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NFL News and Notes: Divisional Round Is Here

It is an exciting time to be an NFL fan. After an exciting Wild Card weekend, the Divisional Round gets set to start with several key matchups.

For those fans whose teams did not make it to the playoffs, though, there is still plenty of action as the coaching carousel is in full swing. Teams on the outside looking in are already starting to shake up their coaching staffs in an effort to get back to the playoffs next season.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at both the games on the field and the news off the field from this week:

And Then There Were Eight

After a wild Wild Card weekend that saw the likes of Tom Brady and Drew Brees get ousted, we now set our sights on the upcoming Divisional round. There are some key matchups as winners this weekend will move onto their respective Conference Championship Games for a shot at the Super Bowl.

Let’s take a look at the matchups for this upcoming weekend:

Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens

This one boasts the likely MVP in Lamar Jackson as his top-seeded Baltimore Ravens (14-2) look to get by the Tennessee Titans (9-7). Jackson has had a phenomenal season, throwing for 3,127 yards, 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

He is equally as dominant with his legs, rushing for 1,209 yards and seven touchdowns. The Titans will rely on a heavy dose of running back Derrick Henry, who rushed for 1,540 yards this season with 16 touchdowns.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

In what seemed like one of the craziest games of the playoffs, the Houston Texans were able to outlast the Buffalo Bills last week. Their reward, Patrick Mahomes.

The Texans (10-6) will travel to Kansas City to square off with Mahomes and the Chiefs (12-4). On the year, Mahomes threw for 4,031 yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. Not that those numbers aren’t already impressive, they are even more so when you realize he missed some time with a knee injury.

On the other side, Deshaun Watson will look to keep his team rolling after their wild win last week. On the year, Watson threw for 3,852 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 413 yards and seven touchdowns.

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers

The No. 1-seeded San Francisco 49ers (13-3) enjoyed the luxury of a bye last weekend and were able to sit back and watch their eventual foe, the Minnesota Vikings (10-6), upset the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers will try to prevent the Vikings from doing it twice.

Leading the way for the 49ers on the offensive side will be Jimmy Garoppolo, who threw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns. The stout 49ers defense will have to hone in on standout running back Dalvin Cook, who rushed this season for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers

The Packers (13-3) will welcome the Seahawks (11-5) on Sunday for the divisional round. Green Bay is led by Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 4,002 yards and 26 touchdowns this year. Seattle will look to Russell Wilson to lead it, as he threw for 4,110 yards and 31 touchdowns this season while also rushing for 342 yards and another three touchdowns.

Coaching Carousel Staying Busy

While some teams are getting ready for another week of football, others are preparing for a new coaching staff. Turnover has been quick and here are some notable hires from this week:

Cowboys Hire McCarthy

It is amazing the speed at which Jerry Jones operates. After just deciding to officially cut ties with Jason Garrett, the Cowboys already have his replacement.

After interviewing just two candidates (the other being Marvin Lewis), the Cowboys have tabbed former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy as their new head coach. McCarthy comes in with gobs of experience and a Super Bowl ring but is not tasked with not only turning around the woes of the Cowboys but also trying to coexist with Jones.

Rivera Takes Over In Washington

It didn’t take long for “Riverboat” Ron Rivera to find a new gig after being let go by the Carolina Panthers. Rivera has agreed to be the next head coach for the Washington Redskins, signing a five-year contract.

If that was not enough, Rivera has already brought in another former head coach and very solid defensive guru in Jack Del Rio to be his defensive coordinator. There is definitely a culture to change in Washington, but the hirings are a good start.

Panthers Tab Rhule As New Coach

As for Rivera’s old stomping grounds, the Carolina Panthers have also already found a new head coach, hiring Matt Rhule for the position. Rhule, who comes from the college ranks as Baylor’s head coach, received a seven-year deal to be the next Panthers head man.

Judge Is New Head Coach In New York

The Giants were interested in Rhule, but after Carolina snatched him up, they turned their attention to former Patriots wide receivers and special teams coach Joe Judge. He now takes over for recently fired Pat Shurmur and has a team with talent like Saquon Barkley that still only managed to finish 4-12 this season.

Tagovailoa Entering NFL Draft

Tua Tagovailoa has been in one of the most unenviable positions. He was widely believed to be a top-5 pick in this year’s draft, but after a hip injury derailed his season, there had been speculation that he could slide in the draft, meaning a possible return to college to show his health was in the cards.

Despite this, Tagovailoa has made the decision to officially go pro.

While either way had risks attached to it, there is still a possibility that if he can show that his hip is healing well that he could go early to mid first round.

There is such a need at quarterback for teams and, when healthy, Tagovailoa is one of the best alongside Heisman winner Joe Burrow. In limited time this season, Tagovailoa still threw for 2,840 yards and 33 touchdowns.

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