Chasing NFL Playoff Perfection (Part 4)
Conference Championship Weekend brought things back to earth in the best way possible. I went 1–1, pushing the overall record to 7–5, which feels a lot more honest than the emotional roller coaster of the divisional round. No perfection fantasies this time. Just football, variance, and a reminder that even good process sometimes runs straight into bad breaks. The games themselves did not inspire poetry. What happened in Denver barely qualified as functional football. The Patriots did just enough to survive a Jarrett Stidham-led Broncos team, clinging to a three-point win in a game that felt like both sides were actively trying to give it away. It was messy, uncomfortable, and somehow still tense until the final whistle. January football does not always mean good football. The miss came out west. The Rams were in position, the read made sense, and then special teams stepped in to flip the script. A muffed punt deep in Rams territory, gift-wrapped a touchdown, and effectively handed Seat...
