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And then there were four. The Commanders shocked fans across the country, the Bills and Ravens went down to the wire, the Eagles - and namely Saquon - did what was expected of them, and the Chiefs were the center of controversy...again.
Championship Power Rankings
Team to Note
Washington Commanders (Rose 9 spots)
This move is long overdue. Jayden Daniels has elevated this team in ways I couldn't have even imagined, and Dan Quinn has made the Commanders enjoyable to watch. They're a fun team, with the ability to pop off for a big gain on any given down. The defense needs some work, but taking down one of the top teams in the league, regardless of health, is impressive.
Divisional Awards
Offensive MVP | Saquon Barkley |
Defensive MVP | George Karlaftis |
Special Teams MVP | Tyler Bass |
Trench Tyrant | Landon Dickerson |
Relentless Rookie | Jayden Daniels |
Winners to Note
George Karlaftis
Big George was a menace against the Texans. He tallied 8 pressures, the most in the NFL in the divisional round, to the beat of a 22.22% pressure rate. This included 3 sacks and another QB hit, and he added 4 stops + TFLs in the run game. He seemed like he was all over the place, and made life a living hell for CJ Stroud.
Jayden Daniels
Jayden put the ball exactly where it needed to be all night long. On throws beyond the sticks, he went 6 of 9 for 133 yards, which accounted for about half of his production on the day. He was decisive on getting the ball out overall, giving him nearly 300 passing yards and 2 TDs through the air. He also put stress on the Lions defense with his legs, as he totaled 51 yards across 16 carries. He did everything the Commanders asked him to, and more, en route to taking down the Super Bowl favorite.
Photo: Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Championship Predictions
Predicted winner in bold.
Commanders vs Eagles (Sunday 3 PM)
There are legitimate concerns with the Eagles offense outside of Saquon Barkley. Jalen Hurts has been subpar for someone who is touted as one of the best QBs in the NFC. He continuously misses his reads, has shown poor pocket presence through the last several games, and besides one carry, hasn't been an efficient runner. As a result, the star-studded receiving core has done minimal damage. This defense, led by Jalen Carter and Zack Baun, will have to carry this team against a Commanders offense that is on fire.
Fueling that flame is rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and All-Pro receiver Terry McLaurin. Other pieces have started to show up as well, namely Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Austin Ekeler, but those two have been the focal point of the offense. The biggest deterrent heading into this matchup is the loss of Sam Cosmi, one of the top guards in the NFL. His matchup against Jalen Carter and Milton Williams would have been a spectacle, but now I fear the the Commanders front won't be able to keep Jayden clean in the pocket. The LSU alum will, once again, have to carry this team on his back to claim victory.
With all of that accounted for, and the fact we've seen QBs struggle and still win games, I think the Eagles just beat out the Commanders through the ground game. Saquon and Jalen will combine for over 250 rush yards, and they'll claim victory by a score of 33-27.
Bills vs Chiefs (Sunday 6:30 PM)
The most anticipated matchup of the year makes it way into the AFC Championship Game. Buffalo vs KC has been one of the best contests in nearly every NFL season since 2019, and this weekend shouldn't disappoint. Starting with Josh Allen, he has actually played lights out against the Chiefs in the postseason, but has not yet won a single contest against them. He's totaled over 1200 total yards and 9 TDs with just one turnover across three games, and he looks to have another great outing. He'll need some help from his OL in a big way, as the Chiefs pass rush has been virtually unstoppable.
Leading that charge up front will be future HOFer Chris Jones and young stud George Karlaftis. Both have been consistently disruptive throughout the season, and they'll have some tough matchups across the entire Bills OL. I'm sure Chris will get plenty of edge reps against Spencer Brown, which will leave George going toe-to-toe with Dion Dawkins, one of the most underrated offensive tackles in the league. It goes without saying there are plenty of other stars on the Chiefs defense, namely Trent McDuffie and Leo Chenal, both of which are high-end run defenders to help shut down Josh Allen and James Cook.
There may be some more controversy in this matchup, as the Chiefs have benefitted from calls here and there, and Josh Allen gets called for a higher percentage of roughing the passer than any other QB in the league, but this should still be a tight and exciting game regardless. I believe the Chiefs will reach their third consecutive Super Bowl, thanks in large part to this stout defense. They'll make their way to New Orleans on the tails of a 24-20 dub.
Record from Divisional Round: 2-2
Season Record: 170-112
Photo: David Eulitt/GettyImages
Final Notes
It's go time now. I would love to see both underdogs win, as the Commanders and Bills have incredible fun offenses to watch, but I don't think they have enough beef on the defensive side to make that a reality. Alas, we're in for some more great football this weekend!
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