Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots

Say what you will about Brady and Belichick but above all the cut-off sweaters and fruit-less diets are a pair of winners. Their playoff record is incredible, as is their ability to peak when it matters most. The Patriots took the first drive against the Chiefs and they went the distance to put seven on the board, Brady completing 8 of 11 passes with Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman starring early despite their various ailments all season.

They were remarkably consistent too, putting up scores in every quarter. After a roughing the passer call revitalised a second Q possession, Brady capped it off by breaking out of the pocket and labouring on his legs in for the TD. In the second half it seemed that KC were on their way to cut the deficit when Chandler Jones, who started despite a… dramatic… week – forced a fumble. Brady hit Gronk for another one to make it 21-6. Alex Smith finally got his guys into the end zone late in the third with Albert Wilson taking in a 10-yarder to set up an exciting final stanza.

After giving up a field goal to make it 27-13 with 10:20 to play, the Chiefs were stopped on downs, almost getting intercepted on fourth and 10, not that it made a difference (in fact it saved the Pats 29 yards). However a three-and-out gave KC another chance and they marched down to score (Charcandrick West, 1 yd run). The problem was it took them 16 plays and 5:16 of game clock to get there and so when Rob Gronkowski gathered the onside kick, it was all but over. When Julian Edelman caught a deflected pass for a first down, it was definitely all over. Brady took a few knees and the Chiefs’ 11-game winning streak ended cold in Foxborough while the Patriots advance to the AFC Championship game for the fifth time in a row, tying the record set from 1973-78 by the Oakland Raiders. Clearly having Alex Smith throw 50 times wasn’t ideal (29/50 for 246 yards with 1 TD). Brady on the other hand threw a tidy 28/42 for 302 yards with 2 TDs.

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals

When these two teams met in week 16 less than a month ago, it was a lose game until late in the second quarter, when Aaron Rodgers was intercepted in the red zone by Justin Bethel and the Cardinals completely ran away with it in the second half, sacking Rodgers eight times in total and returning a couple fumbles for touchdowns. Here they didn’t have nearly the same ease.

The best offence in the NFL was held to only 75 total yards in the first half, the Cardinals forced to settle for an eight yard Michael Floyd catch for their only points. However up against an already hobbled Packers offence (which has been the case since Jordy Nelson was hurt in pre-season), that was enough for a 7-6 HT lead. The Packers managing only two field goals, both on the back of 17 play drives. The two biggest plays of the half didn’t even count, a 51 yard stunning catch by Randall Cobb overturned for an illegal shift (Cobb would leave the game with an injury sustained on the play) and a 100 yard pick six by Patrick Peterson that was nullified for an illegal use of hands by a lineman.

The second half opened up more. Aaron Rodgers and Carson Palmer traded interceptions, before Green Bay made the first big momentum shifter as Eddie Lacy busted through for 61 yards. Massive play, it was capped by a Jeff Janis TD (the first for his career) via Rodgers’ arm on third down. The Pack with their first lead of the game, 13-7.

The Cardinals responded with a fine drive but had to settle for a field goal. They soon forced their way back in range, only for Palmer to throw a calamitous end zone pick. However their defence was there to play and they continued to limit the Packers.

Palmer was clearly not at his best, trying to win his first ever playoff game, and several uncharacteristic poor passes had the home crowd in knots. Still, he was able to sustain a long possession in the fourth, twice earning first downs by the generosity of the measuring chain (and the after-catch efforts of his receivers), though a terrible pass deep right managed to go right between GB CB Sam Shields’ hands. A huge mistake by Shields, Floyd would soon make his second score of the game, fortuitously claiming a deflected ball for six and the PAT. Cardinals now lead 17-13 with 3:44 to play. But on fourth and 5 at their own 20, the Packers chose to go for it and Rodgers one-hopped his pass out to James Jones.

Oh, yet this one was far from over. Instead of taking another 40 or so seconds off the clock by running conservatively, Bruce Arians’ lads gambled on a pass play down the sideline. Larry Fitzgerald (who’d made some huge plays) was well marshalled by Shields though, incomplete and a waste of a down. The field goal was good, giving the Packers almost two full minutes (with no timeouts) to score and tie the game. It looked over when Rodgers was sacked on second down. It looked over when his deep bomb out of the end zone didn’t draw a (warranted) pass interference call. Except that this is Aaron Rodgers here. He hit Janis for 51 yards on fourth and 20.

Rodgers then make a big mistake in not spiking the ball, drawing a flag on the O-line which wasn’t quite set and effectively costing them a play with the clock runoff. They had maybe two goes to score that thing. First one was busted under pressure, thrown away. The second… well, the second was one of the greatest plays in the history of the NFL:

To overtime we went.

After overcoming a problem with a non-flipping coin, the Cardinals ended up receiving kick. And after that incredible finish to the fourth quarter, after all of Aaron Rodgers and his lads’ heroics… cometh OT, cometh Larry Fitzgerald.

Larry with the 75 yard catch and run, after Palmer’s shifty feet saw him escape some danger, and Larry with the flip pass to win and take the Arizona Cardinals into the NFC title game in what ended up as an all-time classic.

Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers

Cast your mind back to the Super Bowl a couple years back, a fascinatingly poised game between the defensive powerhouse Seahawks and the offensive masterclass Denver Broncos. And the ‘hawks came out and just pummelled them. A hiding, a demolition. 43-8 was the score.

Now keep that in mind as you read that the 15-1 Panthers began this came with a scoring drive as Jonathan Stewart broke 59 yards on one play and then punched it in on another. Then they followed that with a Luke Kuechly pick six of Russell Wilson (a guy with only one pick six in his career prior to that). Then Stewart ran another one in to cap a 15 play, 86 yard drive. Then Wilson was intercepted again, leading to a field goal. Then Cam Newton hit Greg Olsen for 19 yards and a TD. Incredibly, it was 31-0 at half time, the Seahawks that have been so good for so long just picked to pieces by the Panthers coming off the bye. The CAR defence was hurling on all sorts of pressure and it was getting ugly. Going by ESPN Stats and Info here, teams that’ve trailed by 31 points at any stage in a game over the last 15 years… are 0-325.

Don’t tell Rusty Wilson though. He came out fired up and the Seahawks had the best possible start to the half. Tyler Lockett got them good field position with a 50 yard kick-off return. Four plays later Jermaine Kearse was celebrating over the goal line. 31-7. Stewart would become the first 100+ yard rusher against Seattle for 27 games but the Panthers couldn’t move the ball nearly so effectively in the second half. Wilson and the Seahawks on the other hand, they really woke up with their season on the line. Lockett made a brilliant catch in the corner for 31-14.

A fake punt converted for a first down on fourth and 2 late in the third quarter showed the Seahawks’ desperation but they’d end up punting again a few plays later after a Josh Norman sack and a couple lost minutes of game time. They’d get their touchdown, Wilson with some wizardry to dodge the blitz and hit Kearse for 31-21, though time was ticking away from them.

The defence did their job in forcing a punt from Cam’s boys, a field goal followed after a few missed shots at the end zone. Down by seven with 1:12 to play, onside kick coming. Any last chance of an incredible comeback relying on this one play… and Thomas Davis went up and claimed it, holding firm to that little bit of leather as he hit the ground hard. Cam Newton knelt it out and the Panthers advance to host the Cardinals.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

Any worry that Big Ben Roethlisberger wouldn’t be able to throw long was distinguished on the first play from scrimmage as he aired one out down the line for Markus Wheaton. But it went incomplete and the Steelers went three and out and Omar Bolden had a big punt return to set up the opening points, a DEN field goal.

While Big Ben seemed to be trucking alright, he was without his top man Antonio Brown after his near-decapitation last week. Meanwhile Peyton Manning was playing about how you’d expect him to play based on his season, only he was avoiding the interceptions. Nothing glamorous, missing a few throws wildly and with some inconsistent force behind his tosses, however he was hardly helped by his more-than-typically dropsy receivers. Some perfectly fine throws grassed that ought to have been comfortably caught.

To be fair, it was a blustery night in Denver at high altitude, although this has been a problem for the Broncs for a while now. And despite the weather, neither DEN kicker Brandon McManus nor PIT kicker Chris Boswell had any problems, making every one of their field goals (the punters had a tougher time). The Broncos nailed another one to make it 6-0, Pittsburgh having squandered a chance to level (would’ve taken a 49 yarder though) by going for it on fourth and 1, Roethlisberger throwing incomplete to Wheaton. But his Steelers got back on track after a couple big plays by Martavis Bryant got them in place for Fitzgerald Toussaint to sneak one in for the lead. Traded FGs had it at 10-9 at the half. They traded a couple more in the third.

And then a strange decision early in the fourth, Mike Tomlin declining a long field goal into the wind with a 13-12 lead, instead punting it back in the hope of keeping a stagnant Denver offence as far back as they could. The punt went for a touchback, so they only actually gained 19 yards. Peyton then wheels off one of his best plays of the game, slipping to the ground under no contact but accidentally confusing the defence before he rose to hit Emmanuel Sanders for 34 yards. That possession ended in a punt but on the following PIT drive, the key moment. Toussaint rushed for a small gain on second down, only Bradley Roby went and poked the ball out and right into the shadow of a grateful DeMarcus Ware. Turnover. Peyton then did what he’s done so many times before and made it count for points. A deep ball down the middle on third and long gained 31 yards to Ben Fowler and C.J. Anderson took it in for the one-yarder, then adding the two-point conversion. The Broncos added another field goal after that brilliant defence stopped the Steelers on downs, Pittsburgh pulled three points back but couldn’t regather the on-sider. Peyton to his knee and into yet another – probably his last – duel with that man Tom Brady for the NFC. Bring it all the way on.

Chur Steve

• at MIN (W 101-96): 28 MINS, 8 PTS (3/3 FG, 2/2 FT), 5 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF
• vs DAL (W 108-89): 24 MINS, 6 PTS (2/6 FG, 2/3 FT), 7 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF
• vs MIN (W 113-93): 25 MINS, 12 PTS (4/7 FG, 4/6 FT), 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4 PF
• vs MIA (W 99-74): 25 MINS, 6 PTS (3/5 FG), 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF

A couple games against Minnesota, a beat up against a weakened Dallas side and the best defensive of their season against Miami this week. OKC won all four to bounce back from a loss poor to Portland. Kiwi Steve had himself an influence on each of them (you know, being a player and all).

The Timberwolves are a team the Thunder ought to beat every time but this game was far from an easy win. It should have been, OKC led for most of the game but seemed to fall asleep in the fourth. The comeback was assailed in turn though. Largely thanks to a dude named Kevin Durant and his 30 points. In fact he scored the final 12 points of the game for his team, helping them hold on to a lead that was as many as 18 points with five minutes left and down to just three with under a minute to play.

Daily Thunder:

“I see you, Steven Adams. He showed solid patience and footwork in the post here in the first quarter. Nice to see his game on offense expand a bit.”

Also: “Nikola Pekovic was inactive for the Wolves. Seeing him on the sideline made me wonder who wins in a legitimate fight between Pekovic and Adams.”

He did accidentally whack a ref though.

That Dallas game was a very weird one. Coming off an overtime loss to Cleveland the night before, and with their age and injury issues, the Mavs chose to rest 80% of their starters – Dirk Nowitzki, Wes Matthews, Deron Williams and Chandler Parsons all sitting out. Meanwhile Zaza Pachulia, their other starter, was out with a sore Achilles. So it wasn’t a huge shock to see the Thunder dominating the boards and drilling shots.

But the game got feisty when J.J. Barea and Russell Westbrook got into a scuffle, leading to a larger scuffle, with techs on both of them, as well as another on Serge Ibaka and an ejection to Dallas’ Charlie Villanueva. Duly the Thunder rolled on from that, KD hitting back to back threes and going coast to coast on a steal, though a few minutes before the half Russ and J.J. got caught up again, and a swinging arm got Westbrook a second T and an automatic ejection. He left the game with 7 rebounds and 8 assists but without a single points, shooting 0/3 from the field and, somehow, 0/4 from the line. Speaking of free throws, Adams copped a little intentional hacking late in the half, hitting one of two and OKC led by 23 after 2Q.

Second half and Adams got involved in the scrappiness, tumbling to the ground with his arm locked around JaVale McGee’s head. Nothing malicious, the replay centre (a busy day for them) ruling it a loose ball foul after a long hard look at the tape. Evander Holyfield looked bored in the crowd. Interesting to see Steve pay with Cam Payne at PG, though it obviously didn’t help him offensively to lose the pick and roll connection he has with Russ. Having said that, it was an average shooting night from the start for Adams. He’s been so good at finishing in close recently that seeing a few wayward floaters was odd. He’d miss 4 field goals against DAL, the most since a 1/5 night in a blowout win over Memphis in early December. Adams sat the final quarter with the result never in doubt, Mitch McGary getting some rare court time instead along with a few small-ball fives. Durant scored 29 while Ibaka added a cheeky 20.

The second T-Wolves clash of the week was a far more comfortable one. OKC kept the rim clean and had Minny shooting rubbish most of the night. From there the recipe was all written, though there were a few notable moments.

Like Adams copping a heavy foul by Andrew Wiggins, a push in the back and a swinging arm as he went up for a lob around the basket. Steve had a few words as he hit the deck but got up unharmed and sunk a couple free throws after the flagrant call. Up against a team that doesn’t need as much defending as others, it was a chance for Billy Donovan to pair Kanter and Adams again, as hasn’t happened barely at all this season. They got a decent stretch in the third, though only after Russell and KD had blown it open, Russ with his fourth triple-double of the season.

Durant and Westbrook then sat out the fourth which gave Cam Payne the chance to do some nice things. Adams stuck in for most of the fourth, bagging a few extra points at the foul line. He did a very good job on Karl-Anthony Towns too, keeping the first overall pick and possible rookie of the year pretty quiet.

And then to finish the week (at least within the parameters of our editorship and deadlines), the Thunder went and annihilated the Miami Heat. KD was on touch with his 24 points, leading all scorers, though it was Westbrook’s second consecutive triple double, his fifth of the season. Not his best night shooting but there wasn’t a whole lotta defence inside so he could charge to the rim when he wanted. Plus he had 15 assists to only 3 turnovers which is amazing.

Goran Dragic was out for Miami, so a blockbuster clash never really came to being, Dwyane Wade not at his best especially in the second half. But they still have a couple dudes named Bosh and Whiteside so that meant a busy day from the OKC frontcourt. Here’s Welcome to Loud City with more on that:

“Steven Adams and Serge Ibaka also played a pivotal role in this game. Wade was able to score so effectively in the first half because Enes Kanter was committing serious mistakes on the offensive and defensive end. During Kanters brief first half appearance as a power forward, Kanter was blocked twice and Wade scored six points in the paint. But take away those two makes, and the Heat shot just 7-22 on the night. That was all Adams and Ibaka.”

Coach Billy Donovan reckons it mighta been OKC’s best defensive game of the year, it was the fewest points they’d conceded in a game so far. The Thunder mauled them in the second half on their way to a comprehensive win.

Meanwhile Adams’ buddy Kevin Durant went and won himself the ol’ Player of the Week in the West, popping a good 26 points, 9.8 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals across these four games. What a man, what a player.

There was also a generous public sighting at Serge Ibaka’s 2016 Foundation Gala, raising awareness and doing a lil fundraising for the great things his charity does for his native Republic of Congo. For some reason (an open heart? a giving nature?) Adams came away having bid on and won a large giraffe thing and a tree.

Here’s a dude talking about how Steven Adams has won him over.

And for some reason, dancing has really become a priority all of a sudden. Strange but kinda cool.

Adams and Enes Kanter also got a solid grade on the NewsOK website’s midseason Thunder report card, have a butcher’s:

The stashe bros: B+

“D-minus for the mustaches, which somehow still remain, but B-plus for their steady production. The Thunder has received exactly what it hoped from its young international center combo. At 22, Steven Adams has turned into a sturdy defensive force while continuing to show offensive growth. At 23, Enes Kanter has morphed into the NBA's most productive reserve big man, piling up points and rebounds in bunches while finding a quick seat on the bench when his defensive limitations are being exploited. Considering their talents, roles and age, not a ton more you could ask for from the pair. Except to shave.”

And some midseason praise from those Loud City lads and lassies once more:

“The Funaki Lob:

An easy choice for a positive spot in the midseason edition. Despite the chaos surrounding the season, 2015-16’s first half might well be remembered for the emergence of the Westbrook-to-Steven Adams alley oop. The play has been unstoppable at times, as opposing  big men are forced to choose between giving Westbrook a clear path to the basket or leaving Adams wide open for the lob. The bottom line: someone is about to dunk.”

Hmm, but there was one major gripe this week…

The NBA’s Dirtiest Players:

1. Matthew Dellavedova
2. Steven Adams
3. Andrew Bogut
4. Matt Barnes
5. Serge Ibaka

That according to an anonymous 24 person survey of coaches and assistants and players, conducted by the LA Times and Broderick Turner. Only a 24 person survey, this is just one dude asking a few industry mates, but it’s still good for a laugh. Predictably four of the five are international players, while Matt Barnes is not of this earth at all (most recently recalled for his crazy-weird beef personal with Derek Fisher). Anyway, Steve is dirtier than him according to these fellas. Bear in mind that being the LA Times, there may have been more than a few Clippers and Lakers tallied, which would explain Serge Ibaka’s place on the list:

It also explains how there aren’t any representatives from the floppiest team in the NBA. Good thing it wasn’t a Memphis paper either or Adams woulda been unanimous. Here’s a previous and relevant bit of literature from Kiwi Steve’s early days in the league.

Losing out to an Aussie, dunno what to think of that. If you recall, Delly was involved in a few injuries last playoffs that caused much controversy, specifically when he fell on Kyle Korver’s ankle and ended the Hawks’ sharpshooter’s series (and thus his season).

As for Steve, here we go:

Adams is the 7-foot, 255-pound center for the Thunder who does all the "dirty work." He sets the screens, boxes out, fouls hard and uses his big body as a weapon.

"The stuff that he does is not cool," a West coach said. "He throws elbows, extra hitting dudes away from the ball, hitting them with the chicken wing [elbow] and trying to get a rise out of them. That kind of stuff."

Added a player from the West: "He's real physical, but he crosses the line with stuff. He'll throw a sneaky elbow, push you in the back and foul you extra hard."

Mimicry/Flattery

NFL Punter/Hopeful Powerball Winner

SNL on the Money

A Salute to Bruce Arians’ Hats

Vontaze Gump

Straight Ballin’

Quotes of the Week:

In the wake of their devastating and largely self-inflicted loss to what was already but is now without doubt their biggest rivals, enjoy a few Cincinnati Bengals players giggling about the Pittsburgh Steelers losing to the Denver Broncos in the NFC Divisional Round.

Good Week:

Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets) – Forget about the Rockets and their early struggles. Forget about the drama about fitting DH12 into the fold. Howard has been outstanding for long periods of this year, logging 21 double-doubles and he just had his best game of the season – a 36 point, 26 rebound game against the Clippers. From ESPN S&I, the last person with that mean of each in a game was Chris Webber with a 51/26 effort vs the Pacers in 2001.

Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) – Look, they made it tough on themselves but that 31-0 first half against the Seahawks was so incredibly impressive, it cannot be denied. And Newton, as the team’s leader, had a beautiful stat line going of 16/22 passing, 161 yards with a TD and no picks. Getting it done in the playoffs, the MVP award is surely on the way as well.

Justin Upton (Detroit Tigers) – You know it’s a good week for yaw he you’re putting the John Hancock on a 6-year, $132.75M contract. Upton’s made a fine career as a slugger, most recently in a slightly down year with the San Diego Padres. He joins a Tigers team that also opened the chequebook for pitcher Jordan Zimmerman and with Chris Davis returning to the Baltimore Orioles, it’s a nice time for a big hitting bat.

Bad Week:

Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls) – Just coming back from injury, Noah went and hurt himself again this week. That shoulder injury is gonna keep him out the rest of the season too according to an MRI. A big blow to a Chicago team that looks like they may be the Cavs’ biggest threat in the East.

Fitzgerald Toussaint (Pittsburgh Steelers) – Guts. Nobody wants to be the one to make the crucial error that ends a season. He blamed himself. Big Ben was more generous: "This is not all on him by any means. It's on all of us."

Player of the Week:

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) – He was already heading for the Hall of Fame. Now the great man has his legendary moment, the game in which he took over and did something special. Fitzy had only 6 first half yards. He ended with 176 and the winning touchdown, as well as the crucial play that set it up. Unbelievable and thoroughly deserved.