Alright, so... Who clinched NFL Playoffs 2022? Well, I’ll tell you.
It’s been a wild ride! But the Kansas City Chiefs have clinched the No.1 seed in the AFC with a record-setting 11-5 win-loss ratio. Tom Brady showed his trademark leadership and an offensive performance reminiscent of his heyday as the New England Patriots clinched the No.2 seed in the AFC. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks took the No.3 seed in the NFC with a hard-fought 10-5-1 record.
My curiosity is piqued, what about the wild card situation? I figured it’d be a drama-filled stack of contenders vying for the last two spots. Indeed, it was. In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns clinched the Wild Card spots. In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched the Wild Card spots.
That wasn’t the end of the drama though. During the final game of the regular season, the Bucs crushed the Panthers and pushed the Washington Football Team from a Wild Card position down to the No. 9 seed. You could feel the tension in the air as the game played out and could see the teammates of every team playing, all the while knowing their fate depended on the result. The WFT was ultimately robbed of a Wild Card spot but they dominated the final game of the regular season, much like this year’s playoffs.
As the post season starts, I’m super excited. This year’s playoffs will be an absolute show stopper with experienced veterans and younger stars all looking to be crowned champions. As the regular season has shown, the play-off picture is a log jam and no shortage of surprises.
The first game of the playoffs already featured a divisional showdown between the Chiefs and the Chargers — a match that resulted in an 84-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes setting a record for the most touchdown passes in a single game. That’s how you make an entrance into the playoffs!
The Seahawks and Rams game was a classic battle of offense versus defense with the Rams offense leading the way. Jared Goff was able to close out a win with a 25-yard pass to Robert Woods in the closing seconds. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson played an incredible game, but sometimes it’s just not enough.
The Rams went on to face the Bills in the divisional round, with Buffalo riding high after their 16-3 win over the Ravens in the Wild Card game. But the Rams weren’t about to be denied and ended up with a 37-31 win behind a dominant defensive performance.
The teams that remain have proven themselves to be extremely competitive and resilient and these matchups won’t be easy. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will face off against the New Orleans Saints for the NFC Championship Game, with the Bucs needing an upset to get a berth in the Super Bowl. In the AFC, it will be a battle between the Chiefs and the Browns.
After they clinched the playoffs, the Chiefs continued with their consistent run of victories and despite the Browns having a comeback season, the Chiefs will be hard to stop. With Mahomes leading the team with an impressive passing attack, and a solid defense, they are certainly the favorite to win the AFC playoffs.
What do you think? Will the Chiefs be able to carry their form and dominate the playoffs? Will Brady lead the Buccaneers to an upset victory over the Saints and get a berth in the Super Bowl? Who do you think will be the ultimate champions?