EL BARRIO, EL FALLS – Happy Monday! 
My kids need changing, so let’s get right to our deja vu all over again menu: NFL Playoffs, Brady Passes to Brees, Buffalo Bills, NY Jets Coach.
AFC
Baltimore Ravens 3-17 Buffalo Bills
Cleveland Browns 17-22 Kansas City Chiefs
NFC
Los Angeles Rams 18-32 Green Bay Packers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-20 New Orleans Saints
In the AFC...
The Bills versus the Ravens was an ugly affair. It was low-scoring game with both teams’ quarterbacks under-performing. The difference in the tilt occurred in the third quarter. The Bills had gone ahead and scored and the Ravens had marched back down inside the Bills 20. It was there that under limited pressure Ravens quarterback, Lamar Jackson threw an ill-advised passed that was picked off and taken back 101 yards. That proved to be the difference in the game. The Ravens could never bounce back from it… In the other game, the Browns managed to knock out MVP candidate QB Patrick Mahomes, literally giving him a concussion. But as this has been the playoffs of the unknown back-up, Chad Henne, who since losing out to Ryan Tannehill as Dolphins QB years ago seemed to just vanish, went on to lead the Chiefs to a win. Concussion protocols and Mahomes recovery will make next weekend interesting.
In the NFC…
The well-rested Green Bay Packers went ahead and made light work of the LA Rams. The Pack never trailed and Aaron Rodgers looked like he was ready to collect his league MVP trophy. Maybe our own Ben Whitney is right and Green Bay had no need to grab a QB of the future just yet… In the other match, the Saints continued to choke and became the only home team to lose in the round. Drew Brees’ inability to really throw the deep pass seemed to be an issue. Meanwhile, Tom Brady continued ot show that maybe he was just not lucky to be in Belichick’s system and maybe was the straw that stirred the drink after all. Tied 20-20 going into the final quarter, Brady and the Bucs went into another gear to pull away by 10… which Short Matt predicted, unfortunately.
Brady Passes to Brees
https://youtu.be/N9YWpwgcZ5I
Buffalo Bills
A Buffalo fan on my FB page told me he had waited 25 years for this Bills game. That sounded silly to me until you take a minute and think about how long the Bills drought had been going on. Bills fans were nice enough to make donations to Lamar Jackson’s charity after knocking him out of the game. That is a little weird but very on brand for the Bills. With no Mahomes and a week to prepare for Chad Henne, it is very much likely that the Bills could win this game. Then all hell will break loose… as a super spreader event is guaranteed. Call me crazy but I just don’t think this Bills team is that good. I have found them lucky here and there but I think they will get tested by KC and be found wanting.
New York Jets Coach
The J-E-T-S wasted no time in selecting San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh as coach. I am incredibly disappointed that they didn’t go with Eric Bienemy. However, according to sports journos who have spoken with legends like Bill Parcells, the ability to sit next to a guy in a locker room and tell him to play better and let them know they are playing well is hard to quantify – yet they are sure Saleh has it. The Jest going after another defensive guy means that they have to find a new OC to help with the offense. Since recently failed coach Adam Gase was an [alleged] offensive guru who failed to shine, maybe this point is overrated. The other concern is this means if the new OC is any good, he will easily be poached. Maybe the Jets need to focus on winning first before worrying about the coach-poach (tm). The main thing is that GM Joe Douglass acted swiftly and now has his choice at the helm and not someone he inherited. Let the next chapter in of the Jets begin now.
Thanks for reading, comment below and come back tomorrow for Ben Whitney – your Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
