The Dugout – LACES OUT!
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans
And so the Playoffs began, the Texans kicking off at home after a remarkable second half of the season had taken them all the way to the division title. Kansas City had an even better second half, winning their last nine straight, though they had to settle for a wildcard spot. Let’s get back to that kickoff…
Damn, man. Knile Davis goes 106 yards on the first play of the 2016 playoffs! And here’s the thing: it didn’t get any better for Houston. Jadeveon Clowney was already missing through injury and J.J. Watt hurt himself in the third quarter. Meanwhile their first six offensive possessions went like this:
- 3 plays, 4 yards – Punt
- 3 plays, 2 yards – Interception
- 11 plays, 41 yards – Fumble Lost
- 5 plays, 11 yards – Punt
- 8 plays, 77 yards – Interception
- 2 plays, 1 yard – Interception
And then it was halftime. KC had blown a 28 point lead to Andrew Luck and the Colts in their last playoff appearance (2013 season) but made no such mistake here, keeping focussed ‘til the end when they claimed a 30-0 victory. Texans QB Brian Hoyer ended with figures of 15/34 passing for 136 yards with 0 TDs and 4 Interceptions. Plus a lost fumble.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
The Chiefs hadn’t won a playoff game for 22 years until here but that wasn’t the longest streak out there. The poor ol’ Bengals are a quarter of a century removed from Boomer Esiason throwing two TDs and running for another in a 41-14 win over the Houston Oilers in 1990.
True to expectations, this was a bruising affair. Two talented offences negated by quality defence (who knew the Steelers had it in ‘em, aye?) and also a couple key omissions. Both Andy Dalton (CIN QB) and DeAngelo Williams (PIT RB) were out injured and it showed as things were slightly less than cohesive. As much as anything, the long rivalry between the sides was the dominating factor. From the coaches from both sides lining up across halfway during warmups to keep things separated to the multiple arrests in the crowd to a Steelers coach tugging on Reggie Nelson’s dreads.
The Bengals, with A.J. McCarron filling in again at quarterback, could only manage 56 yards of first half offence and went into the break down 6-0 thanks to a pair of Chris Boswell field goals. On came on the back of a McCarron interception.
The Steelers would add another three points after McCarron lost the handle and fumbled, then after another Bengals punt… this happened:
Martavis Bryant with the circus catch, somehow clinging onto this thing through the full process (what does and doesn’t define a catch in the NFL is outrageously complicated). Big Ben had called him out for his disappearance act late in the season and this was a monster response to put his team up 15-0, PIT going for the 2PT but failing.
That was the way it went into the fourth quarter but the Bengals, so consistently good all season, finally got it going. A 42 yard pass interference call got them in range and Jeremy Hill took it over the turf and into the end zone for the score. A big Tyler Eifert catch on third and 9 allowed them to add another three to that total, before A.J. Green caught the go-ahead touchdown, a 25 yarder, with 1:50 on the clock – a play that came on third and 7 at the PIT 25… tell ya what, that’s pretty clutch.
It had all started to go wrong for the Steelers in the second to last play of the third quarter, when Ben Roethlisberger was sacked on third and 18 and would head to the locker room with a busted shoulder. Landry Jones came in and could only complete 2/4 passes for 11 yards in his first two drives. Then, in his third, first and 10 at the Steelers’ 14 and down 16-15, Landry looks short over the middle to Markus Wheaton… but is picked off. Bengals lead and can take the clock down probably under a minute even with the Steelers holding all their timeouts – a first down would probably seal a famous comeback win. Except…
The very play after Jones’ interception and Hill fumbles it right back. In comes a clearly ailing Big Ben to drive his team towards victory. He can barely throw with his sore shoulder but he’s able to convert on fourth and 3 to Antonio Brown with 22 seconds left, down to the Cincy 47. No more timeouts and the Steelers are about 15 yards from a tough but makeable field goal. Cue some Vontaze Burfict idiocy, absolutely crushing Brown on an incompletion and getting called for the foul. A brutal hit, Brown fell to the ground clearly unconscious and would need to be helped off the field. Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones then made things a whole lot worse by mouthing off and getting another (this time debatable) flag. Thirty free yards on one play and Boswell made no mistake with the 35 yard winner. Steelers win it 18-16, the Bengals falling to one of the most devastating losses in franchise history. One of the worst playoff losses in NFL history, even. It was right there and their own ill discipline cost them.
Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings
There is chilly, there is proper cold and then there is completely freezing. The temperature in Minneapolis for this one was a near-inconceivable -26°C, though it didn’t seem to bother 88 year old Hall of Famer Bud Grant. Literally chilling in a polo shirt and he couldn’t care less. The former Vikes head coach was an honorary captain for the game.
The weather probably dictated the way the game was gonna be played, limiting the effectiveness of the quarterbacks and turning the game into a grind. Which didn’t help the Seahawks who had Marshawn Lynch scratched late in what’s a really weird situation developing. We’re back to saying he may have played his last game in Seattle, but that’s for another time. Adrian Peterson is still the best RB in the league and he was there carrying the load for Minny, even if he was having major trouble breaking through a superb defensive line.
The last time these two teams played in this stadium was in early December and Seattle crushed them. 38-7, slaying them on both sides of the ball. Yet the Vikings obviously learned their lesson, plus they adapted to the cold better (it was their cold, to be fair). Seattle punter Jon Ryan had to deal with a low snap on their first possession, meaning he couldn’t get a kick off and had to run for it. There’s a reason punters are punters, and Ryan got flipped over and landed on his face in a heavy collision, breaking his nose. Neither team could move the ball but Minnesota protected it better. They took the lead with a field goal, taking advantage of the turnover by downs from Ryan’s scramble and would add to it in the third quarter following an interception. A special teams penalty gave them the ball inside Seattle territory late in the third and that soon helped them to 9-0.
But the Seahawks know how to finish strong, remember their insane comeback against Green Bay last season? Russell Wilson fumbled a shotgun snap with 13 minutes left and most guys are taking a sack and a big loss on a play like that. At best they’d be able to hurl it away for an incompletion. Wilson, though, scrambled around and incredibly he was able to escape long enough to hit Tyler Lockett for a 35 yard gain – the longest play of the game. Doug Baldwin then supplied the lone touchdown of this contest. An Adrian Peterson fumble next possession led to a field goal and Seattle led 10-9.
Neither team could seem to get a drive going after that, the ball not travelling well in the conditions. Not until a Kam Chancellor pass interference call gave Minnesota 19 yards and finally got them moving at the final opportunity. Kyle Rudolph made a 24 yard catch next play and the Vikings were set up for the winning kick. In came Blair Walsh and a desperate crowd watched with bated breath…
… and he missed. He missed the kick, giving it the old Ray Finkle and spraying it wide left from 27 yards. Unbelievable. Just a horrific way to lose a game. Seattle advance with yet another courageous playoff performance, 10-9.
ESPN: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Walsh's miss was the shortest potential lead-changing field goal attempt missed in the last minute of regulation in a postseason game.
Green Bay Packers at Washington R*dskins
It looked good for the R*dskins early on. Aaron Rodgers couldn’t seem to get a drive going and although Washington were having similar troubles, they were slowly edging the Packs back. A Preston Smith sack for a safety gave them the lead, padded by a field goal and then Kirk Cousins hit Jordan Reed for 24 yards and six points (six because they missed the extra point). 11-0 to the Skins, Rodgers throwing 1 of 8 in the first quarter – from ESPN Stats & Info: “his worst completion percentage in any quarter of his career (min. 5 att)”.
But you don’t get to be the best in the business without having a few tricks up your sleeve and he then went and hit 14 passes (20 att) for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second to put GBP up 17-11 at the half. Washington retook the lead on a touchdown drive after the break but it would be their last score. Green Bay’s running game got some momentum as their passing game expanded and they’re run out to a 35-18 victory.
Maybe a turning point in the game was the WAS field goal. Up 2-0 after the safety and DeSean Jackson breaks free cutting back across the middle, he rounds the corner and… leaves the ball behind him as he’s pushed out at the one. Called a TD but overturned on review. All he has to do is extend that pigskin out over the plane and Washington make a massive early statement. Instead he does whatever the hell you call this.
Granted, first and goal at the one should be a TD anyway, put the Skins conspired to get plugged twice on the ground and then throw an interception. Whoops. As it happens, D-Jax has something of a history with muppetry at the goal line…
Or this one back in his college days:
And then there was this earlier in the season:
On the Road
Though maybe that isn’t such a surprise, given how weak a couple of divisions were and how these wildcards were rated by FiveThirtyEight’s ELO rankings as the strongest quartet in NFL history.
Chur Steve
- vs MEM (W 112-94): 25 MINS, 6 PTS (2/4 FG, 2/4 FT), 5 REB, 1 AST, 3 BLK, 2 TO, 3 PF.
- at LAL (W 117-113): 23 MINS, 10 PTS (4/6 FG, 2/2 FT), 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 PF
- at POR (L 115-110): 35 MINS, 17 PTS (6/6 FG 5/9 FT), 10 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 1 PF
Let us begin this week with a tale of heroism untold. Of a man drudging through the trenches so that others may walk unsullied. Well, in a manner of speaking bro. Steven Adams came up against his old foes the Memphis Grizzlies and he gave them the low-down battle that he’s always up for. Here’s J.A. Sherman on Welcome to Loud City:
“Steven Adams, criminally hindered against the Kings by way of foul trouble, played about as well defensively against the All-Star [Marc] Gasol as anyone I have seen. Adams did not give an inch to Gasol's spin or up-and-under moves, never let him sneak in for weak side offensive rebounds, and by mid-way through the 3rd quarter rendered Gasol inert on his way to a 2-11 shooting night.”
“Steven Adams, man. Against the best bigs in the game, if the refs allow him to play, he is erasing them because he has both the strength and the footwork to shut them down.”
So rightio then, top game. The Grizzlies have been very disappointing this season, still riding their usual grit and grind basketball but for whatever reason it isn’t clicking. Here Russell Westbrook scored 16 points in the first half before Kevin Durant, who had missed the previous game – a loss at home to Sacramento – took over in the second and the Thunder dominated almost from post to post. Adams pulled off a season highlight, flashing some killer vision to hit Andre Roberson with the no-looker. His reaction was priceless.
"Yeah, I enjoyed it a bit too much, honestly. I need to simmer down." – Kiwi Steve
The Thunder were able to keep the Grizzlies to just 38.9% shooting, Durant topping with 26 points while Westbrook had 20 with 7 assists. Also, Russell Westbrook turned up to the game dressed like, as KD put it, a ‘conquistador’:
Next up was a trip to LA. It seems that Steve really enjoys playing the Lakers. Not only are they a storied franchise that are nonetheless kinda easy to beat, but in Roy Hibbert he comes up against a slow and physical centre who’ll give him a bruising when he can. Next thing Adams has four quick points, responding from a Hibbert block with this swift little post move and the one-handed floater.
But the Lakers, who the Thunder smashed into tiny pieces twice in a week earlier in the season, stuck around. They have been playing better recently, guys other than Kobe trying to stand up – they even had a three game win streak (Boston, Philly & Phoenix). And try as they might, OKC couldn’t seem to pull away.
Despite Adams’ fine first half numbers, he stepped out with 7:33 to play in the third to give Enes Kanter a run with the starters with a six point lead (against a team where his interior defence isn’t much of a worry) and didn’t step in again ‘til 4:18 to play in the game and a three point deficit. Lou Williams went absolutely mental, scoring 23 4Q pts on his way to a career high 44. However the Lakers couldn’t get anything from anyone else in the clutch and shot 2/12 in the final 5 mins. Adams dunked off an inside feed from Russell Westbrook to give OKC the deciding lead and he sunk a couple free throws soon after, both within the final 90 seconds. Should’ve finished the dunk for the and-one but he made the FTs so no probs. A really entertaining game despite it all, Rusty had 36p/12r/7a and turned up to the game in a Slayer shirt for some reason.
Marina Mangiaracina on Welcome to Loud City:
“You really have to admire Westbrook's ability to see weaknesses in the Lakers' defense when it counts. I was particularly impressed with the fact that Westbrook went to Steven Adams twice, as Westbrook recognized that the Lakers had no center in their lineup.”
Ah, and then we had the Blazers. The Portland Trail Blazers were a genuine threat in the West as recently as last season but they haven’t been the same since LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez and Nic Batum all left in free agency. Understandable, that. But in Damian Lillard they still have a player capable of winning games all on his own and the Thunder found that out the hard way.
First off, our main man had a blinder, tying his career high for points with a 17 & 10 double-double in which he made all six field goal attempts. He and Westbrook were killing it out of the pick and roll, leading to some glorious finishes at the rim for Steve. Russ had 15 assists.
From Blazer’s Edge:
“Another good battle was between Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams - the 7-foot Adams, who is about as rugged of a player as you will find in the NBA, was getting in to it with the similarly adversarial Plumlee for much of the night. Both of them ended up with respectable numbers (Adams: 17 points, 10 rebounds), (Plumlee: 11 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists).”
The Thunder looked to have won the duel after a big third. Down 65-55, they went on a 21-6 run and went up 103-95 with 3:14 remaining in the game, Andre Roberson hitting a three after an Adams off-board. That was when it all fell to pieces. Some sloppy turnovers and average defence, followed by Big Time Game going absolutely crazy. He hit five triples in the final few minutes, scoring 17 of his team’s final 20 points. And after scoring 14 points in the third, Durant was scoreless in the fourth and barely even touched the ball in the final stages. How exactly that can be allowed to happen to an MVP is anyone’s guess.
Adams made one of two shooting free throws with 2:08 to play and the Thunder up by three. Sorry to say he got burned a couple times on defence, Lillard shaking him off to get room to shoot, and he’d be subbed out following an Allen Crabbe three on the next play, Dion Waiters coming in to add some perimeter help (possibly something that shoulda happened earlier). Trail Blazers taking it in a crazy finish.
From Royce Young on Daily Thunder:
“Steven Adams played an almost perfect game (17 points on 6-6 shooting, 10 rebounds), except for that really dumb pass at the end of the third. With two seconds left he tried to throw a bullet ahead, but it was picked off by McCollum, who hit a 3 at the buzzer. Instead of an 85-77 lead headed to the fourth, it was 85-80. Turns out, that 3 was just the beginning.”
Here’s a good piece on Enes Kanter’s development with the Thunder, which is relevant as he’s Adams’ flipside on the bench. The two actually played a few mins together against Portland, the first time they had since the opening game of the season vs San Antonio.
By the way, a bunch of the Thunder lads took the advantage of an off-day to get down and catch the UCLA vs Arizona game, Russell Westbrook of course being a former UCLA hero himself and the university welcomed him with ‘Russell Westbrook Night’, giving away a bunch of Russ’ frames for the occasion. Steve put his to good use for the cameras:
Welcome to Mt Olympus
NBA Power Rankings:
- Golden State Warriors
- San Antonio Spurs
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- LA Clippers
- Toronto Raptors
- Chicago Bulls
- Atlanta Hawks
- Miami Heat
- Dallas Mavericks
Don’t Forget About Kevin
Family Reunion
D’Oh Commentary
Starbucks Boris
A Parting Message
Quote of the Week:
“Antonio Brown was not hurt. I know he was faking. I think he need a Grammy Award for that one” – Pacman Jones.
Yeah, we went with the quote from the Dan Patrick Show appearance, not the expletive laded and now-deleted insta post from Pacman. Safe to say that Brown was most definitely hurt after the hit from Vontaze Burfict that put the Steelers in range for the winning field goal. Jones’ own flag only made it an easier kick. To be fair to Jones, he makes some decent points in the insta thing about a Steelers coach on the field talking trash while all he did was call him out. That shouldn’t really have been called, but just so he knows, Grammys are for singers and musicians. Antonio Brown responds:
Good Week:
Alex Smith (KC Chiefs) – A typically and wonderfully efficient game, running and throwing well on his way to 190 yards, 17 of 22 passing. A TD and no INTs. That is how you manage a game, folks.
Klay Thompson (GS Warriors) – Forget about Steph Curry, the MVP does what the MVP does. But Thompson has been superb recently, dropping 30+ in three straight games earlier, before cooling off slightly in wins over Miami and Sacramento. Seven threes against Portland the other day.
Chris Boswell (Pittsburgh Steelers) – To balance out all the Blair Walsh drama, raise a glass to a kicker who got it done when it mattered. Dude’s a rookie signed mid-season after a mess at the position over the first few weeks, and he went on to miss just three field goals all season, 4/4 in the wildcard game with the 35 yard winner.
Bad Week:
Brian Hoyer (Houston Texans) – About as bad a playoff game as is possible. But all good, he’s got the backing for next season (for now).
Blair Walsh (Minnesota Vikings) – People like to laugh about how simple a kicker’s job is, but there isn’t a more pressure situation than what poor Walshy found himself in. Guts to the lad, that can be the end of a kicker’s career. (And he’d been so good ‘til then!)
Boston Celtics – The Celts just cannot seem to get over the line in close games, 0-5 in games decided by three or fewer points. That’s what happens when you don’t have a go-to shooter. After a four game winning run a week or so ago, Boston has dropped five of six including losses to the Lakers and Nets.
Player of the Week:
Chris Paul (LA Clippers) – Completely killing with the Clippers on a nine game win streak and they’re doing it without Blake too. CP3 is averaging 21.5 points, 12.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game shooting 50% since the turn of the year. Definitely deserves this little nod.