New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) works in the pocket against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Backup quarterbacks exceeded just hold clipboards within the NFL’s divisional playoff round.
Jameis Winston put a 56-yard trick-play touchdown pass to Tre’Quan Cruz on his first playoff action after 76 regular-season games over six seasons.
Chad Henne, the Chiefs’ 35-year-old backup, also got his first taste from the playoffs Sunday as he was pressed into duty after former MVP Patrick Mahomes endured a concussion halfway with the third quarter against Cleveland.
In the 72nd National football league game, Henne atoned to have an finish zone interception with two huge plays to permit the Leaders to flee having a 22-17 make an impression on the Browns.
Each day earlier, another ex-MVP, Lamar Jackson, was bumped out of Baltimore’s 17-3 loss at Zoysia and it was substituted with Tyler Huntley, an undrafted rookie from Utah who ascended to QB2 status recently when Robert Griffin III (hamstring) and Trace McSorely (knee) wound up on IR.
The only real game that both quarterbacks required all of the snaps was the Packers’ 32-18 make an impression on the Rams, when MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers put for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns and Jared Goff was a competent 21 of 27 per week after he was pressed into duty just 12 days publish-surgery on his damaged right thumb.
Rodgers and Tom Brady, making his 14th conference championship appearance in 21 seasons, square off in a few days at Lambeau Field. Mahomes will need to obvious concussion protocol to manage the debts and Josh Allen, that has completed 68.1% of his playoff passes after finishing 69.2% of his throws in the breakout 2020 regular season.
WINSTON WINGING IT
Winston’s lengthy touchdown throw was his only pass, departing him having a perfect passer rating of 158.3. His TD gave they a 13-10 lead within the Bucs within the second quarter. But he didn’t get another snap in New Orleans’ 30-20 loss that lots of believe was Came Brees’ final game after 20 National football league seasons by which he put for 85,724 yards, such as the playoffs.
That’s greater than 16 miles price of completions.
If the could it have been, Brees went having a whimper: 134 yards passing and three interceptions within the worst playoff bet on his career.
Brees broke 11 ribs in 2020 and missed four games, so it’s very easy to state he must have upon the market last year.
“No complaints. No regrets,” stated Brees, who thrown the football around together with his kids and Brady lengthy following the game ended. “I’ve always attempted to experience farmville with great respect along with a great reverence for this, and that i appreciate everything farmville has provided in my experience.
“There are clearly a lot of incredible recollections, a lot of incredible relationships which have come because of playing within this game, and also you discovered a lot with regards to you, and also you fight through a lot whenever you play farmville,” Brees stated.
“And I’d say this year I most likely needed to fight through greater than I’ve ever endured to in almost any other season within my career, from injuries to any or all the COVID stuff to simply crazy conditions, also it was worth every moment from it. Absolutely.”
PRACTICE SQUAD JUMP
Jackson was forced from the game two plays after Taron Manley tied an National football league record having a 101-yard interception return for any touchdown that gave the debts a 17-3 lead.
Facing second-and-10 at Baltimore’s 25, center Patrick Mekari clicked the ball over Jackson’s mind. The quarterback switched and chased the bouncing ball lower within the 5, switched and rapidly put it away as Tremaine Edmunds had him through the legs and Trent Murphy fell on the top of him.
Jackson’s concussion left Huntley, who was simply promoted in the practice squad, to complete the sport and that he completed 6 of 13 passes for 60 yards, not nearly enough for any comeback.
“We’ll hold our mind high walking from here and in to the offseason,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated.
HENNE’S HEROICS
Henne performed a significant role in Might squeaking past Cleveland to earn another consecutive AFC championship game in your own home.
The 35-year-old veteran of 11 National football league seasons in Miami, Jacksonville and K.C. completed the Chiefs’ field goal drive after Mahomes was tossed lower hard by Browns linebacker Mack Wilson. However with Might clinging to some five-point lead carrying out a TD operated by former Leaders running back Kareem Search, Henne was intercepted within the finish zone by Karl Frederick with eight minutes remaining.
The Leaders forced a punt and Henne got the ball back with more than four minutes left. Cleveland couldn’t stop Henne from scrambling for 13 yards on third-and-14 or from finishing a brief spread 4th-and-inches to Tyreek Hill with 74 seconds left to close the Chiefs’ tenth win this year by six points or fewer.
The Browns’ greatest regret was wide receiver Rashard Higgins’ fumble close to the goal line within the closing minutes from the first half.
Higgins hauled inside a 25-yard pass from Baker Mayfield while stumbling close to the Chiefs’ 5-yard line and launched themself toward the corner pylon.
Just like Higgins extended his arms, he was blasted by Leaders linebacker Daniels Sorenson, who dislodged the ball, which bounced from the finish zone for any touchback.
Lost within the commotion was Sorenson’s helmet-to-helmet hit which should have negated the turnover.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wasn’t blaming the officials or even the rule book like a lot of announcers and fans did.
“I won’t ever ever doubt Rashard Higgins’ effort or our guys’ effort,” Stefanski stated. “Our rule there’s to not achieve the ball out when it’s first-and-goal, and that he recognizes that. Again, appreciate his effort. He battled like he always does, but we must fight that urge since it is this type of big loss whether it does finish up as being a touchback.”
