chance to take home the Lombardi Trophy after losing to the Los Angeles Rams last year. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs look to get their second ring under Coach Andy Reid’s leadership. Elite quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes are set to battle it out. Both of these star studded rosters are filled with aggressive players on both sides of the ball. This game is going to come down to the wire.
Regardless of outcome, the four remaining teams are all powerhouses in their own right. The AFC is anyone’s game, but it is likely the Eagles will come out with the NFC title. In the event that both the Eagles and Chiefs advance, it will be interesting to see how Andy Reid faces the team that fired him in 2012. If the Bengals advance, they will be looking to avenge their last Super Bowl loss. Either way, both AFC teams are going to fight tooth and nail for their shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
