Report Cards from NFL's Sunday Divisional Games
The 2014 divisional round is now officially part of NFL history.
For the second week in a row, four teams have been kicked from the postseason race and sent home. Only four squads now remain with a chance to win it all.
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in a game decided by only a few plays. The 26-21 victory sends the Packers to Seattle for the NFC Championship Game against the Seahawks next Sunday.
The Indianapolis Colts went into Denver and bested the Broncos in a 24-13 contest that wasn't nearly as close as the early game. Indianapolis will go on to face the New England Patriots in Foxborough.
Over the next few pages, we will examine how Sunday's games unfolded and grade the performances of each of the teams involved.
Dallas Cowboys
1 of 4
Pass Offense
The Packers scored on their first drive, and Dallas quarterback Tony Romo responded by leading a touchdown drive of his own immediately after.
Though he seemed hobbled by injuries and vicious hits, Romo operated very efficiently against the Packers defense. Once the running game got up to speed in the second half, Romo wasn't asked to do too much, but he still produced with accuracy and sound decision-making.
Romo finished 15-of-19 for 191 yards with two touchdowns. Unfortunately, his last (and most important) attempt of the game was ruled incomplete.
It briefly appeared that Romo had completed a long pass to Dez Bryant on fourth down to set up 1st-and-goal. However, the ruling was changed following the replay, and the Packers took over with the lead.
"Bryant going to the ground. By rule he must hold onto it throughout entire process of contacting the ground. He didn't so it is incomplete," NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said after the game, via Twitter.
Grade: B+
Run Offense
Dallas didn't get a lot of big plays from the running game early on, but DeMarco Murray still managed to chew up some first-half yards and wear down the Green Bay defense. He ran for just 53 yards on 17 carries in the first two quarters.
The big plays started to appear in the third quarter, when Murray helped lead the Cowboys to their third touchdown of the game. Unfortunately, a Murray fumble also led to a Packers field goal. Murray finished with 123 yards and a touchdown, which just wasn't enough to complement the limited, but effective, passing game.
Grade: B-
Pass Defense
Normally, pressuring the quick-triggered Aaron Rodgers can come back to bite a defense. However, the Cowboys brought pressure early and often with some degree of success due to above-average coverage in the secondary. Let's be honest: Rodgers' calf injury also played a role here as the Packers quarterback had limited mobility.
With Rodgers slightly hobbled, the Cowboys were able to get consistent pressure and land a lot of hard shots on the Packers quarterback. Containing receivers after the catch, however, proved difficult for Dallas.
The Cowboys secondary was torched by pass-catchers with the ball in their hands, allowing the Packers to rack up 306 net yards of passing offense.
Grade: D+
Run Defense
The defense allowed 54 rushing yards on the Packers' opening drive of the game, but it adjusted nicely thereafter. Green Bay was limited to just 19 yards rushing during the remainder of the first half.
The Packers became more balanced in the second half, and the Cowboys seemed to have some trouble adjusting, though Dallas never allowed any huge plays in the running game.
Grade: B-
Special Teams
Kicker Dan Bailey missed a 50-yard field goal just before halftime that would have given the Cowboys a two-score lead. It was his only attempt of the game.
Punter Chris Jones averaged 48.5 yards per attempt, while return specialist Dwayne Harris averaged a mere 3.0 yards per punt return. Overall, the unit was average at best.
Grade: C-
Coaching
Head coach Jason Garrett and his staff really called a wonderful game on Sunday. The offensive strategy was the same as the one the Cowboys used to get to this point, while the defense contained the ground game and put pressure on the quarterback. Overall, this was a game that swung on a couple of missed opportunities and a few questionable calls.
One poor coaching decision resulted in a timeout late in the second quarter after the Cowboys had been handed a generous spot and a first down. After review, the first down was taken away, and Bailey missed the ensuing field goal.
The decision to go for it on fourth down with nearly five minutes remaining in the game was also questionable, though it nearly paid off.
Grade: B
Final Analysis
Dallas could have easily won this game had one or two plays gone in a different direction during the course of it. This is very similar to the way the Cowboys won a week ago.
This is a team that was good enough to get to the next round of the postseason, but it fell just short against a championship-caliber opponent. This is unlikely to provide comfort for the players, but the Cowboys should be very proud of their performance on Sunday.
Final Grade: B-
Green Bay Packers
2 of 4
Pass Offense
Rodgers wasn't quite as efficient as usual due to his left calf injury. However, his accuracy and arm strength did not seem to suffer initially. A couple of early fumbles, including one bad snap, caused the passing offense to suffer.
As the game wore on, it seemed that Rodgers was limited. Injuries made it difficult for both quarterbacks in this game to ever seem 100 percent.
Yet, Rodgers still made magic from the pocket. He consistently found his receivers, who did an outstanding job of making their own plays after the catch. He finished the game 24-of-35 for 316 yards and three scores, while wideouts Randall Cobb and Davante Adams combined for 233 of those yards and a touchdown.
Grade: A+
Run Offense
The Packers made it clear early on that establishing the run would be a goal for this game. Top back Eddie Lacy racked up 54 yards on Green Bay's opening drive, which ended in a touchdown. However, consistency in the ground game disappeared for much of the first half after that.
Green Bay did find ways to move the football on the ground in the second half, but the Packers clearly won this game on the strength of Rodgers and the passing game. Still, the rushing attack played its part and helped maintain balance.
The team finished with 119 net rushing yards.
Grade: B-
Pass Defense
The Packers pass defense was a major disappointment early on in this contest. Romo was allowed to throw for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and the Cowboys might have scored a third time before halftime if not for the poor timeout decision.
The second half was a different story, however. The defensive front pressured Romo, while the secondary did a good-enough job in coverage to be effective. Romo didn't throw a lot in this game, but some of his biggest potential plays were denied. The Packers sacked Romo four times.
Grade: C-
Run Defense
Green Bay did a nice job of preventing Murray from breaking big runs early on, but the defense still allowed the Dallas ground game to set a the initial tone.
The Cowboys' rushing attack started to gain traction in the third quarter, and it became a major factor throughout the second half. The Packers allowed the Cowboys to move the ball on the ground, but they did manage to limit Murray to only a handful of potential game-breaking plays.
Grade: B-
Special Teams
Punter Tim Masthay isn't used to getting a lot of work at Lambeau. He only punted twice on Sunday for a solid 37.5 yards per attempt.
Mason Crosby drilled a 40-yard field goal just before halftime to give the Packers the final score of the first half. This came just a few plays after the Packers managed to partially block a Dallas field-goal attempt. Crosby added another field goal in the third quarter.
Cobb average just 14 yards per kickoff return with one fumble that wasn't lost. Otherwise, it was a strong outing for the unit.
Grade: B
Coaching
Head coach Mike McCarthy had his team up for this game, for sure. Though injuries limited Rodgers, McCarthy and offensive coordinator Tom Clements adapted the offense to compensate for Rodgers' limited mobility.
The use of short routes and quick passes worked brilliantly, though a lot of the credit has to go to the receiving corps for making plays after the catch.
Defensive coordinator Dom Capers called an aggressive game that limited Dallas' ability to run the ball and put pressure on Romo. This left room for long pass plays, but it also helped take the Cowboys out of their usual game plan.
Grade: A
Final Analysis
It is almost scary to think how good this Packers team would be right now if Rodgers was 100 percent. Green Bay found a way to come back against a very good Cowboys squad and put the game on ice once the Packers had taken the lead.
Defensively, the team was not perfect, but there were enough big plays on that side of the ball to earn the victory. Offensively, the Packers just seem to keep improving. Rookie Adams had a huge day as a pass-catcher, which has to make the Seattle Seahawks hesitant to double-cover anyone next week in the NFC Championship Game.
It would have been nice to see more explosive plays from the running game, but the Packers didn't need them to win. But they may need to find them next week on the road in Seattle.
Overall, this looks very much like a championship-caliber team.
Final Grade: A-
Denver Broncos
3 of 4
Pass Offense
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning came out firing, going 3-of-3 for 36 yards and a touchdown on Denver's opening drive. However, there were several times where Manning appeared to be off on his throws after that. His timing on deep passes was especially off.
This trend continued throughout the game, and Indianapolis basically challenged Manning to beat it with long, deep passes.
He couldn't. Manning finished the game 26-of-46 for 211 yards and a touchdown.
Grade: C-
Run Offense
The Broncos clearly wanted to carry a balanced offensive attack into this game. Fortunately, top back C.J. Anderson and the running game got off to a strong start. Anderson carried the ball 11 times for 66 yards in the first half, while Ronnie Hillman added eight yards on two carries.
Unfortunately, the rushing attack was absent in the second half, and the Broncos finished with just 88 net rushing yards.
Anderson's biggest run of the game came late in the third quarter on 4th-and-1. Anderson avoided three different Colts tacklers behind the line of scrimmage and picked up the first down in Indianapolis territory. He finished the contest with 80 yards on 18 carries.
Grade: C+
Pass Defense
Containing Colts quarterback Andrew Luck for the entirety of a game is never an easy task. The Broncos certainly struggled against the pass early, as tight coverage and a consistent pass rush were absent.
Denver did snag an interception just before halftime, but it essentially served as a 39-yard Indianapolis punt. Luck finished the half with 137 yards and a touchdown.
Perhaps the biggest problem for the Denver defense was its inability to create a consistent pass rush. Even when the team began blitzing with regularity, Luck never seemed shaken. His two interceptions were practically meaningless. He was not sacked.
Pass Defense: D
Run Defense
Denver prevented the Colts from ripping off any big runs early, but it also allowed enough consistency to make the ground game an option for Indianapolis. Luck and running back Dan Herron combined for 64 first-half rushing yards.
This changed in the second half, where the majority of Colts runs were stopped short. The problem is that the sound run defense fell apart during a key eight-minute drive in the fourth quarter. It left the Broncos without a favorable chance at a comeback.
Run Defense: B-
Special Teams
Connor Barth drilled a 45-yard field goal just before the half that pulled Denver to within four points. He added a 41-yarder in the fourth quarter to pull Denver within eight.
Punter Britton Colquitt averaged a solid 40.7 yards per attempt. Wes Welker returned just one punt for a one-yard loss.
Grade: B-
Coaching
It was a mixed bag for head coach John Fox and his staff on Sunday.
Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio made some nice halftime adjustments that translated to a more aggressive defense up front. This helped to take away the Indianapolis running game and preserve time for the Denver offense to mount a comeback. The one long drive he did allow, though, was a killer.
However, offensive coordinator Adam Gase never did enough to counter what the Colts were doing defensively. He did not seem to have a good variety of run plays and seemed to quit on the ground game too early when it was evident that Manning was struggling.
Grade: D
Final Analysis
This is not the Denver Broncos team we expected to see this postseason. A lot of the blame will be placed on Manning, who consistently misfired on pass attempts. However, there is plenty of blame to go around.
Receivers dropped passes, offensive linemen failed to protect and the vaunted Von Miller-DeMarcus Ware sack duo disappeared completely.
The Broncos were thoroughly handled by a flawed Colts team, which makes this performance an overall disappointment.
Final Grade: D+
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Indianapolis Colts
4 of 4
Pass Offense
It took a couple of drives for the Indianapolis offense to really get going. However, Luck and Co. finally found a rhythm early in the second quarter, engineering a 73-yard touchdown drive. He finished the first half with nearly 140 passing yards and a score.
The pass protection for Luck was surprisingly good throughout the game. With solid protection and his great mobility, Luck generally had time to find his receivers.
He finished the game 27-of-43 for 265 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Grade: B+
Run Offense
As has usually been the case this season, the Colts came out with most of their offensive focus on the passing game. However, Indianapolis did enough on the ground early to maintain some semblance of offensive balance.
That balance seemed to disappear in the second half, as the Broncos began playing more aggressively up front. The Colts running game vanished, and it became difficult for Indianapolis to take time off the clock with a lead.
The running game reappeared just in time to take eat up minutes in the fourth quarter, even though the team finished with just 99 net rushing yards.
Grade: C+
Pass Defense
The Colts had trouble pressuring Manning early in the game, but a second-quarter strip-sack helped flip field position and change momentum. Indianapolis tried to take away the middle of the field and force Manning to attack deep and on the edges. He was held to just 71 yards passing in the first half.
This strategy helped the Colts take a lead into halftime. It also help prevent Manning and the Broncos offense from striking quickly in the second half, when the Colts held the lead.
Manning was sacked twice and the Broncos were held to 200 net passing yards.
Grade: A-
Run Defense
Indianapolis allowed the Broncos to gain some early momentum in the ground game in order to focus on pressuring the pass. Broncos backs combined for 74 yards in the first half but only found a couple of long runs in the process.
The run defense improved in the second half, which created a lot of 3rd-and-long situations for the Denver offense.
Grade: B+
Special Teams
The usually reliable Adam Vinatieri missed a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter that would have given the Colts a two-score lead. Return specialist Josh Cribbs nearly fumbled a third-quarter punt, but he was ruled down by contact.
Vinatieri did connect on a fourth-quarter field goal that gave Indianapolis a two-score lead. However, it was an average night for the Colts special teams.
Grade: C
Coaching
Head coach Chuck Pagano brought an excellent game plan into this one, particularly on the defensive side of the ball with coordinator Greg Manusky.
The initial defensive game plan was to bring pressure, play tight press coverage and dare the Broncos to win with the deep ball.
Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton called enough running plays to keep some balance, but his best work was calling pass plays that highlighted the second, third and fourth receivers. He also called for a nice mix of wide-pass and heavy-run formations.
Grade: A+
Final Analysis
The Colts defense played above its talent level for the second consecutive week, this time against a top-level quarterback. Luck carried full command of the offense, and both defensive lines produced stellar performances.
A lot of credit has to go to the coaching staff, which has taken a flawed team and made it look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Patriots will present a much tougher challenge next week, but it certainly feels like Indianapolis will fare better than Denver would in the AFC Championship Game.
Final Score: A-
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