The Seattle Seahawks won a highly entertaining game in Landover, but the main story is why a clearly ailing Robert Griffin III was kept in the game for so long. Griffin, who was wearing a brace on his right knee after spraining it against Baltimore on December 9th and subsequently missed the next game against Cleveland, turned the knee over late in the first quarter and limped progressively worse for the rest of the game.
But it was following a bad snap in the fourth quarter when Griffin stretched to grab the loose ball that the knee buckled. Griffin lay in a heap on the mangled FedEx Field turf and was treated on the field for upwards of five minutes before - just about - managing to walk off of his own power. Griffin was taken into the big shed that doubles as a medical examination room, and though he eventually appeared back on the sidelines, Kirk Cousins closed out the game at quarterback for the Redskins. It had seemingly been apparent to everyone watching that Griffin should have been taken out of the game earlier than he was when limping heavily - everyone apart from Mike Shanahan and the Washington coaching staff. It has to be remembered that Griffin is a 22 year old rookie kid, playing in his first playoff game, and a brave kid at that, unlikely to want to take himself out of the game. His post game interview where he said that "I think I did put myself at more risk by being out there, but every time you get on the field, you're putting yourself on the line," seemed to confirm exactly those sentiments. The decision had to be made by the coaches, a decision that wasn't taken. Shanahan said after the game that when Griffin went down in the fourth that "If you didn't pull him out then, you should get fired," but acknowledging that just made it more apparent that it should have happened earlier. When so much was given up for Griffin in the first place, to risk him so heavily not only puts him at risk, but the entire franchise.
It had earlier transpired that Redskins team physician Dr James Andrews had not given medical clearance to return to the game against Baltimore where the initial sprain had occurred. Griffin went on to play an additional series before being replaced by Cousins. Griffin will now undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury, with Redskins fans hoping that it's not as bad as it looked.
As for the game itself, it was a highly entertaining contest that saw Washington race out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, with Griffin landing a pair of four yard touchdown passes to Evan Royster and Logan Paulsen. But following Griffin's injury, Washington's offence fell apart and Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch began to get it together. In fact, the final 3 quarters were an absolute blowout from Seattle as they stopped the Redskins from even reaching midfield, with the Seahawks outgaining the 'Skins by 371 yards to 74. Washington had 129 yards to Seattle's 9 in the first quarter. The Seahawks will now face the Falcons in Atlanta next Sunday.
Not many players stay in the NFL for 17 years. Of those who do, even fewer stay with the same team for the whole time. Ray Lewis was the second man to be drafted by the Ravens franchise, at number 26 in 1996, and has gone on to become a legend. He missed the last 10 weeks of the regular season with a triceps tear and announced earlier in the week that he'll retire at the end of the season. He came back from injury and started his last game in Baltimore. And had one of the games of his career. With 13 tackles, Lewis was larger than life against the Colts from his dance as he entered the field, through the entire game, and lining up on offence on a kneel down to end the game and dancing again. The Ravens had a great game, with Joe Flacco passing for 282 yards and two touchdowns, Bernard Pierce rushing for 103 yards and becoming the go to guy after Ray Rice fumbled twice, and Anquan Boldin having a monster second half to finish with 145 yards and a touchdown.
The Colts were dealt a blow before the game when offensive coordinator - and interim head coach for much of the season - Bruce Arians was hospitalised on Sunday morning. The team never really got going, and despite Andrew Luck throwing for 288 yards, they failed to score a touchdown, and when Adam Vinatieri missed a 40 yard field goal wide left early in the third quarter, it became clear it wasn't going to be their day. After forcing a Ray Rice fumble in the first quarter - Rice's two fumbles were more than he had in the entire regular season - Andrew Luck fumbled himself on the resulting drive. The first quarter finished scoreless, but the game was never anything less than captivating.
But at the end of the game, it was all about number 52. Lewis took the plaudits of the rabid home crowd, the original Raven playing at home for the last time. What odds on him bringing the Lombardi trophy back to M&T Bank Stadium in early February?
In the end, the playoffs probably came a year too early for Minnesota. With their steadily improving quarterback on the sidelines due to a freak injury - an elbow injured while passing a week ago - and Green Bay eventually managing to stop Adrian Peterson, it was down to backup Joe Webb to show what he could do. And beyond the first drive and a 50 yard touchdown in garbage time to boost his stats, that wasn't very much. There had been much talk of Webb moving to be a starter elsewhere next year, but on this showing, that may be a bit of a stretch. Webb was 11 for 30 passing for 180 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception and was sacked 3 times - including one that will be credited to Clay Matthews, who was lying face down on the turf at the time! Adrian Peterson was restricted to 99 yards on 22 carries as the Vikings fizzled out. A good draft and some shrewdness in free agency should see the Vikes be a real threat next year.
Aaron Rodgers was back to his clinical best after last week's blip. The MVP candidate - and remember that all ballots have already been returned - was 23 for 33 for 274 yards and a touchdown to John Kuhn. The Packers added two rushing touchdowns from Greg Jennings and Kuhn again to breeze into a divisional round matchup with San Francisco in California next weekend. The foot clearly came off the gas late in the game as the Pack prepared for that game which is set to be a classic shootout. The 49ers defeated the Packers 30-22 at Lambeau in week 1.
Houston limped to a wildcard victory over Cincinnati, in a game that they really should have had wrapped up by half time. Andy Dalton was restricted to 3 passing yards in the whole of the first half, and the Bengals had just 53 yards of total offence in the first, yet trailed just 9-7 at halftime thanks to a Leon Hall pick 6. Dalton eventually finished with just 127 yards with a 46% completion rate. Matt Schaub threw for 262 yards, but failed to throw a touchdown pass. The Texans only touchdown came on a one yard run from Arian Foster in the third quarter. Foster finished with 140 yards and became the first player to rush for 100+ yards in his first three playoff games. The Texans will travel to New England for the divisional round. The Patriots blew them out 42-14 in Foxboro on December 10th.
