NIAGARA FALLS, NY – Happy Monday! I am gonna pull a [Jackson or Jacob] Sternberg and be quick with my intro. With that, here are today’s topics: NFL Playoffs, Knicks News, Rangers Update
Knicks News
This week, the Knicks got it correct. They mustered the right amount of defense and offense at the right time. The were hot in their shooting to win out against a high -coring NFL Playoffs, Knicks News, Rangers Update, 119-100. They then faced some really tough defense in their rivalry game against the Brooklyn Nets to win 99-95. Then in a game against one of the top scoring teams in the shape of the Sacramento Kings, they managed to shoot the lights out of MSG scoring 143 while giving up 120. Normally 120 is a lot but if you score 143, our coach will forgive you.
Rangers Update
The Rangers point streak came to a brutal end last night. After being tied 4-4 and being given a power play with 2:30 left to play in the game the Rangers got shutdown and as time wind down on the power play, the Colorado Avalanche player came out of the box. I know this is something that is coached all the time but the Avalanche player came in the attacking zone with the clock just expiring, broke up a blue line pass and off the Avalanche went the other way with a 3 on 1. Despite Igor Shesterkin’s best effort, the puck hit the net with 15 seconds left on the game clock. The Rangers had fought hard to tie the game, having never led the whole game. It was a gut punch but the Rangers are playing so much better. They are still 11th in the East but with time to get hot in the second half of the season and secure a playoff spot and even the a good seed like 5 or 6. Prior to the lost last night they had offensive explosions against the senators (5-0) and flyers 6-1). Actually if you think about this 5-4 loss, they have scored 15 goals in their last 3 games. That is very good work. They need to tighten up on the defensive end and maybe that is where they should look to bolster come the trade deadline.
NFL Playoffs
The first game of Championship Sunday had the Eagles vs the Commander/Skins. The miracle run of the Commanders came to an abrupt halt. The 3 turnovers they made led to 17 Eagles’ points. That definitely hurt them but so did Philly’s twin monsters of Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts. Barkley broke a 60-yard run for a TD on the Eagles first offensive play of the game. It was the difficulty of stopping the Eagles run that left AJ Brown in man coverage and when called upon to make a big catch, he obliged.
The Commanders played solid football when they had ball. They got their touchdowns and key plays from Jayden Daniels and Terry McLarin. However, the name of playoff football is no turnovers and those extra chances to the Eagles attack made the difference.
The second/final game was the Chiefs versus the Bills. It was a thriller. I knew before I started writing that the Bills lost because there were no cars driving by honking their horns. Once I sat down to watch the highlights, it became clear how painful the loss was. The Bills won the turnover battle. I can’t say I saw any bad penalties taken. It just became a battle of two really good teams. Maybe it was Buffalo going for it on 4th down for the 4th time and coming up short. It was interesting to see Kareem Hunt (I last remember the league suspending him for kicking a woman, but you know – skills and stuff, taking the KC rushing attack to another level. There was a lot of Mahomes throwing the ball to a WR crew that was an upgrade on last season, as Kelce seemed to be well covered.
It was just one of those games where both sides of the ball for each team played well but the difference was who got held to a FG, or got a 2-point conversion.
In the end, the Chiefs made key plays, including the blitz that forced a bad pass from Josh Allen on 4th down. Bills TE Kincaid couldn’t make the catch to keep the drive alive.
Thanks for reading and check out Ben Whitney, who will tell you the who will win the Super Bowl.