January 16, 2024, 01:09 GMT
Updated 33 minutes ago
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Baker Mayfield was the number one draft pick in 2018 and joined Tampa Bay on a one-year contract
Events: 13th-28th January 2024 |
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knocked the Philadelphia Eagles out of this season's NFL playoffs and secured the final spot in next week's divisional round.
The Eagles were narrowly beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl classic last February, becoming the last team to lose their undefeated record for the second straight season.
They were 10-1 at the end of November, but their season ended miserably as they lost six of their last seven games with a 32-9 loss at Tampa Bay.
Earlier on Monday, that Buffalo Bills defeat Pittsburgh Steelers 31-17 to set up a delicious game against Kansas City.
At this point two years ago, the Bills lost after an epic shootout between star quarterbacks Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, which the Chiefs won 42-36 in overtime.
Now the Chiefs travel to Buffalo next Sunday looking to keep alive their hopes of back-to-back Super Bowl victories – and a third NFL title in five years.
Philadelphia had more wins through the end of November than Tampa Bay had all season, as the Bucs entered the playoffs with a 9-8 record – the worst of the 14 teams that reached the postseason.
Led by Baker Mayfield, who replaced the departed Tom Brady as starting quarterback this season, the Bucs won five of their last six games and won the NFC South.
And the difference in the form of both teams was evident on wild card weekend: The Bucs took a 16-3 lead with three field goals and a 44-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to David Moore.
A touchdown from Dallas Goedert just before halftime brought the score to 16:9 and gave the Eagles hope of stopping their crisis.
But that evaporated late in the third quarter when Tampa Bay forced Philly to take a safety, and the Eagles' defense again proved lacking as Trey Palmer scored a 56-yard touchdown.
A late score from Chris Godwin gave Mayfield three touchdown passes and 337 passing yards, who has re-established himself as the top QB on his third team since leaving the Cleveland Browns after the 2021 season.
Bills beat Steelers after Buffalo snowstorm
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Josh Allen's 52-yard score added to his career-high 15 rushing touchdowns in the regular season
Pittsburgh's game against the Bills was postponed from Sunday to Monday after a state of emergency was declared in the Buffalo area and strong winds and heavy snow were forecast.
The Bills even appealed to fans to help shovel snow out of Highmark Stadium, giving them $20 (£15.70) an hour plus hot drinks and breakfast after several meters fell in upstate New York.
The temperature was -7 C – nothing like the -20 C during the Chiefs' home win on Saturday – and the Bills caught the Steelers off guard, jumping to a 21-0 lead with three touchdowns.
Allen scored from tight ends Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid in the first quarter before scoring from 52 yards in the second quarter, the longest run of his career.
Image source: Sarah Stier
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Fans of the Bills game had to clear the snow to get to their seats
Pittsburgh rallied just before halftime with a touchdown from Diontae Johnson before the two teams traded field goals in the third quarter.
And although Calvin Austin's touchdown cut the score to 24-17 in the fourth quarter, Buffalo hit right back, with Khalil Shakir making a good hit after the catch to get into the end zone.
That was three touchdown passes for Allen and secured the Bills' sixth straight win since early December.