By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Megan Briggs/Getty Images
NFL Wild Card Sunday did not disappoint, especially when two of the three games came down to the final possession.
The Buffalo Bills defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-24. San Francisco 49ers stun World champs Philadelphia Eagles, 23-19. New England Patriots silence the Los Angeles Chargers, 16-3.
Here are some key takeaways from Sunday’s wild-card games:
Josh Allen vs Trevor Lawrence Shootout
A great playoff game can be defined in many ways. When two quarterbacks put on a show, the game becomes dramatic and exciting. We glued to the TV to see which of the two men would win the battle. In this game, it was Allen.
Allen knows that this is his best chance to make a run for a Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs won’t be getting in their way this year. Neither is the Baltimore Ravens. Allen put his teams on his back and showcased his “warrior” mentality against the Jags. He finished with 273 yards and scored the touchdown in the final minute to give the Bills the lead.
In addition, we witness perhaps the best “tush push” play in NFL history.
Lawrence had three touchdowns in this game. Wide receiver Parker Washington was also great with 107 receiving yards. As good as Lawrence was, he had two interceptions.
Demarcus Robinson Comes Through for 49ers
The 49ers have faced so many injustices this season. Robinson became a surprising story and a primary offensive weapon for the 49ers. San Francisco is about the “next man up” mentality. Against the Eagles, Robinson set the tone at the start of the game when he went for 61 yards, and shortly after, he scored a touchdown.
Robinson only had one touchdown in 14 games this season. What a way to make a statement in the wild card game.
Drake Maye’s Leadership and Fearlessness
It’s only his second season in the NFL. Maye is special, and he’s only getting started. In his playoff debut, he accumulated a total of 337 yards. He tortured the Chargers’ defense not only with his arms but also with his legs.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was horrible. Patriots’ defense got to him six times, and he fumbled the ball twice. A lot of credit goes to the defense for making it difficult for him. Herbert is an outstanding quarterback, but doesn’t seem to have the juice in the postseason. It’s going to be a long off-season for him.
The Bills will take on the Denver Broncos in the divisional round game next Saturday, Jan 17. The Rams will head to Chicago on Sunday, Jan 18. The 49ers will face the NFC West division rival, the Seattle Seahawks, next Saturday. As for the Patriots, they will wait on tonight’s winner between the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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