PMT DB
PMT DB
Divisional Round Recap: Bengals Dominance, Cowboy Cowardice, and Hank's Misery
The Divisional Round didn't quite live up to the chaos of Wild Card Weekend, but it certainly set the stage for a massive Championship Sunday. PFT described the weekend as the setup for the real fireworks.
PFT CommenterThe NFL Divisional Round was the 'Fly' episode of the season, setting up a legendary Championship Sunday
This was the fly episode of the NFL and next weekend we got Ozymandias and everybody's gonna die. The matchups that we have coming in next weekend and the storylines are gonna be awesome.
Kansas City kicked things off with a scare as Patrick Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain early against the Jaguars. While Chad Henny led an incredible 98-yard drive to keep the ship steady, Mahomes eventually limped back onto the field to finish the job. PFT remains convinced that even a hobbled Mahomes is better than half the league's starters.
PFT CommenterPatrick Mahomes with only one working leg is still a top 15 NFL quarterback
I think [Patrick Mahomes] with a leg, one leg that doesn't work is still a top 15 quarterback in the NFL. Legitimately.
Big Cat isn't ready to exhale yet, though. While the Chiefs advanced, the version of Mahomes we see next week is going to be a major factor in whether they can actually secure another ring.
Big CatPatrick Mahomes will play in the AFC Championship but will be physically diminished
I would say [Patrick Mahomes] is gonna play, but he's gonna be diminished. You're not gonna get full Mahomes. It's more just being as mobile as he is behind the line of scrimmage and keeping plays alive.
Beyond the injury, Billy brought back a report from the ground at Arrowhead, describing the atmosphere as practically religious.
Billy FootballArrowhead Stadium is the craziest game day environment in the NFL
Arrowhead is the craziest game day environment I've ever been in. Especially the crowd in the stadium. When Patrick Mahomes came back on the field, it was like the second coming of Christ.
The Bengals Own the AFC North and Buffalo
In what was supposed to be a tight snow game in Buffalo, the Bengals decided to just take over the Bills' home turf. Joe Burrow looked completely unfazed by his missing offensive linemen, and the Bengals' defense absolutely stifled Josh Allen. Big Cat points out that the Bills were essentially asking for the smoke after a season of being Super Bowl favorites.
Big CatThe Bills are 'fair game' for heavy criticism after being Super Bowl favorites and failing to perform
Anyone who wants to shit on [the Bills] right now, it's fair game. They were Super Bowl favorites to start the year. They had all the pieces. That was a very pitiful performance by the Bills.
It’s getting harder to ignore the fact that Cincinnati has Kansas City’s number, and they’re heading into the AFC Championship with a massive chip on their shoulder.
Big CatThe Bengals own the Kansas City Chiefs
The Bengals own the Chiefs. Three and oh is ownership. And they gotta be feeling pretty fucking good. It's tough to beat a team four times in a row.
Philadelphia Flexes and Brian Daboll Punts
The Eagles demolished the Giants so thoroughly that the game felt over by the first quarter. While Philadelphia looked like a complete machine, Brian Daboll’s decision-making left a sour taste in the guys' mouths, especially a late punt that signaled the white flag was being raised far too early.
PFT CommenterBrian Daboll's fourth-quarter punt against the Eagles was one of the saddest of the year
Brian Daboll elected to punt, down 21 points with 13 minutes left... He had one of the saddest punts of the year in the fourth quarter. Is he kind of a coward? What is happening here? Because everything he's done this year has been the right string and then he did that one thing and you're like, whoa, whoa, this is kind of fucked up.
Despite the lopsided win, Max is already looking ahead at the 49ers defense as a legitimate threat to the Eagles' Super Bowl aspirations.
MaxThe 49ers are the only remaining team in the playoffs that can 'win ugly' and are the scariest matchup for the Eagles
The Niners can win the game ugly. If there was one team left right now... the Niners are probably the last team that I would like to see left on both sides. They're respectable foes.
Cowboys Gonna Cowboy
The weekend ended in the most predictable way possible: the Dallas Cowboys losing in a spectacular, hilarious fashion. Dak Prescott threw two interceptions and could have easily thrown three more, while Mike McCarthy closed the game with a play design that saw Ezekiel Elliott playing center and getting immediately steamrolled.
PFT CommenterMike McCarthy will survive and stay as the Cowboys head coach
My gut tells me that Mike McCarthy actually survives this and he'll stick around. I don't think [Jerry Jones] is going to fire him.
For Hank, the misery was compounded. After spending the week trolling in a Dak jersey and acid-washed jorts, he had to sit through another 49ers defensive masterclass. Big Cat was particularly impressed by Fred Warner, who seems to defy the laws of physics for a linebacker.
Big CatFred Warner is a freak of nature who shouldn't be able to do what he does in coverage at his size
Fred Warner also is incredible. A linebacker shouldn't be able to do what he does in coverage. When he turned around and ran down the field [with Dalton Schultz and CeeDee Lamb]... he's just the best.
To top it all off, the show ended with a legendary lottery ball failure. Hank was given 12 separate numbers to try and finally secure a win and end his streak of being a loser. He missed every single one of them.
Some things never change, and Hank being a loser is one of them.
