In the hours before the Playoffs match between Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams, a rumor strongly stirred the NFL: Tom Brady would be considering retiring after this season. Something that, speaking of a 44-year-old athlete, should not be surprising. But it does, given the high level of Brady this season, and more so taking into account past statements in which he did not contemplate retirement.
In the midst of the storm, Brady’s Buccaneers faced in the Divisional round (the equivalent of a quarterfinal) to a Rams that swept through much of the game, reaching 27-3, thanks especially to the connection between Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, already a defense of a more than high level. But Tampa took out the pride of the champion and, in another epic comeback from Brady, tied the game 27-27. Los Angeles had the last word, however, and two deep passes to Kupp allowed for a last-second field goal to win.
“I haven’t thought much about it. Now, day by day, we’ll see where we are”is what Brady said after what may be the last game of his career. His trainer, Bruce Arians, commented that the decision can only be made by Brady himself. The Rams, for their part, are still alive in the year in which they have gambled everything to win a championship, and The San Francisco 49ers await you in the conference final, that stunned Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
All this was in the first game on Sunday. It was hard to get over the excitement, but the Kansas City Chiefs-Buffalo Bills game did just that. The matchup between quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen was a give-and-take for history. Four touchdowns for each, with impossible passes and runs. In the final two minutes, there were up to three different touchdowns that gave the Bills the victory with 13 seconds remaining. But once again the connection between Mahomes and Hill appeared, who were able to guarantee a field goal to take the game to overtime.
And, once again in extra time, an unfair rule of the sport came to light, the one in which a coin decides who starts attacking and, in case of annotation, the match ends. And that’s what happened. A big drive by the Chiefs ended in a touchdown by Mahomes, and Josh Allen was defeated without being able to get the ball in his hands. The final victory, for the Chiefs by 42-36. They will receive the Cincinnati Bengals in the other conference final, who also caused the surprise by eliminating the Titans.
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