The final part of this four part series that started with the regular season and is now ending. We have seen 2 big upsets in this simulation in the Cowboys and Browns. Two teams that I would have never thought would end up making their Conference Championships. Then you have the two teams that were expected to be in this position based on their seeds in the Cardinals and Ravens. Two huge matchups with plenty of young talents in the mix, this could get interesting
Conference Championship
AFC
2. Baltimore Ravens vs 5. Cleveland Browns
A matchup of two AFC North foes in the final game before the Super Bowl. In the regular season, these two split the series with both teams winning when they were at home. Both teams kept in close both times, and this was still not the top game this weekend. Baker vs Lamar, two young QBs from the same class, leading their teams to the final four. The game was Baltimore and the Ravens showed the home crowd advantage early. They took a 17-3 lead at the end of the first before Baker switched gears. Baker scored 3 touchdowns in the second quarter in 5 minutes total. The first drive was 1:30, the second one was 0:28, and the last one was 3:02. The Ravens used the other 10 minutes and put together a missed field goal and a TD leaving the score tied at the half. Heading into the third the biggest question was if the Browns could keep this up. They came out of the half and kept going. Taking their opening drive all the way. This must of got the Ravens really motivated, because Lamar and co responded with 17 unanswered. The score heading into the fourth was 41-31. You don’t grab two-star receivers, a great running back, and the number one QB on the draft board and think they won’t respond to adversity. Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense roared back scoring in the first two drives in the forth. Lamar and company also stayed cool and scored two drives in a row but witht a field goal in their last attempt. With 6:00 to go, scoreboard reading 51- 45, the Browns took over. They ran the same offense they ran late against the Cheifs one round ago and chewed the clock and moved down the field. They ended the drive with a 6 yard touchdown pass to OBJ to take the lead with :10 to go. Lamar couldn’t make a miracle happen and heart break fell upon Baltimore.
Final Score: BAL 51 CLE 52
NFC
1. Arizona Cardinals vs 5. Dallas Cowboys
The more anticipated matchup of the evening showed America’s Team vs the number one team in the NFC. The young guns from the dessert and the trio from Jerry World. The matchup couldn’t be better for a conference championship. And it lived up to the hype. After back and forth scoring in the first quarter both defenses shut the offenses out in the 2nd. The score at the half was 21-21. Coming out of the half both offenses picked up where they left off in the first. Dak scoring one running and passing to give the Cowboys the lead. Then Murray throwing bombs to Hopkins to tie it back up. Heading into the fourth their were still 0 field goals or turnovers. 35-35. The fourth started with the Cardinals driving slowly down the field, their slowest drive of the game. It felt like they took the foot off the gas and just decided to cruise. After a 6 minute drive, the slow drive would end with a Trevon Diggs pick in the end zone, the rookie followed his block and returned it all the way to the house. A pick 6 would be the first turnover of the drive, of course, this would happen. The Cards responded immediately scoring in 1:30. They would both score again leaving four minutes on the clock when the Cowboys took over again. After a Dak sack and an incomplete pass, Dallas needed help on a third and 22. The ball was snapped and Dak threw a wobbly pass to Zeke Elliot on a screen play that worked to perfection. The entire Arizona defense either rushed Dak or moved to the left side of the field. Zeke raced to the end zone and leaped in celebrating with 3:03 to go. 56-49. Once again Kyler and co would respond going down the field in 3 passes with the TD going to Larry Legend in the corner. 56-56, 1:20 to go. Dak got the ball to midfield with 4 plays with :30 seconds to go. The Cowboys looked like they could have the game along with release the pain that Cowboy fans have been carrying for a long time. Dak came out on the next play and threw the ball down the field to double coverage. When it looked like the Cowboys were going to get it Amari Cooper stumbled and fell, while the ball fell to Patrick Peterson who grabbed it and starting running back from the Dallas 15. He ran it back to midfield before getting pushed out. While the Arizona fans went nuts and the Cowboys fans started crying again. A giant red flag flashed on the green turf. Mike McCarthy was putting it on the line and challenging for pass interference. The call would soon be overturned with it being clear Peterson pushed Amari down. The Cowboys would bleed out the clock before kicking the field goal through. What a finish.
Final Score: ARI 56 DAL 59
Super Bowl
Cleveland Browns vs Dallas Cowboys
Based on all the other games these two have played I was getting ready for a high powered offensive matchup that would feature the receivers as the highlight. Unfortunately for all football fans, things couldn’t have been more different as the defense would steal the show. The Cowboys reached the red zone 3 times, with all three leading to turnovers. Cleveland reached the redone twice and got a field goal from one. The halftime score ending up being 6-3 Browns. Both teams heading out of the locker room trying their hardest for every single yard. It would end up being Zeke who broke up a 50-yard run to put the Cowboys in the red zone with 3:00 to go in the 3rd. AS the third quarter winded down Cleveland started to get going as well moving the ball to their 47 to end the quarter. 10-9 Cowboys. The fourth quarter started with a 53 yard Nick Chubb touchdown and looked prime for some fireworks. A two point conversion from Baker to Landry sealed that theory. 17-10 Browns. Dak and company would move the ball on the ground and then get going with some play action passes that ended with a 31 yard Amari Cooper touchdown. Baker responded with a 30-yard scramble and a 22-yard touchdown to OBJ, taking the lead again. Dak and company took over again and didn’t take much clock before getting into the end zone on a CeeDee 81 yard touchdown. 24-24 with 3:00 to go. Chubb would get three handoffs that he turned into 17 yards till the 2 minute warning finally hit. Afterward Baker hit Jarvis to midfield after throwing back to back incompletions. Only 1 timeout was left for the Browns facing a third and 10 with 1 minute to go. Baker would toss another incompletion before finding Chubb for a 7 yard and the spiking the ball to stop the clock. Facing a fourth and three with 31 seconds, Baker was talking to his linemen when the ball was snapped, Chubb motioned to the left where he pitched the ball to OBJ. Who grabbed the ball and sent a bomb down the field to the running Baker Mayfield. The ball looked out of reach when Baker laid out and caught it while sliding into the end zone.
Final Score CLE 31 DAL 24
Top Picture by Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports