How big a comeback was it?
Just big enough.
OK, in historical terms, it was the third largest comeback victory in NFL playoff history. (Oiler fans don’t need to be reminded about what remains #1 on that hit parade.)
After trailing 27-0, the Jags came back to beat the Chargers 31-30 to cap off Wild Card Saturday.
So, what’s a young man to do after he throws four first-half interceptions? Well, if he’s Trevor Lawrence, he just bounces back and throws four touchdown passes on four straight possessions over the game’s final 31 minutes. Nothin’ to it.
I will not pretend for a second that I saw that coming, although Lawrence’s first TD pass right before halftime to cut it to 27-7 piqued my interest enough to keep watching. That proved to be a good decision.
As good as Justin Herbert is, and as great as he is going to be, this kind of thing keeps happening to the Chargers way too often. L.A. scored three points in the second half. And the Chargers found a way to lose despite winning the turnover battle 5-0. I said 5-0. That’s not easy to do.
The Bolts’ roster is borderline Super Bowl caliber. But their dance card is now empty.
The Jags’ improbable victory marked the third time this season that they have rallied to win after trailing by at least 17 points. The Jacksonville franchise did that exactly once between 1995 and 2021.
Here’s what struck me about the matinee game in Santa Clara. The Seahawks played well. They played very well at times, and they played very hard all the time.
And they ultimately got crushed. Look, I don’t know who is going to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. This is football. Stuff happens. But I do know the 49ers have the best roster in the conference, and, yeah, that includes the Eagles. S.F. has now won eleven straight, and the ‘Niners could end up pushing that streak to 14, if you catch my drift.
Oh, and that rookie quarterback? I’m gonna say it. He reminds me in so many ways of that Bay Area QB who used to wear number 16. And I’m not talking about Jim Plunkett.
On to Sunday’s triple-header. The Bills will roll the Dolphins, and it will get ugly.
The Giants have a solid shot at pulling off the road upset over the Vikings. Don’t miss a play of that game.
Tonight, the first-ever playoff game between divisional rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati. The Ravens will fight all the way, and if Tyler Huntley’s throwing shoulder is OK, they/’ll get the game into the fourth quarter.
But Joe Burrow is not going to lose that game.
