NFL weekend was back and better than ever on Jan. 21 with many star-studded players trying to lead their respective teams to the conference championship round.
The Eagles will host the 49ers and the Chiefs will host the Bengals after each were victorious in their divisional matchups.
In the first matchup on Jan. 21, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to take down a young Jacksonville Jaguars squad 27-20 led by their second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The match had a scare mid-game when star quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ ankle was hurt by an opposing player. Backup quarterback Chad Henne was able to come in for a drive and lead the Chiefs to a touchdown. The Chiefs were able to hold on to a one-touchdown lead in their victory with a hurt Mahomes.
“Honestly, I’m not stoked. Ever since watching my Chargers collapse to the Jags, football hasn’t been the same,” third-year economics major Ben Kessler said.
Many NFL fans shared the same feeling about the second game of the day. In the night game, the Philadelphia Eagles provided a snoozefest for the fans as they dismantled a struggling New York Giants defense in a 38-7 blowout victory.
A week after the Giants quarterback Daniel Jones had a masterclass performance, it seemed he couldn’t get anything going against a stout Eagles defense, throwing for only 135 yards and adding an interception to his line. The Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts had a near flawless game, with two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.
Jan. 22 marked the start of the following games. The first matchup was another blowout, with the Cincinnati Bengals taking care of the Buffalo Bills 27-10. In the debate between quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Josh Allen, Burrow has come out on top once again, beating his counterpart by throwing for 242 yards and two touchdowns in their victory. Bills star receiver Stefon Diggs was barely featured in their loss, catching just four passes for 35 yards. In a snowy affair throughout the game, some have wondered if the weather played a factor.
The final game of the weekend featured a defensive affair, featuring the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers defense prevailed in the match, coming out with the 19-12 victory. There was questionable play from the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott, as he threw two interceptions, with one resulting in a 49ers touchdown in the ensuing drive. Tight end for the 49ers George Kittle provided the biggest impact on the field for the team, catching five passes for 95 receiving yards. The Cowboys were kept in the game with dynamic plays from their wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, racking up 117 yards.
“[What an] action packed weekend. Boy, oh boy, was that exhilarating. As a niners fan, I’ve never been happier, and I just feel so lucky to get to watch Brock Purdy huck the pigskin for another week after that big win,” fourth-year communications major Grant Norma stated after the victory.
Fans should gear up for championship weekend as the 49ers take on the Eagles and the Bengals travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
A version of this article appeared on p. 7 of the Jan. 26, 2023 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
