Championship Sunday overreactions: Was the AFC Championship a bronze medal sport?

Championship Sunday started with 4 groups, however solely two stay with tickets punched to Tremendous Bowl LX. It will be the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks who will battle for the correct to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in a few weeks.

This Tremendous Bowl matchup got here collectively after one other chaotic chapter in these NFL playoffs. Within the AFC Championship, New England leaned on Drake Maye’s legs and a stout protection to outlast the Jarrett Stidham-led Denver Broncos in a sport that changed into a snowy affair at Mile Excessive.

As for Seattle, the Seahawks reached the Tremendous Bowl after buying and selling haymakers with the Los Angeles Rams within the NFC Championship, the place Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford every threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.

With Championship Sunday within the books, storylines from each convention title video games will start pouring out as we break down what simply unfolded. Beneath, we’ll spotlight among the main takeaways from these two playoff showdowns and decide which needs to be taken at face worth — and that are mere overreactions.

Drake Maye and the Patriots silenced the schedule skeptics

Overreaction vs. actuality: Overreaction

The Patriots are again within the Tremendous Bowl after outlasting some remarkably powerful defenses alongside the way in which. In actual fact, Drake Maye grew to become the primary quarterback ever to win three playoff video games in opposition to top-five whole defenses (yards allowed) in a single postseason. That places a large gap within the argument from skeptics who’ve cited a simple schedule as a significant motive for New England’s success.

Does it silence these doubters completely? Most likely not. Whereas Maye and the Patriots offense have managed to outlast a number of elite items, New England’s path additionally included dealing with Justin Herbert behind an injured offensive line, C.J. Stroud, who threw 4 interceptions within the divisional spherical, and Jarrett Stidham, a backup pressed into motion after Bo Nix obtained harm.

These circumstances should go away some questioning simply how good the Patriots actually are, though they’re now one win away from a championship.

Jarrett Stidham was who we thought he was

Overreaction vs. actuality: Actuality

For a second, it seemed like Stidham was going to comply with within the footsteps of Nick Foles and drive a dagger into the center of the Patriots. After a gap three-and-out, he uncorked a 52-yard move to Marvin Mims to get Denver contained in the New England 10-yard line, then related with Courtland Sutton for a 6-yard landing to take an early 7-0 lead.

All of the momentum was on Denver’s aspect at that time, and the backup quarterback appeared to be rising to the event. However then issues got here crashing again right down to earth.

The Broncos went scoreless the remainder of the sport, and Stidham wasn’t almost as efficient as he was on that lone landing drive. On that possession, he accomplished two of his 4 move makes an attempt for 58 yards and a landing. Outdoors of it, he went 15 of 27 for simply 75 yards.

He additionally had two turnovers that proved to be the nail in Denver’s coffin. The primary got here on a fumble on a backward move that gave the Patriots possession on the Broncos’ 12-yard line.

Attempting to tie the sport or take the lead with simply over two minutes left in regulation, Stidham threw an interception to Christian Gonzalez on an underthrown ball to Mims. 

Coming into this sport, there was rising optimism that Stidham would be capable to maintain issues afloat, however that in the end did not come to fruition. 

AFC Championship was the bronze medal sport

Overreaction vs. actuality: Overreaction 

It is exhausting to look at the AFC Championship and the NFC Championship and never really feel like one convention was a tier above the opposite. New England was in a position to come away with a win over Denver to advance to the Tremendous Bowl, but it surely was by the pores and skin of its enamel, even with the Broncos beginning their backup quarterback.

In the meantime, each the Rams and Seahawks seemed like championship heavyweights of their slugfest. I would not fault you in case your first impression after watching each video games was that whoever got here out of the NFC would find yourself profitable Tremendous Bowl LX, rendering the AFC Championship a bronze medal sport of types.

Whereas which may be the knee-jerk response, it is not the truth. Seattle does have the betting edge over New England within the early Tremendous Bowl traces, however the Seahawks are solely favored by 3.5. That is hardly a quantity that implies one convention is heads and shoulders above the opposite.

And as we have seen time and time once more, you possibly can’t depend out any staff that reaches the Tremendous Bowl, so New England should not be seen as a sacrificial lamb to the NFC champions.

Sean Payton misplaced Denver the AFC Championship

Overreaction vs. actuality: Overreaction

One of many monumental selections of the AFC Championship got here within the early minutes of the second quarter. Already holding a 7-0 lead, the Broncos had been threatening to attain after transferring the ball to the New England 14-yard line.

Confronted with a fourth-and-1, Sean Payton elected to maintain his offense on the sector, and that call blew up in his face. On the essential down, Stidham was instantly pressured, almost threw an interception and turned the ball over on downs.

Payton famous afterward that he stored his offense on the sector as a result of he believed his staff had the momentum to transform, but it surely proved expensive, notably with Denver dropping by a area aim. Going up 10-0 in a sport that noticed simply 17 whole factors scored would have been the extra prudent transfer.

Nonetheless, whereas it loomed massive in a 10-7 loss to New England, it wasn’t the only motive the Broncos got here up brief.

Denver had a number of alternatives to attract even after that turnover on downs, however could not execute. On the next drive, Stidham fumbled the soccer, and the Patriots responded with a landing drive to tie the sport at seven.

Later within the contest, Will Lutz missed a 54-yard area aim and had a 45-yard try blocked, both of which might’ve tied the sport at 10. So, whereas passing up the factors in that spot will doubtless be a foremost speaking level, different elements had been working in opposition to Denver as nicely.

Sam Darnold outdueled Matthew Stafford

Overreaction vs. actuality: Actuality

People have routinely checked out Darnold sideways and questioned whether or not this late-career resurgence would translate to postseason success. With every sport, there’s been a thought at the back of individuals’s minds that he’ll flip right into a pumpkin, like he did with Minnesota in Week 18 and within the first spherical of the playoffs final yr.

Nevertheless, that hasn’t occurred in his first season with Seattle. In actual fact, Darnold simply outplayed Stafford, the favourite to win NFL MVP, within the NFC Championship Recreation.

On the floor, their numbers had been almost similar.

• Darnold: 25 of 36, 346 yards passing, 3 TDs, 127.8 passer ranking
• Stafford: 22 of 35, 374 yards passing, 3 TDs, 127.6 passer ranking

Nevertheless, Darnold was far superior in key conditions, notably on third down. Stafford failed to finish any of his six move makes an attempt on third down within the loss. In the meantime, Darnold accomplished 6 of 9 on third down for 102 yards and a landing.

If Darnold can maintain that effectivity going, he’ll have an important shot at finishing his redemption arc with a Tremendous Bowl title.

Rams’ particular groups had been their downfall

Overreaction vs. actuality: Actuality

An Achilles heel for the Rams this season has been their particular groups unit. Miscues on that aspect of the ball put them behind the eight-ball all year long, and it reared its head once more on this playoff loss to Seattle.

Their deficiencies had been placed on full show on a Seahawks punt after the opening possession of the third quarter. Returner Xavier Smith fell backward attempting to area the ball, muffed the punt, and Seattle recovered on the Rams 17-yard line.

One play later, Darnold related with Jake Bobo on a landing to place L.A. in a 24-13 gap.

Had the Rams performed mistake-free on particular groups, we might be speaking about them heading to the Tremendous Bowl as an alternative of their season coming to an in depth.

Sean McVay ended the season in a droop

Overreaction vs. actuality: Actuality

Sean McVay is broadly considered among the best coaches within the NFL, and that continues to be the case. Nonetheless, the Rams head coach did finish the season in a relative droop.

Within the divisional spherical win over Chicago, McVay made a variety of head-scratching selections late, but it surely in the end did not burn L.A. because the staff superior. Within the NFC Championship, nevertheless, these curious late-game calls continued and did contribute to the loss.

One of many puzzling selections got here when Los Angeles confronted a fourth-and-4 on the Seattle 6-yard line. McVay determined to maintain his offense on the sector, though a area aim would’ve lower the Seahawks’ result in one level with 4:54 remaining in regulation.

The Rams had been unable to transform and turned the ball over on downs, maintaining the deficit at 4 factors.

On the following Seattle possession, Cooper Kupp appeared to come back up brief on a third-down catch, however the officers moved the chains with a first-down ruling. McVay didn’t problem the spot, as an alternative calling a timeout after the play.

He ought to’ve merely challenged the ruling, which can have gone in his favor, and doubtlessly retained his timeout to maintain L.A. inside vary. As a substitute, the timeout was used, the problem flag stayed in his pocket, and Seattle moved one step nearer to victory.

Total, it wasn’t a banner ultimate two playoff video games for McVay.