NFL Divisional Round: Games Down to the Wire, Big Officiating Calls, and a Bronco Broken Ankle

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast. Anne and I are recording as we wait for the Hoosiers to take the field in Miami to face off vs. the Miami Hurricanes for the College Football National Championship. Anne, I checked out those Indiana Coach Cignetti cigarette pack themed shirts, and they are pretty cool. 

Let’s go through big picture NFL Playoffs First. Anne, I’m looking for a 20 second or less reaction to me reading each score, and then you can pick which game you want to talk about first: 

1. Broncos beat the Bills 33-30. Lose their quarterback on one of the last plays of the game. They will host the Patriots for the AFC Championship. 
2. The Seahawks beat the 49ers 41-6. Seahawks Sam Darnold gets over last year’s end of season collapse. The 49ers were injured and battered. They will host the Rams next week for the NFC Championship. 
3. The Patriots beat the Texans 28-16 in a slushy turned snowy game where Texans quarterback CJ Stroud had 4 interceptions. The Patriots will travel to Denver to take on the Broncos for the AFC Championship. 
4. The Rams won a back and forth overtime thriller vs the Bears in very cold and snowy weather. Final score 20-17. Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams made an incredible throw to send the game into overtime. 

Anne, I’ve got a couple of notes on each game. Where would you like to start? 

Bills at Broncos: 

1. The interception late in the game. Both players possess in overtime on a catch, go to the ground, and the Broncos guy ends up with it. What did you think? 
2. How about the two pass interception calls? 
3. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle on one of the last plays. 
4. Bills fired their coach the next day. 

49ers at Seattle: 

1. The opening kicks was run back by Seattle for a TD.

The game was essentially over before many fans had even sat down. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown just 13 seconds into the game. It was the longest postseason kick return in Seahawks history and only the fourth time since 2000 a playoff game opened with a kick-return TD.

2. Kenneth Walker III’s Historic Night

Walker was “demoralizing” (his own words) for the 49ers’ defense. He finished with 116 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns, tying the legendary Shaun Alexander’s 2004 franchise record for most touchdowns in a single playoff game.

3. The “Dark Side” Defense

The Seattle defense, nicknamed the “Dark Side” this season, was suffocating. They forced three turnovers (an Ernest Jones IV interception and two fumbles) and held Brock Purdy to just 140 passing yards. Even more impressive: the 49ers failed to reach the end zone once, settling for two field goals.

• Key Stat: The Seahawks also had four fourth-down stops, which Mike Macdonald treated like extra turnovers.

4. Sam Darnold’s Redemption

Despite playing with an oblique injury that had him listed as questionable, Sam Darnold earned his first career playoff win. While he only threw for 124 yards, he was efficient and mistake-free.

5. The “12s” and the Seismic Activity

Lumen Field was so loud during Shaheed’s opening return and the defensive stands that the stadium registered actual seismic activity on local seismograms. This was the first home playoff game with a full crowd in Seattle since the 2016 season.

Texans at Pats: 

1. On 4th down with just over 9 mins to go, Pats go for it on 4th down from the 30 and score a TD.
2. What is guiding you on that as a coach? Play you like, advantage you like, how you think the game will go 
3. Penalty takes away a Texan TD that becomes a FG. 
4. Is Drake Maye not a cold slushy guy? He is from NC after all. 
5. He played better as the game went along. 
6. Texans quarterback Stroud working on what could be one of the worst playoff games in history. 
7. Stroud caused me to think of the Panthers Delhomme. The Panthers were the No. 2 seed and heavily favored at home, but Delhomme finished the night with 6 total turnovers.
8. Aikman said Stroud was “Throwing and hoping.” 
9. Snow! The snow can be fun but maybe indoor and warm weather games are overall more exciting? 

Rams at Bears: 

1. Why didn’t we get more of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams running? 
2. 7 wins when trailing in the 4th quarter. 
3. This postseason has had more 4th quarter lead changes than any NFL postseason. 
4. Even though I bet on the Bears, I did feel like, Eat it Ben Johnson. 

For the NFL Conference Championship Games, who do you like vs. the spread? 

1. Pats 4.5 point favorites over the Broncos in Denver. 
2. Seahawks 2.5 point favorites over the Seahawks in Seattle. 
3. I don’t bet on college sports, but for what it is worth, the Indiana Hoosiers are 7.5 point favorites tonight against the Miami Hurricanes. 

Check the Torg Stories Bracket challenge here to see who is in the lead for the $50 Amazon Gift Card Anne will supply. We will need the winner to get in touch with us here: William.Torgerson@gmail.com. 

Thanks for listening to this edition of the Torg Stories Podcast!