NFL 2024-2025 Season

So into the Wildcard playoff round we go then as the post season begins.

First up Houston Texans and the LA Chargers met in a chaotic encounter.
All seemed relatively benign early on as two field goals gave the Chargers a 6-0 lead. Nothing to see here you might think. But then towards the end of the first half CJ Stroud fumbles and recovers the ball on a 3rd and 16 in launching a 34 yard pass for a first down that would ultimately change the momentum. TD Texans and a 7-6 lead extended to 10-6 by half time.
From there Chargers QB Justin Herbert had a stinker of a match as the Texans claimed crucial interceptions.
Two field goals and a TD saw the Texans build a 23-6 lead. Then a Chargers touchdown closed the gap.
Comeback on? Er no. The extra point conversion was a farce and blocked.
Loose ball picked up by the Texans and off to the end zone for a quite ridiculous two points.
A further touchdown followed and the Texans saw out an utterly bonkers game 32-12.

In Baltimore the intense rivalry of Ravens and Steelers went into play off mode. The Ravens running game bulldozed a clearly bewildered Steelers in the first half.
Lamar Jackson weaving this way and that. Dodging bullets and launching throws to leave the Steelers floundering.
Three unanswered touchdowns and a swarming Ravens defence meant the home side held a solid 21-0 half time lead. The Steelers scored first in the second half only for the Ravens to reply with Derrick Henry barging through for his second TD of the game.
George Pickens found a way through to reduce the arrears back to 28-14 but the Ravens then ran down the game and the clock to progress.

I have to admit that the Texans have gone under my radar I wasn't expecting much with Stroud underperforming this season, but I didn't factor in their defence. Head
Coach DeMeco Ryan's strength in defence & the brought the heat. The Chargers running game was nullified putting the onus on Herbert, but he was pressured on 50% of his drop-backs & sacked 4 times. Considered as an accurate passer with just 3 interceptions all season, he was picked off 4 times.
Mixon had 25 carries for 106 yards & a TD, which opened up Stroud's passing game, & he scrambled to good effect.
Tougher challenges are ahead for the Texans, but their strong D should at least keep them in the game.

The Ravens can beat you in so many different ways now with the addition of Henry. Jackson took what was their on the ground with 15 carries for 81 yards, Henry had 186 from 26 carries & a combined team total of 299 rushing yards. Compare that to the Steelers who had 11 carries for 29 yards. The Steelers only had 20 minutes & 27 seconds of offensive possession.
That's 5 straight losses to end the season for the Steelers & they look no nearer to finding a Quarterback who can deliver.

(06-01-2025 13:23 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  Playoff Picture

Bye - AFC Chiefs (1) NFC Lions (1)

Sat 11
Texans 32 - 12 Chargers
Ravens 28 - 14 Steelers

Sun 12
Broncos @ Bills 18.00
Packers @ Eagles 21.30
Commanders @ Buccaneers 01.00

Mon 13
Vikings @ Rams 01.00

EDIT : Apologies for my mistakes with the times & dates, the above has been correctly revised.

Looking forward to more Phoebe Schecter today She looked fantastic yesterday

Day two of the wildcard round.

First up it was the Denver Broncos at the Buffalo Bills. The Broncos opening drive produced a sensational 43 yard touchdown. But that was the end of the good news for the visitors as they then got overwhelmed by a clinical Bills passing and rushing game. Thirty one unanswered points by virtue of a Josh Allen masterclass left the Broncos flailing at thin air and set up a mouthwatering QB clash of the titans.
Allen v Jackson. Bills v Ravens.
The Broncos bow out.
The Bills progress.

Next up. Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Green Bay Packers. Jalen Hurts seemed to have an age to pick out his target in the end zone for a 7-0 Eagles lead. A response needed by Packers QB Jordan Love but nothing doing early on as things get rather bogged down with an exchange of forced punts. A rather protracted period of play is eventually broken up by an Eagles field goal for 10-0.
Packers struggling to get anything going and being stifled by a determined Eagles defence. And then..... Oh dear a missed field goal.
Then turnovers on downs.
It's all going wrong.
Yet the Eagles get bogged down too and can't stretch their lead before half time. Early frustration for the Eagles in the second half as they fail to get any forward momentum. Then at last Love delivers a 30 yard completed pass to make headway albeit to produce just a field goal. 10-3 Eagles.
But the Packers are losing players to in match injuries. Nothing is going right for them. A touchdown for the Eagles followed by a missed extra point conversion. Yet another injury to a Packers receiver. WTF .
Josh Jacobs goes into bulldozer mode and barges his way through to find the end zone to leave the Packers trailing by just 6 with decent time left.
Could the fightback be on?
No no no. Scrappy stuff from both teams. Eagles find a field goal. Ill discipline from the Packers.
Another Eagles field goal and that is that. Eagles survive a brutal yet dour encounter while the Packers are left reflecting pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.

A playoff classic played out as the Bucs hosted the Commanders in Tamps Bay.
The opening drive didn't quite produce the goods for the Bucs so a field goal would suffice for a 3-0 start. Over to rookie QB Jayden Daniels for Washington. Once again not quite able to force the issue but unlike the Bucs a bit of greed sets in and the FG is refused on fourth down. It backfires and the turnover ensues. Next drive for Bucs gets stifled again and punt. Back to Daniels then and a couple of passes work the Commanders up the field. A prolonged series of plays creates a 4th and 1.
Go for it again they do and this time it works out ultimately resulting in an end zone reception for 7-3. The Bucs tried to respond but once again couldn't get anything going and were forced to punt.
Zane Johnson then produced a long range field goal to extend the advantage to 10-3. Time for Baker Mayfield to step up which in combination with receiver Mike Evans he duly does. With the clock ticking towards half time the ball pings it's way to Evans in the end zone, the extra point is added and it's 10-10 at the half. Into the third quarter and this time it's the Commanders who settle for an early field goal. And this time it's the Bucs who get the first TD of the half with a repeated dose of the Mayfield-Irving combo getting it done for 17-13.
So now it's the Commanders who need to find something but nothing doing and another 4th down turnover. Frustration. But then the Bucs inexplicably made a key error. Baker Mayfield makes a hash of a handoff and suddenly Washington are down the field. Determined to make it pay they gamble again on fourth down and boom..... Touchdown. Extra point. 20-17. Next Tampa drive. Things looking promising but then Doh.
Can't quite force the issue and settle for a levelling FG.
It's 20-20 in a nerve shredder.
Calm heads required. Daniels slowly works the plays down the field dodging disasters as he goes. Play by play the sticks get in range as time is as much a deciding factor as anything else. Three seconds left in the game and this is it.
Zane Johnson it's over to you. Thirty two yards. One kick.
It's good. It's over. The Commanders win a tense humdinger by three.

^^ Luck on the Commanders side with the game winning field goal, it was a doink as Madden would say, in off the upright.