Five observations from the NFC Championship game
Tom Brady. Aaron Rodgers. The stage was set for an NFC Championship game for the ages.
In reality, this game was anything but an epic clash. Tom Brady threw three interceptions in a brutal stretch in the second half. Rodgers and the Packers offense made a pair of mistakes early that might have doomed them by halftime. In the end, it was Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who were left standing, and now await their foe for Super Bowl LV. They’ll also be the first team in league history to play a Super Bowl on their home field.
Here are five observations from the NFC Championship game.
This game swung around halftime
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Over the course of around thirty minutes of real time, the NFC Championship game was decided. First there was the defensive breakdown from the Green Bay Packers on the final play of scrimmage in the first half. The Packers decided to play single-high coverage with just eight seconds remaining in the first half, and cornerback Kevin King also played with more inside leverage over wide receiver Scotty Miller. That allowed the receiver to get to the outside and eventually over the top of King, and Tom Brady was able to drip in a throw for a touchdown to give the Buccaneers an 11-point lead at the half. Then came another mistake. Aaron Jones fumbled the ball away after a catch on a crossing route on Green Bay's first drive of the second half, and Devin White's recovery gave Tampa Bay great field position. The Buccaneers immediately capitalized, with Brady hitting Cameron Brate to extend Tampa Bay's lead to 18. Granted, the Packers were able to claw back into the game and cut the Tampa Bay lead to five, but having to play from behind the way they did certainly changed the course of this contest.
A.J. Dillon has a bright future
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After Aaron Jones fumbled the football away early in the third quarter the Green Bay Packers turned to rookie running back A.J. Dillion on one of their next possessions. The Boston College product turned some heads with his play late in the third quarter. First he made a great adjustment to a throw from Aaron Rodgers that was behind him, securing the pass and getting upfield for a big gain. Then a few plays later Dillon looked to be stopped at the line of scrimmage, but using impressive lower body strength he churned through various would-be tacklers, turning a potential loss of yardage into a one of the better four-yard gains you will ever see. On Green Bay's critical late fourth quarter drive it was Dillon who opened the possession, ripping off nine yards on a first down carry to set the Packers up in Tampa Bay territory. It was a bit of a head-scratching decision to draft Dillon given the options available to the Packers at running back this past draft cycle. But right now, that is looking like a wise investment by Green Bay
Believers in momentum will point to this game for decades
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If you've ever waded into debates about football on social media you might have seen a discussion about whether momentum in football is real. Like many debates, there are people on both sides of the discussion. Believers in momentum, and there are many, are going to point to this game as evidence in the discussion for years to come. This was a game of momentum swings. First it was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who built an 18-point lead thanks to a defensive breakdown from the Green Bay Packers before halftime, and a fumble from Aaron Jones after the half. Not to be outdone the Packers put together a run of their own. Aided by three-straight drives from the Buccaneers that ended with an interception, the Packers were able to claw back into the game, cutting the 18-point Tampa Bay lead to five. A wise man once wrote that football is a game of emotion. Sunday's NFC Championship game was filled with that. And, for the believers out there, momentum.
Tom Brady endured a meltdown unlike any other
(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Three straight drives. Three straight interceptions. It was unlike any other moment from Tom Brady's illustrious NFL career. But over the course of three-straight possessions in the second half Brady saw his passes end up in the hands of the opposition. First there was the interception from Adrian Amos, when Brady tried to move the safety with his eyes but failed in the attempt, allowing Amos to step in front of a lofted pass for the turnover. Then there was the red zone interception early in the fourth quarter, when another pass intended for Mike Evans went through the hands of his receiver, settling into the arms of cornerback Jaire Alexander. That ended a critical drive for the Buccaneers who were in scoring territory prior to the turnover. Then there was the third pick, which came when Brady - facing a cornerback blitz - simply tried to loft up a throw in the direction of Evans. The pass was woefully short of the intended target, allowing Alexander to notch his second interception of the game. The read and throw was anything but vintage Brady, as he seemed to be unraveling in a playoff game, a sight unfamiliar to most football fans. But thanks to a decision that we will get to in a second, he would have one more chance along with the rest of the Tampa Bay offense to put the game away. Now? Now Brady gets to play for his seventh ring and further cement his status as the greatest quarterback of all time. And he'll do it on his home field. You can be sure he'll study those three interceptions, however.
Matt LaFleur's decision to kick a field goal will be discussed for a while
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With just over two minutes remaining the Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur faced a decision. The Packers trailed by eight and faced a 4th-and-goal. Do they take the points and try and stop Tom Brady, or do they try and tie the game up right then and there? LeFleur sent his kick team onto the field, and Mason Crosby converted to cut the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' lead back to five. But their defense would need to stop Brady one more time to have a chance at the win. We know how that turned out. Thanks to a defensive pass interference call on Kevin King - who is probably not going to sleep well tonight - the Buccaneers picked up a critical first down and were on their way towards running out the clock. From LaFleur's perspective the decision probably makes sense. After all, Brady had thrown three interceptions in the game and the Packers defense had stepped up with some critical plays in the second half to allow Green Bay to cut into what had been an 18-point lead. Yet, making the decision to give the ball back to Tom Brady, even when he was struggling, almost never seems wise. Especially now with the benefit of hindsight.
