New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) celebrates a first down reception against the Eagles. (AP)
By Frank Schwab | Yahoo Sports
All season, the unexpected in the NFL didn’t faze us.
We expected the best teams to get upset out of the blue, or teams that hadn’t looked good in weeks — sometimes months — to snap out of it and go on a run. The Philadelphia Eagles, who rallied from 6-7 to make the playoffs, were a prime example. It wasn’t just parity, it was a game of “Boggle” for 17 weeks. Everything was shaken up week after week, and that continued in the wild-card round with three road teams winning.
Then we got to the divisional round and the favorites took over. The New Orleans Saints got the toughest test of the weekend, falling behind to the Eagles 14-0 in the first quarter but turning it on after that for a 20-14 win. Receiver Michael Thomas led the way for the Saints, making big catch after big catch, setting a franchise record for receiving yards in a playoff game with 171 on 12 catches. And Marshon Lattimore saved the day, intercepting a pass that went through Alshon Jeffery’s hands with 1:52 left and the Eagles driving.
The top two seeds in each conference will play in the championship games next weekend. The top-seeded Chiefs will host the No. 2 seed Patriots in the AFC title game, and the No. 2 seed Rams will travel to face the top-seeded Saints in the NFC. ...
Full Story - Yahoo Sports
