Views from the Nosebleeds: 2016 NFL Conference Championships

Sans the second half of Divisional Round Weekend, the 2016-17 NFL Playoffs haven't been competitive.  However, in case you're like me and have been disappointed with many of these weak showings, perhaps the beginning of this edition of "Views from the Nosebleeds" will cheer you up as one guy has been the playoffs' saving grace.  For back-to-back weekends, saxophonist Mike Phillips performed his National "Saxthem" version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Georgia Dome, which I'm convinced gave the Falcons even more motivation to beat both visiting teams handily.  Not only were both renditions the best instrumental versions of the National Anthem performed at sporting events I've ever heard, but let me tell it, Phillips has turned two of the most memorable versions since the late, great Whitney Houston's stirring performance before Super Bowl XXV.  Granted, nobody compares to The Voice--I got goosebumps listening to it as I was typing this--but he showed up and showed off like few have done since '91.  Alas, since this isn't a music post, I guess we can talk about these beatdowns now...

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: #2 ATLANTA FALCONS 44, #4 GREEN BAY PACKERS 21.  If there was any game I was expecting to be close, it was this one only for the regular-season close shave.  However, judging from the issues the Packers' secondary had with the Cowboys' receivers, I knew they'd have even bigger issues against the most dangerous receiving corps and perhaps the most underrated QB in the NFL.  Although they were a bottom-five defense, Green Bay came into the game eleventh in turnovers; the problem is Matt Ryan  and Taylor Gabriel gift-wrapped three opportunities via two potential INTs and a muffed shotgun snap and they couldn't take advantage.  Being unable to take away momentum meant a heavy dose of Julio Jones, who burned Ladarius Gunter even more than Bryant did on his way to eleven catches, 182 yards and two TDs--including a 73-yard TD where he manhandled both Gunter and Damarious Randall before turning on the jets and playing through a nagging case of turf toe. 

A lot of the Fox NFL (and Facebook) commentary was about Aaron Rodgers having to do a lot on his own other than an all-points bulletin for the defense.  Despite hitting two kicks from 56 and 51 yards against the Cowboys--the latter being the game winner--Mason Crosby's missed FG from 41 yards at 7-0 manifested how difficult it would be for the Pack to score.  In the red zone during a 10-0 game with 11:11 remaining in the first half, Aaron Ripkowski allowed Jalen Collins to rip the ball out of his hands, later yielding a Matt Ryan TD run to go up 17-0 and be another stat line with his 392 passing yards and four TD passes.  Factor in Rodgers being under immense pressure from Atlanta's underrated defense most of the day and uncharacteristic drops and this ended up being a Packers team who looked less like the impressive team who beat Dallas last week and more like the question marks who were manhandled by two non-playoff teams, the Titans and Redskins, in back-to-back weeks before "running the table".  As for the winners, the Falcons are one of the most threatening top-to-bottom offenses in a Super Bowl I've seen perhaps since "The Greatest Show on Turf"...

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: #1 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 36, PITTSBURGH STEELERS 17.  This game went how I thought it would: Brady and the Patriots would dominate Big Ben and the Steelers in Foxboro (or "Foxborough" depending on which native you ask) once again.  From Chris Boswell's missed extra point--yeah, the same Chris Boswell who set an NFL record the previous week for most FGs made in a postseason game and accounted for all 18 points--the bad juju was cast.  A Jessie James TD to close a 17-6 gap before halftime was called back upon review and due to two failed DeAngelo Williams runs and an incomplete pass from Roethlisberger to Rogers, they settled for a FG.  Oh yeah, and Le'Veon Bell suffered a groin injury, taking a significant amount of the sting out of the "Killer B's" attack (along with not properly utilizing Antonio Brown despite seven catches for 77 yards) and effectively letting the air out of Pittsburgh's offensive tires.

Although they didn't need it, the Patriots had a little help from the refs.  Even when Javon Hargrave made a "clear recovery" after Brady fumbled on a QB sneak in the third quarter--and all of CBS' replays showed he coughed it up before he was down by contact--they still gave the ball back to New England, which assisted in a Stephen Gostkowski 47-yard FG which made the score 20-9.  Moreover, considering a total of five accepted penalties the entire game between both teams, the refs gave new meaning to "letting them play" as they missed several holding calls against the Pats.  However, when you're not built like the Texans by generating consistent pressure and playing tight man-to-man coverage against a Brady offense, he's prone to complete 76 percent of his passes for 384 yards, three TDs, no picks and tie Joe Montana for the most amount of postseason games with three TDs (9).  Furthermore, if you can't stop Chris Hogan (nine catches, 180 yards, two TDs) or Julian Edelman (eight catches, 118 yards, one TD), then a higher-powered offense would've embarrassed you even more.  While Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia and the Patriots' defense will have their hands full trying to slow down the Falcons' multi-layered offense, Dan Quinn and Richard Smith have some midnight oil of their own to burn.

Looking for my "Chop Lickers" for Super Bowl LI?!?!  Sorry...gotta wait until Tuesday, January 31st for my in-depth take about the last game of the NFL season for all the marbles!!! (BTW...I KNOW nobody expected me to give takes for the Pro Bowl...that's three hours of my life I won't be able to get back LOL!!!)