The Divisional Round of the year’s NFL Playoffs gave us two all-time classics and… two other games. However, all four games featured LSU Tigers in action. Spoiler alert: the only teams remaining without an LSU Tiger on their rosters were eliminated, so this should be fun!
Bills 30 at Broncos 33 (OT)
Tre’Davious White had four tackles and no officially recorded pass breakups because he was called for pass interference in overtime to basically end the game. I must be biased in thinking it was a ticky-tack
call, especially coming right after a more egregiously wrong PI a few plays earlier. It was a disappointing end to a fantastic game, and possibly a devastating end to a tremendous Bills career for Tre’Davious, who has been a part of far too many playoff heartbreaks without ever reaching the Super Bowl. The same goes for Reid Ferguson, who long snapped as per usual.
The Broncos do have LSU representation in the form of Sai’vion Jones, who has only been active three times this season. Still, it would count as an LSU Super Bowl if Jarrett Stidham can win two more games. That’s right, Bo Nix is out. With the Auburn QB who lost to Joe Burrow injured, Denver will have to turn to the Auburn QB who lost to Joe Burrow.
NFLSU Score: 3/10
Anthony Bradford continues to block well for a Seattle offense that hits another gear when things are rolling. Here he is with a smooth celebration with the star receiver half his size.
The 49ers had Russell Gage rostered for most of the year and never played him, so they deserve this fate. Good riddance.
NFLSU Score: 2/10
Texans 16 at Patriots 28
It was a mostly ugly rock fight. It likely got the lowest ratings of all four games this weekend. It will definitely be forgotten after the game that followed it. And yet… it was one of the best games in NFLSU history.
I am going to single out each performer in order of ascending performance. First, Ed Ingram and Will Campbell blocked. They’re listed first not because I don’t respect OL play, but because they did have tough times out there against those defenses. Still, full-time starters at tackle and guard is pretty commendable considering recent LSU offensive line play.
Next, Damone Clark had three tackles. Pretty cool to make an impact as a midseason acquisition on the best defense in the league.
Now for the edge rushers. K’Lavon Chaisson was all over the field. He registered three tackles with one sack and a pass breakup, but his impact went beyond that, forcing CJ Stroud into bad throws and sacks by his teammates.
Danielle Hunter, as per usual, was a monster. His four tackles included two sacks and a forced fumbles. Unfortunately for Danielle, his team did not recover that fumble, but fortunately for us, our boy Will Campbell did!
While the Texans came up short in the Divisional Round yet again, Danielle Hunter put the league on notice as a premiere pass rusher, and has shown no signs of slowing down going into his 12th season. So rarely do we see an LSU alumnus exceed his college production in the pros, and it’s always a pleasant surprise for a guy like Hunter to keep doing it again and again.
Derek Stingley Jr. capped off his tremendous All-Pro season by making two tackles and being practically ignored all day. On the few times he was targeted, he was only victimized twice. One was a pass interference, and the other was a spectacular touchdown grab to beat Sting’s blanket coverage. Both plays were against the final player we’re spotlighting, Kayshon Boutte.
Boutte caught three passes for a game-high 75 yards. Such an awesome bounce-back for a guy whose LSU tenure ended so disappointingly. We all know the talent Boutte has, and now paired with an exceptional young quarterback, the sky is the limit for him.
I normally don’t make these declarations until the final NFLSU Season Recap, but there’s no pretending. This was the NFLSU Game of the Year.
NFLSU Score: 10/10
Rams 20 at Bears 17 (OT)
Omar Speights had eight tackles and two pass breakups, including this clutch fourth down stop that would have been the game-sealing play if the Bears were a normal football team.
As the last team standing without any rostered Tigers, these Bears concerned me. I truly believed they had the power of God on their side, and man they made us sweat. But goodness won out in the end. An LSU Tiger will win Super Bowl LX.
NFLSU Score: 3/10
