The Ravens of Baltimore, the pick of many to win the Lombardi Trophy, were shockingly dominated by the Tennessee Titans. Once again Lamar Jackson proved to have playoff feet of clay. The Chiefs were routed in the first quarter 24-0, only to improbably ricochet back with 28 points in the second quarter, eventually blowing out Houston. The Seahawks ended their season as they played seemingly every game this year -- starting slowing, giving up loads of yards and points, only to claw back in the second half. Seattle came up short, but it was a successful season, if only to have Marshawn Lynch back for three games.
The one game last weekend that didn't feature a surprise of some sort was Minnesota versus San Francisco. The 49ers dominated, plain and simple. San Francisco is a fantastic football team. The 49ers pretty much have it all -- speed, innovative offensive schemes, a young dominant defensive line and a wily veteran in Richard Sherman. Absent some sort of catastrophic meltdown -- repeated turnovers, Garoppolo getting knocked out of the game -- the Packers don't stand a chance. The 49ers are favored by seven-and-a-half points. Take San Francisco.
Today's earlier game, the AFC Championship, will probably be the better of the two. The Titans travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs. Tennessee has been the story of the playoffs to date; in particular, running back Derrick Henry, who has gained 377 yards in Tennessee victories over New England and Baltimore. If Henry gains 123 yards on the ground today he will join John Riggins and Terrell Davis as the only players in NFL history to gain 500 yards rushing in a single postseason. Incredible.
The Titans have a much steeper hill to climb because -- believe it or not -- neither the Patriots nor the the Ravens were as motivated as the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes wants the Super Bowl. Brady didn't really care and Lamar Jackson had stage fright. Mahomes is ready. He withstood several first quarter miscues from his teammates and quickly mounted a comeback. If it happens again, he'll come back again.
Yes, Tennessee's defense is playing well. Yes, Ryan Tannehill is having a career year. Benjamin Hoffman of The New York Times thinks that Kansas City, favored by seven, will win but won't cover. I'm hoping for a good game, but I don't think it will be that close. Take Kansas City.
One last thing. I was under the impression that this year -- which saw more black starting quarterbacks in the NFL than ever before, with Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson vying most of the season for MVP, with the Ravens the favorite to win the Super Bowl -- the ascension of the black quarterback in the NFL would augur the end of Trump and Trump's white supremacist know-nothing ultra-nationalism. Biracial Patrick Mahomes is our only avatar left. There is still hope. Let's go Chiefs!
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