The regular season is no more, but the lessons are still there. Two lessons per game in a rich NFL weekend. Detroit falls from above, Travis Kelce back and Mark Andrews awkward. It's time to talk about it!
Bonus: Football is simple
The Texans, Lions, Rams and Ravens gained more yards than the opponent. These four teams lost.
The Chiefs, Commanders, Eagles and Bills did not lose any balls. These four teams won.
QED
Chiefs – Texans (23-14): Immortal Travis Kelce
The Texans weren't far away
If you read the first lesson, you might have thought that the Texans didn't lose any balls either. And indeed, it is a statistically unprecedented defeat. Houston has the foundations to become a great team, and CJ Stroud chased away most of the doubts around him in the playoffs, becoming a very good quarterback again when needed. The defeat can be explained more by the indiscipline and failure of the special teams. Nothing insurmountable to correct, the Texans will play for the title next year if they continue their progress.
Unsinkable Chiefs
You love to hate them, or you love to celebrate them. But these Chiefs are inevitable. Travis Kelce is resurrected, the defense is still dominant, the special teams are in place. It's a complete team, always looking for the treble. “Dynasty” tends to irritate, because fans want change, but one day we will have to talk calmly about a team that is going to a seventh consecutive conference final.
Lions – Commanders (31-45): Washington in demonstration!
Jared Goff, the shadow of a doubt in Detroit?
Jared Goff's career is great, with qualification for the Super Bowl, great moments and victories in the playoffs. But every time he needs a great performance, he needs to carry his team, he fails. The time is not yet for change in Detroit, but the pressure will increase. The defense with the excuse of youth and numerous injuries, Jared Goff no longer really has any excuses.
Jayden Daniels, already a superstar
How can you not be romantic about football? Jayden Daniels arrived in a group under construction, in year one of Dan Quinn, as a rookie. He had time, the goal being to become competitive over several seasons. The former LSU quarterback decided otherwise, carrying an irresistible attack to the conference finals a few months after his arrival. And given the current dynamic, it is far from impossible to see him reach the Super Bowl as a rookie. History is in the making, and the Commanders are likely to be competitive for many years to come.
Eagles – Rams (28-22): Saquon Barkley, comet in the blizzard
Jalen Hurts needs to do better
Two years ago, Jalen Hurts had the third best game in SuperBowl history for a quarterback according to advanced statistics. Without fear, he had made the long game a specialty. Since then, he has been far from having maintained this form. Unable to manage the pocket, inconsistent and lacking precision, he is today a weakness in this attack. To defeat confident Commanders, you're going to need a much better version of Jalen Hurts.
The Rams know how to develop young people
If the defeat is frustrating, the Rams continue to build for the future. Without a 1st round of draft for several seasons, the Rams waited until the end of the 2nd day of draft to find nuggets like Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner or Byron Young. This year, the Rams added Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, making this defense one of the most promising in the league. Great teams always find a way to renew themselves without going through a reconstruction. The Rams are a great team.
Bills – Ravens (27-25): Josh Allen stronger than Lamar Jackson
Mark Andrews has no right
Football is not a simple sport, and there are many factors that can explain a loss. However, some events are more impactful than others. In the key moments, Mark Andrews committed a terrible fumble before releasing the ball for the equalizer. The weather conditions are a mitigating circumstance, but a star like him cannot afford to miss out on such a match.
The Bills know how to defend
During the season, the Bills' defense was not always there. But since the start of the playoffs this group has been gaining strength. Matt Milano is obviously the symbol of this resurgence, he who had a lot of difficulty regaining his level after his major injury. He put in a great performance like the whole team. If the Bills want to finally beat the Chiefs, they will have to be good on defense and special teams.
