Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Mark J. Rebilas - USA Today
Owls in the NFL – Divisional Round Playoffs
1.25.22 | Football
Amazing.
Exhilarating.
Heartbreaking.
The most recent weekend in the NFL Playoffs has been labeled "the best weekend of NFL football, ever."
Four games, all decided on the final play. Explosive plays on offense, bone-crushing hits on defense, nail-biting special teams play, turnovers, certified star players making dramatic plays. It couldn't have been scripted any better by the NFL. The football gods will easily earn an Oscar for best screen writing.
For Temple fans, it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.
Saturdays continue to be good days for Temple. On Saturday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bengals opened the playoff weekend and beat the #1 AFC seed Tennessee Titans, 19-16. Led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the first time in 33-years. Former Temple head coach Al Golden (2006-10) serves as the linebackers coach and Chris Myarick (2015-19) is on the Bengals' practice squad.
Sunday was not as kind to Temple. The favorites for North Broad faithful would have been the Bills and the Buccaneers. Buffalo had the most Temple players remaining in the playoffs with Dion Dawkins (2013-16) and Tyler Matakevich (2012-15). Tampa Bay was led by head coach Bruce Arians (1983-88) and seven assistant coaches with ties to the Owls.
The first game of the day had Arians' Bucs trailing early to the Los Angeles Rams. A 27-3 lead in the third quarter was slowly erased by Tom Brady, who famously came back to win a Super Bowl after trailing 28-3. Once again he led a historical comeback as the Buccaneers tied the game at 27-27 with 42 seconds remaining. However, Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford was the hero this time as he hit wide receiver Cooper Kupp for gains of 20 and 44 yards to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired. The loss knocked Arians and his staff out of the playoffs and ended their chance of repeating as Super Bowl champs.
If that stunning loss was not enough, the drama surrounding the Bills was worse.
Buffalo battled Kansas City for most of the night. The lead changed hands 10 times throughout the contest. Buffalo went ahead 29-26 with 1:54 remaining. Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes showed that he was masterful at the 2:00 minute drill and led Kansas City on a 5-play, 75-yard scoring drive to take a 33-29 lead. Bills' quarterback Josh Allen, matched Mahomes' magic and led Buffalo on a 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with 13 seconds remaining. Euphoria! In an epic duel between two young quarterbacks, Mahomes needed just 13 seconds to tie the game 36-36. In overtime, Allen never touched the ball and the Chiefs won 42-36. An amazing 31-points scored after the 2:00 warning. Heartbreak!
As the 2021 postseason continues on the road to Super Bowl LVI, on February 13, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Temple's rooting interested is less obvious this week than it was last week.
The AFC Championship Game will pit two men who made the Lincoln Financial Field sidelines home a little more than a decade ago. Golden had 27 wins for Temple from 2006-2010. Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid won 130 games in 14 seasons as Philadelphia Eagles' head coach.
Representing Temple for the Chiefs is Tim Terry who serves as Director of Player Personnel for Kansas City. Terry played linebacker for the Owls in the 1990s.
The Los Angeles Rams have two ties to Temple in their organization. Offensive assistant coach Chris O'Hara was at Temple from 2009-10 before following Golden to Miami. Skylar Burg is an intern in the Rams' communications department and is expected to graduate Temple this May.
Exhilarating.
Heartbreaking.
The most recent weekend in the NFL Playoffs has been labeled "the best weekend of NFL football, ever."
Four games, all decided on the final play. Explosive plays on offense, bone-crushing hits on defense, nail-biting special teams play, turnovers, certified star players making dramatic plays. It couldn't have been scripted any better by the NFL. The football gods will easily earn an Oscar for best screen writing.
For Temple fans, it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.
Saturdays continue to be good days for Temple. On Saturday afternoon, the Cincinnati Bengals opened the playoff weekend and beat the #1 AFC seed Tennessee Titans, 19-16. Led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the first time in 33-years. Former Temple head coach Al Golden (2006-10) serves as the linebackers coach and Chris Myarick (2015-19) is on the Bengals' practice squad.
Sunday was not as kind to Temple. The favorites for North Broad faithful would have been the Bills and the Buccaneers. Buffalo had the most Temple players remaining in the playoffs with Dion Dawkins (2013-16) and Tyler Matakevich (2012-15). Tampa Bay was led by head coach Bruce Arians (1983-88) and seven assistant coaches with ties to the Owls.
The first game of the day had Arians' Bucs trailing early to the Los Angeles Rams. A 27-3 lead in the third quarter was slowly erased by Tom Brady, who famously came back to win a Super Bowl after trailing 28-3. Once again he led a historical comeback as the Buccaneers tied the game at 27-27 with 42 seconds remaining. However, Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford was the hero this time as he hit wide receiver Cooper Kupp for gains of 20 and 44 yards to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired. The loss knocked Arians and his staff out of the playoffs and ended their chance of repeating as Super Bowl champs.
If that stunning loss was not enough, the drama surrounding the Bills was worse.
Buffalo battled Kansas City for most of the night. The lead changed hands 10 times throughout the contest. Buffalo went ahead 29-26 with 1:54 remaining. Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes showed that he was masterful at the 2:00 minute drill and led Kansas City on a 5-play, 75-yard scoring drive to take a 33-29 lead. Bills' quarterback Josh Allen, matched Mahomes' magic and led Buffalo on a 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with 13 seconds remaining. Euphoria! In an epic duel between two young quarterbacks, Mahomes needed just 13 seconds to tie the game 36-36. In overtime, Allen never touched the ball and the Chiefs won 42-36. An amazing 31-points scored after the 2:00 warning. Heartbreak!
As the 2021 postseason continues on the road to Super Bowl LVI, on February 13, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Temple's rooting interested is less obvious this week than it was last week.
The AFC Championship Game will pit two men who made the Lincoln Financial Field sidelines home a little more than a decade ago. Golden had 27 wins for Temple from 2006-2010. Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid won 130 games in 14 seasons as Philadelphia Eagles' head coach.
Representing Temple for the Chiefs is Tim Terry who serves as Director of Player Personnel for Kansas City. Terry played linebacker for the Owls in the 1990s.
The Los Angeles Rams have two ties to Temple in their organization. Offensive assistant coach Chris O'Hara was at Temple from 2009-10 before following Golden to Miami. Skylar Burg is an intern in the Rams' communications department and is expected to graduate Temple this May.
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