NFC Hierarchy/Obituary: NFC championship round edition

Packers

Throw Rogan, Rush Lambeau, Breitbart Starr — whatever you call him*, QAaron Rodgers is out of the playoffs. In the end, the Super Bowl boycotted him.

The actual game will be remembered for Packers special teams gaffes, notably the two plays that directly affected the scoreboard. The first was a blocked field goal at the end of the first half that kept the 49ers in the game.

On their first drive of the evening, the Packers went right down the field, 10 plays, 69 yards, for a touchdown. The rest of the game? 3 points, but more importantly, 5 (!) three-and-outs.

Rodgers spent the offseason lying about his vaccination status and spreading the type of misinformation that has helped elongate a deadly global pandemic, which sort of (rightfully) made many forget that he also spent the offseason hilariously comparing himself to Michael Jordan.

Rodgers is very likely going to win the MVP award this season, but as usual, with no ring to accompany it, which is sort of makes him Bizarro Jordan.

MORE: John McMullen: ‘Reading’ the NFL’s problem at quarterback | Eagles mailbag: What kind of production might DeVonta Smith have had in a better passing offense?

Buccaneers

It's not often that you're gifted four fumbles in one game and still lose, but that's how badly the Buccaneers got their asses kicked by the Rams on Sunday, even if the Bucs managed to come back from a 27-3 deficit to tie the game with under a minute to go.

Tom Brady had a rough afternoon, as his offensive line couldn't protect him with starting RT Tristan Wirfs out. Aaron Donald and Von Miller basically took turns teeing off on Brady, who tasted his own blood, and didn't like it.

On his next play call into Brady, Byron Leftwich said through his headset, "OK Tom, let's go with G brown right 80 hot delay Utah, oh and I once literally couldn't even walk on my broken leg and I kept playing, so the sooner you can be a man and stop crying about the little ouchy on your lip, the better, cool thanks. On 2, on 2."

Going forward, the Bucs have an interesting offseason that lies ahead. Last offseason, they were able to retain all 11 starters both on offense and defense, a rare feat in the NFL, particularly for a Super Bowl winner. This offseason, it remains to be seen if Brady will return as the quarterback (I'd be shocked if he didn't), and whether or not Todd Bowles gets a well-earned second shot to be an NFL head coach. But they are almost certainly not keeping the entire band together again.

The 2020-2021 Tampa Bay Bucs could be the next Florida sports team that splurges in free agency, wins it all, and then just as quickly fades right back into mediocrity after the stars leave, kinda like the Miami Marlins two different times (in the 90's and 00's), and the Miami Heat. Maybe that's this offseason. Maybe it's next offseason. But it's coming.

Graveyard

Hierarchy