NFL Playoffs 2017: Takeaways from Packers vs. Cowboys and Steelers vs. Chiefs

The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. This was never more evident than during Sunday's divisional round of the playoffs. 

After two blowouts in which Tom Brady and Matt Ryan led their teams to victories, two fantastic contests ensued the following day. 

Aaron Rodgers proved he isn't infallible during the Green Bay Packers' 34-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, but he's still the best in the business when he's at peak form. Rodgers threw for 356 yards, a pair of touchdowns and his first interception since Week 10 of the regular season. But he made outstanding throw after outstanding throw, particularly with the game on the line, and the Packers will now prepare for the Atlanta Falcons. 

The Cowboys should be dejected after the loss, but the future is bright with Dak Prescott behind center. 

Even when running back Le'Veon Bell dominated during the Pittsburgh Steelers' 18-16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach Mike Tomlin put the ball in Ben Roethlisberger's hands on the most crucial third down of the season to secure the win and the right to play in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. 

With the conference championship games set, let's look back to see what everyone learned during the divisional round of the playoffs.

No Jordy Nelson? Not a Problem for the Green Bay Packers

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NFL defenses are Rodgers' playthings. The quarterback also has the toys around him to exploit. 

The quarterback's favorite target, Jordy Nelson, didn't play Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys due to fractured ribs he suffered during the first round of playoffs against the New York Giants. 

Nelson led the NFL during the regular season with 14 touchdown receptions and his team with 97 catches for 1,257 yards. Despite his absence, Rodgers still had multiple mismatches he could utilize. 

The quarterback completed passes to six different targets. He relied heavily on his athletic tight end, Jared Cook. Last year's prized offseason addition caught six passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. 

Cook made the play of the contest when he snagged Rodgers' final pass along the sideline and dragged his feet before his fell to his knees. The 36-yard reception—which will now go down in Packers lore—set up Mason Crosby's game-winning 51-yard field goal with only three seconds left. 

"I knew it was good," Cook said about the catch being reviewed, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "It was a perfect throw by Aaron."

For as well as the tight end played, other receivers stepped up in Nelson's stead. 

Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison combined to make 15 receptions for 184 yards. Tight end Richard Rodgers opened the Packers' scoring with a 34-yard touchdown reception. 

Plus, the Packers found a weapon out of the backfield in Ty Montgomery. The wide receiver-turned-running back carried the ball 11 times for 47 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 34 yards. 

Nelson's status for the NFC Championship Game remains undecided, but Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense proved they're still dangerous even without their top wide receiver.

Dak Prescott's Emergence Complete Despite Loss

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The Dallas Cowboys are Prescott's team. From this point forward, no more questions should be raised about the young signal-caller's status. 

Prescott rose to the occasion every time he faced adversity. Sunday's performance proved the former fourth-round pick is truly special. 

With the Cowboys trailing the Green Bay Packers 28-13 going into the fourth quarter, Prescott orchestrated a phenomenal comeback. Eventually, Dallas tied the score at 31 behind its young signal-caller. Ultimately, the defense let the team down when the game was on the line. 

The same can't be said of Prescott.

During the final frame, the rookie was 10-of-14 passing with a pair of touchdown tosses. More importantly, he didn't shrink on the brightest stage and finished with 302 passing yards and three touchdowns. 

Prescott shined when the pressure was the greatest. According to Pro Football Focus' Vinnie Ronca, the quarterback completed seven of eight passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns when the Packers blitzed. 

Questions would have been raised if the Mississippi State product didn't perform well. After all, one poor performance a month ago against the New York Giants had many questioning if he was the team's answer at quarterback. He responded the following week with an outstanding effort and continues to do so.

"The guy is outstanding," Rodgers said, per the Dallas Morning News' Jon Machota. "He's had a phenomenal year. The Cowboys have a bright future with Dak Prescott."

The Tony Romo saga will continue into the offseason as the organization attempts to find a potential trade partner for his services. Otherwise, the Romo era is over, and Prescott's is just beginning. 

Cowboys Coaches Will Spend Entire Offseason Knowing They Were Outcoached

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Two decisions will haunt the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff after Sunday's 34-31 loss to the Green Bay Packers. 

First, the Cowboys could have attempted a field goal when the first half ended after Cole Beasley called a fair catch on a punt. In doing so, Dallas could have had an untimed down and uncontested kick. 

Granted, kicker Dan Bailey would have been asked to convert a 73-yard field goal—which is unlikely. But he was never given an opportunity to try. 

Second, head coach Jason Garrett instructed the offense to spike the ball with 1:07 remaining. Not only did the Cowboys waste a down, the decision also left too much time on the clock, and the Packers took advantage with a game-winning field goal as time expired. 

These mistakes came after the Cowboys started slow with multiple miscues earlier in the contest. 

For example, wide receiver Brice Butler was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he entered the huddle but didn't participate in the following play. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Garrett admitted he's never seen that penalty called before Sunday's contest. 

A couple of these rules may be obscure, but a coaching staff must be prepared for any situation. It could have been the difference between a loss or going to the NFC Championship Game. 

Garrett warrants consideration as the 2016 NFL Coach of the Year, yet his performance along with his staff left much to be desired once the bright lights of the playoffs shone brightly.

Expect Points Aplenty When the Packers Meet the Falcons

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When the Green Bay Packers meet the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game, one defensive stop might be all it takes to decide the outcome. 

"Our focus is on to Atlanta & the goal that every team has when the season starts," Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said after Sunday's victory, per the Packers' Twitter account. 

These two offenses are explosive and counted among the league's best. During the regular season, the Falcons finished second overall and the Packers eighth in total offense. 

But each has been even better in recent weeks. 

Since the start of December, the Packers averaged 32.8 points per game. The Falcons, meanwhile, countered with 36.3 points per contest. 

Their two quarterbacks have been just sensational and worthy of the MVP consideration both have garnered. 

Rodgers snapped a career-long interception-less streak when he threw an ill-advised pass to Dallas Cowboys safety Jeff Heath. Otherwise, the quarterback has thrown 24 touchdowns compared to one interception after Thanksgiving. 

Ryan was stellar in the Falcons' meeting with the Seattle Seahawks Saturday. The quarterback completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. When the Falcons weapons like Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman and Taylor Gabriel are factored in the equation, this is a difficult offense to stop. 

The first to 40 points just may be declared the winner. 

Steelers' Ground-and-Pound Approach as Effective as Aerial Attack

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Bell is a monster. His performance during Sunday's 18-16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs proved how valuable he's become in the team's offense. 

For decades, the Steelers offense was built around a physical and dominant running game. Names such as Franco Harris, Barry Foster and Jerome Bettis led the way. 

At some point within the last decade, the reins were handed to Roethlisberger and deservedly so. He's a future Hall of Fame inductee with a pair of Super Bowl wins under his belt. 

Yet, the organization continued to search for a legitimate complement to its prolific passing attack. Bell became the answer. 

The former second-round pick carried the ball 30 times for 170 yards. As the rest of the offense sputtered, Roethlisberger has the luxury of turning around and handing the pigskin to his workhorse. 

Pittsburgh struggled to build a rhythm against the Chiefs and never did find the end zone. Instead, the unit plugged away and built a lead courtesy of Chris Boswell's six field goals—a new playoff record. 

Roethlisberger looked shaky at times, and all-world wide receiver Antonio Brown disappeared for stretches. The offense's inability to score touchdowns in the red zone should be a major concern going into the AFC Championship Game against Brady and the New England Patriots. 

But Bell provides balance. Even in adverse conditions on the road at a noisy stadium in freezing weather, the team's bell cow proved up to the task. According to Pro Football Focus' Nathan Jahnke, the back ran for 81 yards before contact and 89 yards after contact. He's getting the yards that are being blocked for him plus much more. 

The Steelers are finding ways to win, and they've won nine games in row. The ability to adapt and the luxury of having a talent like Bell at running back makes Pittsburgh a dangerous team even when the other Killer Bs aren't playing at their best.

"Boy, I liked the look in their eye, their resolve," head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game, per NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala. 

Steelers' Edge-Rushers Continue to Redefine Defense

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The current Pittsburgh Steelers defense won't make anyone forget about the Steel Curtain or even the No. 1-ranked units the organization placed on the field during the 2000s, but this group continues to get better with each passing week. 

The biggest difference between its play now and what was seen earlier in the season is the performance of the outside linebackers. 

Bud Dupree, in particular, is beginning to live up to the expectations of being a former first-round pick. The Kentucky product is now a consistent presence off the edge. His athleticism is being exploited, and he's been dynamic since the start of December with five sacks and nine more quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. 

For the last few years, the Steelers struggled to find a legitimate bookend to veteran James Harrison. Dupree certainly fits the bill, and he's starting to realize his potential. 

Harrison, meanwhile, is still one of the league's best edge defenders even at 38 years old. He led the charge against the Chiefs with six tackles—three of which were for a loss—a sack and two more quarterback hits. 

His physicality also helps set the tone for the entire unit. Harrison is a bully on the field. He's so physically strong and crafty after all these years that he knows how to set up blockers and to take advantage of their weaknesses.

If not for his ability to still get after the passer, Sunday's outcome may have been completely different. But officials called a holding penalty on Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher during a successful two-point conversion because he couldn't handle Harrison. 

The combination of Dupree and Harrison has sparked a Steelers defense and allowed the entire group to play much better overall. This is absolutely vital with Pittsburgh about to face the New England Patriots and Brady, who can be frustrated in the face of pressure. 

Kansas City Chiefs Need Answers After Another Dissappoining Playoff Performance

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The Kansas City Chiefs have no one to blame but themselves after yet another playoff loss. 

During the last two regular seasons, Andy Reid's squad is 23-9. Yet, the group doesn't seem to stack up against the very best the NFL has to offer. 

The Chiefs have now fallen to the Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers and Brady's New England Patriots during their last two playoff appearances. 

An opportunity to win both games existed yet never materialized. 

During Sunday's 18-16 loss, Kansas City experienced drops, crucial penalties and scheme breakdowns. (Why in the world is linebacker Justin Houston 50 yards downfield covering league-leading wide receiver Brown?)

After the contest, tight end Travis Kelce lashed out at the officials because of a holding call against Fisher during the game-defining two-point conversion. 

"That was horses--t," Kelce said, per the Kansas City Star's (warning: NSFW language) Sam Mellinger. The tight end added the ref who made the call "shouldn't even be able to work at Foot Locker."

Blaming officials is for losers. Kelce needs to turn his rage—which went unchecked at least once during the contest and cost his team a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness—unto himself after such a poor performance. 

It wasn't an official who dropped a deep pass late in the third quarter that could have led to a touchdown. 

Kelce is talented, though. Tyreek Hill, Jeremy Maclin, Spencer Ware and Alex Smith are, too. Yet this group managed a meager 227 yards, and 75 of those came on the team's final drive. 

If Kansas City is going to be considered one of the league's better teams, it will eventually need to win one of these games.