If NFL teams saw hotshot coordinators competing for head coaching positions the way NFL fans saw quarterback arguments, it would be a welcome change. Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson struggled in the playoffs as the Detroit Lions stunned the Washington Commanders. However, two days later, the Chicago Bears hired Johnson as their head coach despite this. It wouldn’t be shocking if Glenn was hired as a head coach by the time (or soon after) this piece was published, given he is still being courted by several teams. Johnson was still one of the NFL’s top offensive minds despite a few costly play calls last week. Furthermore, Glenn didn’t simply lose his coaching skills because his defence couldn’t stop Jayden Daniels and Washington’s red-hot offense.
The majority of teams hire their next head coach based on their resumes. However, I understand. The general public’s perception of quarterbacks is not nearly the same. After the Lions’ loss to the Buffalo Bills, I suppose Lamar Jackson has lost his talent, and Jared Goff is the only reason the team is struggling. People ignore quarterback resumes after playoff losses. It’s odd and comprehensible all at same. However, hot takes sometimes go too far, and identifying the quarterback isn’t the only way to analyse playoff losses. In any case, let’s talk about the NFL’s victors and losers from the previous week and the divisional round.
Winners
Daniels, Jayden
After I tweeted, “It’s time to stop calling Daniels a rookie,” several people on social media snickered. Captains of the obvious, hold the jokes. Daniels is still a rookie, of course, but that doesn’t matter to me. His actions are unusual for a rookie signal caller, and they go beyond his two postseason victories, which include a decisive road win over the top-seeded team with the top scoring offence. It’s the composure under pressure, the coaches’ approval on fourth downs, and running a high-flying offense—one that just gave up five touchdowns and amassed 481 total yards in a hostile Detroit environment. The Philadelphia Eagles face a serious threat from the Commanders for Sunday’s NFC title game because of Daniels.
It wasn’t until he earned league MVP in his second season that Jackson began using this kind of offence. Even his offensive onslaught had its limitations, but as a rookie last season, C.J. Stroud soon became a pocket assassin. Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow both had successful rookie seasons, but they missed the playoffs and weren’t consistently running game-winning drives. Once more, Daniels is having a unique rookie season that is unlike any other time we have seen him combine productivity with postseason victories. Among the other rookie quarterbacks who have guided their teams to championship Sunday are Shaun King, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez, and Brock Purdy. Anyone who has watched football for the previous 25 years will see right away that each of those quarterbacks have stout defenses and ideal surroundings.
The Commanders’ defence contributed by forcing five turnovers against the Lions, so it’s not like Daniels is doing it alone. However, Daniels is already the main character that drives this franchise. Given that Daniels is in a class of his own, perhaps the naysayers who claim to have seen this film before in Washington with Robert Griffin III’s brief success twelve years ago will now begin to distinguish between the two teams and two quarterbacks.
Barkley, Saquon, and his teammates Being Saquon Barkley’s teammate must be pleasant
In a playoff game that would not have gone their way had the New York Giants not allowed him to depart in free agency months prior, his current Philadelphia Eagles teammates were treated to 205 rushing yards and two touchdown runs that went over 60 yards. Apologies, Giants supporters. I was powerless to stop myself. From Barkley’s suite at Lincoln Financial Field, however, it was good to see former Giants players Daniel Jones and Sterling Shepard support their former comrade. On the big stage, Barkley’s magnificence was witnessed by both current and former teammates. Given the severe weather conditions and the slow performance by Jalen Hurts and the eagles passing game, the epic performance was undoubtedly needed.
When Barkley reaches the second level of the defence, it is impossible to stop him, even with Philadelphia’s formidable offensive line. After giving up 460 rushing yards to Barkley in two games this season, the Los Angeles Rams must be furious that they will be playing the Eagles the following season.
Will Anderson Jr., Jared Verse, and Jalen Carter are becoming great defenders
The divisional round of the playoffs featured a full show of the next generation of game wreckers. As crucial to the Eagles’ victory as Barkley’s outstanding play was second-year standout defensive lineman Jalen Carter. With two sacks, three quarterback hits, and a well-timed blow that forced running back Kyren Williams to fumble in the fourth quarter, Carter dominated the Rams’ backfield. In the last two minutes of regulation, Matthew Stafford had a chance to win the game, but his drive was thwarted by Carter’s second sack.
As with Chris Jones and Cameron Heyward, first-team All-Pro defensive tackles, we will soon be discussing Carter, a second-team All-Pro. The likely Defensive Rookie of the Year, Jared Verse, an edge rusher for the Rams, also showed promise in Philadelphia, recording three tackles for loss and two sacks. By labelling Eagles fans obnoxious, he adopted the villain persona and supported it with a commanding performance. I hope the Rams didn’t advise him to stop spewing trash. Verse’s enthusiasm appears to be beneficial for a developing Los Angeles defence, provided that it doesn’t cost them yards on the pitch and he keeps causing havoc in the trenches. Will Anderson Jr., an edge rusher for the Houston Texans, was also a force and gave the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense plenty of fits during Saturday’s loss, recording two sacks and three tackles for loss. Houston got it right when it traded a future first-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals to select Anderson with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft. And let’s not overlook Chiefs edge rusher and 2022 first-round pick George Karlaftis, who had three sacks against the Texans.
The defence of the Bills
It turns out that Derrick Henry, the rushing back for the Ravens, was contained by the Bills’ defence due to its size. Although it required teamwork, the Bills frequently made the correct reads to limit Henry’s damage, as he was limited to 84 rushing yards and one touchdown. They forced three takeaways against the Ravens, which was helpful. Buffalo’s defence may not have a standout player, but it does have a number of astute players with a wealth of postseason experience. Having a healthy unit with cornerback Taron Johnson and linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard also helped. Sean McDermott, coach of the Bills, is deserving of a lot of praise for his team’s readiness and performance during pivotal moments. The Buffalo coaching staff found that it was beneficial to watch every single offensive play from the Ravens this season.
Williams, Caleb
Johnson’s decision to work with rookie Bears quarterback Caleb Williams instead of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Las Vegas Raiders’ alluring offer to participate in a general manager search was a clear indication. Although Williams frequently fought behind a subpar offensive line and managed to keep his team in one-score games, he earned some criticism for the Bears’ dismal season. When the chips are down, you can correct the terrible choices and body language. However, Williams has an exceptional skill set that cannot be taught. This season, Williams, the first overall pick in the previous year’s draft, completed a number of spectacular passes that only four or five quarterbacks can make. What this indicates about Lawrence is unclear to me. He hasn’t shown enough flashes since being the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft. Maybe Williams is benefiting from a small sample size, but he now gets to work with one of the best offensive minds in the NFL to help him reach his potential.
NFC North Losers
Shortly after the Bears moved to 4–2 in order to stay up with the Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Green Bay Packers, there was talk that the NFC North might be the first division to send four teams to the postseason. The Bears destroyed it by going on a 10-game losing run, but the other three teams quickly joined them in watching the playoffs. Despite having a combined 40 regular-season victories, the Packers, Vikings, and Lions finished 0–3 in the postseason. After securing the top seed and receiving a bye week prior to their shocking playoff matchup with the Commanders, the Lions were the biggest letdowns. For such a talented roster, the Lions still have plenty of holes on the defensive side and will now need to replace two coordinators after Johnson joined the Bears and Glenn likely headed to the New York Jets or New Orleans Saints.
The Vikings will benefit from left tackle Christian Darrisaw’s recovery and have the defence (although defensive coordinator Brian Flores may leave for a head coaching position). However, with Sam Darnold coming off two awful performances before entering free agency and J.J. McCarthy returning from a ruptured ACL, they will once more have doubts at quarterback. The Packers will have to investigate the reasons behind Jordan Love’s slight decline in his second season as a starter. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that these three clubs will return to the postseason. Football is frequently about which teams can take advantage of the situation at hand because second chances aren’t always guaranteed. Perhaps only Johnson’s Bears will qualify for the playoffs from the NFC North next season. You never know, as the Commanders reminded us by reaching the NFC title game.
Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson
To single out Jackson and Goff for their separate postseason losses seems unjust, but that’s simply part of the quarterbacking experience. Earlier in the loss to the Bills, Ravens tight end Mark Andrews had a costly lost fumble and a dropped throw on the game-tying two-point conversion. For the Lions, Johnson called a few dubious plays, such as letting Jameson Williams throw for an interception against the Commanders. We can agree that Jackson and Goff did not play well, but again, it’s not all their fault. Josh Allen’s flawless performance for the Bills demonstrated that they most likely didn’t even need to be excellent to advance to the next round.
However, Jackson failed to safeguard the football, committing two fumbles that caused Baltimore to start slowly and prevented Henry from getting into a rhythm until it was too late. If Goff hadn’t made the four turnovers and had given it more to running back Jahmyr Gibbs—another error by Johnson—the Lions might have faced Commanders head-to-head. Despite his failure, Jackson remains one of the league’s most gifted quarterbacks. And feel free to argue that his lack of postseason victories makes him less than great. But let’s not act like he’s just any quarterback. Even though Goff failed to deliver, he’s still in a great position and has demonstrated that he can guide a group of people to a Super Bowl. Yes, that was with the Rams nearly seven years ago, but it was just last year Goff helped win two playoff games in Detroit. It’s unfair to group Goff with Darnold given the playoff résumé he’s built.
Officiating in the NFL
I make every effort to refrain from bringing up NFL officials since there are too many events throughout games to claim that one or two dubious calls determined a team’s victory or defeat. For instance, despite a few dubious calls, the Texans had numerous chances to overcome the Chiefs. With only 13 points scored, it’s difficult to recommend them. To put it mildly, though, NFL officiating has been routinely poor this season. It’s difficult to overlook all of the dubious calls made throughout last week’s four playoff games. Hopefully, the league will start focussing more on enhancing the officiating instead of focussing on its TV numbers and expensive network contracts. But I won’t hold my breath.
