Another round of postseason football is well underway, with the Ravens advancing to the AFC Championship and the Packers falling just short in their upset bid against the No. 1-seeded 49ers on Saturday. Before long, the final four teams will be squaring off for a place in Super Bowl LVIII, which will be broadcast on CBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount+.
Here are some immediate takeaways from Saturday's games:
49ers 24, Packers 21
San Francisco is very vulnerable
The 49ers are tough; we all know that. They were physical and opportunistic on defense here, especially late and in the red zone, and Brock Purdy briefly quieted any lingering skeptics by capping an erratic night with a go-ahead touchdown drive. The path to a Super Bowl appearance still looks very feasible. And yet, for a No. 1 seed hosting a No. 7 seed, they barely survived this one on their own grass. Kyle Shanahan bent conservative in a sluggish first half, probably could've used a dominant Christian McCaffrey even more, and permitted more extracurricular shenanigans from veterans like Trent Williams. Should they remain favorites in the NFC, especially with McCaffrey cooking? Sure. But it's clear they're built to play with a lead, not the other way around.
Brighter days should come in Green Bay
Not entirely dissimilar to the Texans with C.J. Stroud, the Packers can take solace knowing their franchise appears to be in special hands. Jordan Love wasn't perfect this year -- his fourth in the NFL and first as the Packers' starter -- and Saturday was no exception, with a late cross-body pick dooming a potential comeback. But his natural fluidity as an off-balance gunslinger was on full display for much of the night, keeping the 49ers on their toes. Better yet, he's got an array of young weapons -- four different rookies combined to top 2,100 receiving yards in 2023, playoffs included -- that should only improve with more time in Matt LaFleur's creative system. Who knows if Aaron Jones will be part of that group, but he gave his all against San Francisco, too.
Ravens 34, Texans 10
Baltimore is truly a complete team
Most fans could've told you this before Saturday, but the rout of Houston was a pitch-perfect argument for their Super Bowl chances. Facing a 1-3 career playoff mark, Lamar Jackson looked precisely like an NFL MVP against DeMeco Ryans' defense, effortlessly gliding to 100 rushing yards while making all the right reads through the air. Mike Macdonald's Ravens "D" was hyperactive as usual, bottling up Houston's run game to overburden star rookie C.J. Stroud. And John Harbaugh shepherded the whole thing with championship-caliber flexibility, overseeing halftime adjustments to tighten the screws after a relatively slow start. There may be another hurdle to clear before a fight for the Lombardi, but it's clear this club is the total package.
It's time for the Texans to restock the trenches
C.J. Stroud proved long ago that he's the present and future face of the team, showcasing unusually polished pocket presence and downfield decision-making as a rookie quarterback. But too often against Baltimore's front he was forced to escape the pocket, extend plays and/or run gadget calls to offset regular pressure. The Ravens are elite in that regard, but if Houston intends to capitalize on Stroud's franchise ability and make an immediate playoff leap next time around, bolstering his front will be paramount. DeMeco Ryans' defense needs its own tweaks, too, but Stroud works best when he has time to unleash his arm inside the pocket, and that's a lot harder to do without reliable protection or ground support.
The AFC Championship is gonna be must-see TV
Not that the Texans wouldn't have made the conference title game intriguing, but now we're guaranteed a duel between Lamar Jackson and either Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes, pitting two of the NFL's most explosive young QBs against each other. No matter who wins Sunday's tilt between Buffalo and Kansas City, the league will be celebrating.
