NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Deebo Samuel says he’s fine despite limping off the field after picking up big first down



San Francisco receiver/running back Deebo Samuel made one of the biggest plays of the game on Saturday night when he ran for nine yards on third-and-7 with a minute left, setting up the game-winning field goal. But after that play, he appeared to be injured.

The good news is, Samuel indicated just moments after limping off the field that he felt fine.


“My ankle got twisted up and I got scared there for a minute, but I’ll be all right,” Samuel said on NFL Network after the game.

Samuel was seen walking around after the game without a limp, and he did not appear to seek any medical treatment. So from all indications, the 49ers’ top offensive playmaker will be good to go in the NFC Championship Game.

PFT

 

Other observation from yesterday... both #1 seeds losing adds weight to the idea that home field doesn't mean all that much anymore.

 

Glad to see he's okay. The way he ran through Dan Quinn's entire defense to score that touchdown in the wild card game was just hilarious. It was the play of the game (with Dak and the center bungling the stop-clock at the end as the obvious choice for NON-play of the game). And then he picked up the crucial yardage to help end Rodgers' season.

Cool to see he can have such an impact in big games as a running back.

 

Amusing observation from a Falcons perspective... D'onta Foreman (Titans practice squad 2020, was here with us for training camp this year, ended up back with Titans practice squad) had more yards in the CIN-TEN game - and arguably a bigger impact - than Julio Jones.

The Julio trade still makes sense from a Tennessee perspective, as they were adding a piece for a postseason charge (and admittedly he did lead the Titans with 6 receptions in that game, making it a little harder for the Bengals to focus solely on A.J. Brown). But the meager second rounder from the trade is looking more and more like a fair price, if not in favor of Atlanta.

It will be interesting to see if Julio keeps up his diva act. He turns 33 in a few weeks, has had two years of declining production and has only appeared in 19 of 33 regular season games in that span. Time for a reality check...

 

I called for that upset too Willie.

49ers are dangerous....

What a crazy game. I counted at least 5 passes that Jimmy G threw late and into the flat that should have been picked off by Green Bay, and they somehow didn't get any of them...Then of course SF wins on a blocked punt TD. Niners wreck the party again! lol!

Feels like eventually Jimmy G's luck will run out, but we'll see. They into the NFC Title game.

Wouldn't it be crazy if we wound up getting another SF vs. Cincinnati Super Bowl? Chapter III

 

Rams domination, so far.

 

Rams beat Buccaneers in NFL playoff classic



The Super Bowl will be in Los Angeles, and now the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go through Los Angeles.

The Rams defeated the Buccaneers today in Tampa Bay in an absolute classic of an NFL playoff game, and the Rams will host the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game next week.

For most of the day, the game was not close: The Rams kicked a field goal to take a 3-0 lead on their first drive, quickly extended the lead to 10-0, and were ahead 20-3 by halftime. By the time the score was 27-3 in the third quarter, there appeared to be little doubt the Rams were going to win.

But Tampa Bay made it interesting in the fourth quarter, with a series of improbable events somehow turning that 27-3 score into 27-27.

In the final moments, however, Matthew Stafford hit Cooper Kupp with a deep ball that set up a game-winning field goal, and the Rams won 30-27.

For the third time in three games this weekend, a last-second field goal was the difference. And this time it’s the Rams who are on the way to the NFC Championship Game.

PFT

 

Tom Brady is just like cool Joe Montana this guy is very impressive the Rams lucked out IMO but the Bucs are one and done also

 

So far this weekend, with one more game to go, the visitors have won on the last possession kick... dammmm.

 

Shesh do home favored teams not want to win?

 

I hate games where the defense basically isn't on the field, but even I have to acknowledge the drama of the last two minutes in that Chiefs Bills game.

 

Defense was there those two guys are just that speccial. Though you do have to ask is the honey badger would have change some things

 

I don't know, the defense didn't do a damn thing for those last few minutes. Both teams just marched. I get that those two guys are that good - no doubt they are - but a lot of that stuff was just due to flat breakdowns and poor execution on the defensive end. Falling down, letting two guys run for huge YAC when you don't have to defend the run, etc. It was bad.

 

I think a lot of you guys have forgotten what fatigue is. These guys aren't robots. Both defenses were clearly gassed at the end of the game. The coin toss was the deciding factor.

 

This is the part that I don't like about the overtime rules, especially for postseason. With both defenses exhausted, the coin toss really was a huge factor. The league needs to find a better way.

My suggestion: for regular season, play the full 10-minute overtime period. Never mind who scores first. Play out the full period. If it's tied after that, it's a tie. For postseason, if it's still tied after the 10-minute overtime, either go to alternating drives (like NCAA) or alternating field goal attempts.

 

Travis Kelce’s overtime touchdown hands Chiefs stunning 42-36 win



What a game! What a weekend!

The first three divisional games came down to a last-play field goal. The fourth ended on an overtime touchdown in one of the best games in NFL history.


Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes had a duel for the ages.

The Chiefs and Bills combined for 25 points in the final two minutes, sending them into overtime in a back-and-forth battle. But Kansas City won the coin toss and Buffalo never saw the ball in the extra period.

Travis Kelce caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to complete an eight-play, 75-yard drive. It handed the Chiefs a stunning 42-36 win and sends them to a fourth consecutive AFC Championship Game. They will host the Bengals on Sunday.

It is a heartbreaker for the Bills, who scored with what they thought was the game-winner with 13 seconds left. Gabriel Davis‘ postseason record fourth score of the day and second in the final two minutes gave Buffalo a 36-33 lead.

Thirteen seconds proved too much time for Mahomes with three timeouts remaining, especially after the Bills chose to kick the ball deep for a touchback instead of making the Chiefs burn time with a squib kick.

Mahomes had a 19-yard pass to Tyreek Hill and a 25-yarder to Kelce to set up a last-play field goal of 49 yards by Harrison Butker.

The Chiefs thought they had the game won with 1:02 remaining when Hill caught a pass across the middle and ran for a 64-yard touchdown. (Officials missed a taunting penalty when he flashed the peace sign at a Bills player on his way to the end zone.) It gave Kansas City a 33-29 lead with 1:02 left and came only 52 seconds after the Bills had scored a go-ahead touchdown and 2-point conversion.

The game, though, wasn’t over until it was, and that wasn’t until Kelce’s catch in overtime. There were three lead changes and one tie in the final two minutes of regulation.

The two-minute rush began with 1:54 left. Buffalo chipped on the edge, giving Allen enough time to find Davis wide open in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown. Cornerback Mike Hughes slipped on a double move by Davis, leaving the receiver wide open for his third touchdown of the day. Stefon Diggs made a leaping catch for the 2-point conversion after Allen ran around, buying time.

That started the back and forth and came down to whoever had the ball last. That was Mahomes and the Chiefs.

There were six punts, four penalties and no turnovers in an instant classic. Mahomes passed for 378 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 69 yards and a touchdown; Allen passed for 329 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 68 yards.

Davis caught eight passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns. Hill had 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, and Kelce caught eight passes for 96 yards and the game-winner.

But for the second consecutive postseason, it’s the Chiefs moving on and the Bills going home.

PFT
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One of, if not the best Divisional game ive ever seen. Great stuff!

 

The 13sec drive wasn't fatigue nearly as much as it was defensive playcall/philosophy coming in from the sidelines. The coaches put them in position to fail and fail they did. But by OT it did look inevitable and im sure fatigue played a part by then. Not just physical fatigue btw, emotional/psychological too.

 

Kansas City Chiefs star safety Tyrann Mathieu begins Championship Week in concussion protocol.

Coach Andy Reid said Monday that Mathieu is in protocol but said the safety feels good ahead of the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"He's still in the protocol and going through it, but he feels good. We'll see how that goes moving forward," Reid said.

Mathieu played just seven snaps in Sunday night's thrilling win over the Buffalo Bills before exiting with a concussion on the game's first drive. He took an accidental knee to the head by teammate Jarran Reed.

The Chiefs sorely missed Mathieu's presence on the field late, as Josh Allen diced up the K.C. secondary in a wild finish.

The hope is Mathieu will be able to clear concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's bout with the high-flying Bengals, but we won't have clarity until much later in the week.

While Kansas City continues to wait for an update on Mathieu, the club made a few roster moves on Monday in preparation for the weekend.


NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the team will waive receiver Josh Gordon, who was inactive for both playoff wins. Gordon is expected to re-sign with the practice squad if he clears waivers.

The Chiefs are also expected to activate defensive tackle Khalen Saunders from injured reserve, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Saunders has been on IR since Nov. 30 with an undisclosed injury.

NFL.com

 

Date and times, ladies n gents...

 

Sean Payton has informed the Saints he is stepping down.