Holy cow!!  Where do you start on the games from this past weekend?  Each of the winners in the WildCard games scored under 25 points; if your team scored 25 points last weekend, they have been eliminated from the playoffs.  I’m not sure there has been a playoff weekend with more suspense, nail biting action and last minute plays that won (and lost) games.  It was a record-breaking weekend for points scored in the NFL playoffs.  Let’s get started with our analysis:

Participant Update
Comeback Kid was the clear winner on Saturday, with the most points in each of the 2 tussles, and earned 148 points for his efforts.  Pete the Terp (“I’m afraid this is going to be Ray Lewis’s last game”) dominated on Sunday, winning both games and earning a walloping 256 points.  Only 1 goose-egg was “earned” over the weekend.

• Pete the Terp – in the lead with 375 total points
• Comeback Kid – 365 points
• 2013 Winner – 361 points
• Buffalo Bill – 204 points
• Henrico FiveOh – 176 points
• Greg the Great – 126 points

It’s a very tight 3-participant race at the moment, but with 3 big games to go everyone is still in the hunt (mathematically and otherwise).  Keep in mind that only 40% of the total average points in a season are earned up to this point in the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens 38, Denver Broncos 35 (2 OT’s)
What a splendid way to kick-off the weekend with a double OT thriller.  Before everyone was settled in their seats, the underdog Ravens (9 point spread) were up 14-7 thanks to a 59-yard TD pass over Chump Bailey (the 1^st of several such plays) and a follow-up pick 6 of Denver QB Peyton Manning 3 plays later.  The action continued to produce big plays, including a 104-yard kickoff return to start the second half.  Baltimore QB Joe Flacco exposed the Bronco secondary several times with long passes, including the game tying score late in the 4^th quarter.  On the ensuing series, Denver started on their 30 with 31 seconds and needed to get to the Raven 35 or so to give K Matt Prater a chance to win it in the cold, Mile High climate.  Like taking candy from a baby for the veteran Manning…  So, what does Peyton do?  Takes a knee (like waving the white flag) and we go into OT.  Go figure.  And, as The Commish had predicted – Baltimore wins if Peyton throws 2 INTs, the last one in OT gives the Ravens the upset with a 47-yd FG.

San Francisco 49’ers 45, Green Bay Packers 31
The official coming out party for 49’er QB Colin Kaepernick (who?), rushing for an NFL-record 181 yards in leading the 49’ers to a lopsided bashing of the Packers.  This game produced over 900 yards of total offense.  The line on this game was 45 total points and that’s what SF scored, as their offensive line continually opened large spaces for RB Frank Gore (over 100 yards rushing) and Kaepernick to run wild on a tired-looking Packer D.  Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers was admirable in this one, but just couldn’t keep pace with the faster, leaner and quicker 49’ers.  Packers are sent packing and SF moves on to the NFC Championship game, a place they have been in the past…

Atlanta Falcons 30, Seattle See ya’ Hawks 28
Finally, after 4 feeble attempts, the Falcons win a playoff game!  It was not easy, as Seattle scored 28 second half points and took the lead for the first time in the game with 18 seconds left.  You could feel the Atlanta Dome roof collapse.  Falcon QB Matt Ryan connects on a couple quick passes and K Matt Bryant wins it with a 49-yd FG with 8 seconds remaining.  Looking back on this one, the Seahawks should have kicked 2 short FG’s in the 1^st half instead of aggressively going for it on 4^th down (both were snuffed by the Falcon D) and suffered from clock mismanagement repeatedly.  The Falcons almost blew their 20-0 1^st half lead.  Now they will host the NFC Championship game for the 1^st time in team history.

New England Patriots 41, Houston Texans 28
This one was not as close as the final score, as Pats QB Tom Brady, M.D. surgically shredded the Houston D with a variety of short to medium range passes to his vast arsenal of receivers (sans TE Rob Gronkowski).  Texans made a mini comeback in the 4^th quarter, but it was too little, too late.  The Patriots cancelled their plane tickets to Denver and instead will host the Ravens in the AFC Championship game this weekend.  The much-ballyhooed Texan D was relatively non-existent (“Houston, we have a problem”).  As The Commish had suggested – it was Tom Brady vs. Matt Schaub.  Who did you like?

Summary
2 huge games this Sunday, with the victors moving on to SB47 in Nawlins’ in 2 weeks.  A few participants need to sharpen their pencils before submitting their picks prior to the 3:00pm kickoff of the SF @ Atlanta battle.  The 3 participants currently at the top of the heap are separated by a mere 14 points, a record at this juncture in the HSBT competition.

Buffalo Bill failed to submit his SB Bonus Pick so he will not have the opportunity for the extra 100 points.  He is not alone however, as all but 1 participant picked the Broncos to win it all.  Pete the Terp has New England holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

My analysis and game predictions will be forthcoming this weekend, so stay tuned!!

~~ The Commish