Then there were four: NFL Playoff recap

Thirty-two teams began this journey way back in early September. Then, only 14 of those teams made their way into the playoffs —and now, after two weeks of one-and-done playoff matchups,  we are down to the final four.

Detroit, Kansas City, Baltimore, and San Francisco will be battling for the right to play at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in Super Bowl LVIII.

Except for one of those teams, it took work, as three of the four games had dramatic finishes.

Baltimore, the favored team at this point, won their game fairly quickly on Saturday. The most complete all-around team in the NFL used the superiority of NFL soon-to-be MVP Lamar Jackson and their dominant defense to cool off a hot Houston Texan team.

C.J. Stroud, the brilliant rookie quarterback, had a tough day against the Raven defense, but the breakout star and breakout team of the 2023-2024 season will no doubt be heard from very soon (i.e...next season!)

Saturday night's game was tight, as the favored San Francisco 49ers hung on to beat the surging Green Bay Packers. The 49ers had to do it without their star, Deebo Samuel, and anybody who has watched the 49ers play the past few years knows they are not the same team without the all-purpose, dynamic, multi-threat Samuel. He left the game early with an injury and did not return.

The game came down to one last drive, and the 49ers were able to do it, marching the length of the field and scoring the winning touchdown on a Christian McCaffrey run. A collective sigh of relief came from the hometown 49ers fans, who almost watched their team get knocked off in an upset fashion.

Sunday provided more drama and the best crowd scene of all. Watching the Detroit fans emotionally celebrate after squeaking by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and heading to the championship game was truly special. It is what sports is all about.

Those same Detroit Lions fans, who put the capital L and the capital S into "long-suffering" (over thirty years without a playoff appearance) were finally able to celebrate. Finally! A tight and tense game finished with an interception of Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, and with it, the fans could finally let loose.

Watching Lions star defensive end and a Michigan hometown kid, Aidan Hutchinson, who rooted so many years as a youngster for his favorite team, only to always be frustrated and disappointed—and now, as a player, help them to win in the playoffs finally? Watching him take in the scene at the end of the game and looking up at the crowd while standing all by himself, realizing he had finally helped make the dream come true for Detroit fans, was maybe the best of all moments over the football weekend.

Finally, the best came last. Sunday night's classic between Buffalo and Kansas City was like watching Masterpiece Theatre—the offensive football version.

Both Buffalo’s Josh Allen, and Kansas City, led by the outstanding Patrick Mahomes, were nearly unstoppable. There are two offenses that are almost artistic in their efficiency. It was a thing of beauty to watch, but in the end, it was Kansas City, helped by a painful late missed field goal that allowed the visitors to leave a stunned and disappointed Buffalo Bills fan base—aka the “Bills Mafia”—waiting yet again…for next year.

When the dust died down…it was "then there were four."

Now we head into next weekend. It will be the Baltimore Ravens taking on Kansas City and Detroit traveling to San Francisco to decide which two teams will go to the Super Bowl.

NFL fans will thankfully get a solid week to catch their breath collectively.

It's a welcome break after a wonderful weekend of tense and dramatic playoff football.