After a grueling 14-week regular season that wasn't decided until the final weekend, the playoff picture finally came into focus. When the opening round kicked off, however, any lingering suspense quickly vanished as the league's top teams left no doubt about who deserved to keep playing.
In the AFC, QB Brock Purdy continued his remarkable postseason run, improving to a perfect 3-0 in playoff starts while leading the defending champion Merry Men to a commanding 83-49 win over the Orangutangs. It was the Merry Men's most complete performance of the year, coming on the biggest stage, as five different players reached double figures. The game remained competitive late into Sunday afternoon, but Purdy's three touchdown passes combined with two scores from RB Kyren Williams sparked a decisive surge that put the contest out of reach. For the Orangutangs, the season came to an abrupt end despite a strong finish to the regular season, as their usually explosive trio of QB Dak Prescott, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, and WR Rashee Rice managed just four combined points.
Next up for the Merry Men is a familiar foe, as they'll face the Buddies for the third time this season in an AFC West showdown. The Buddies will be without QB Patrick Mahomes, who was lost for the season in Week 15, leaving owner Mike Kinsman with a difficult decision under center. Whether it's Sam Darnold or Tua Tagovailoa, the Buddies will be looking to overcome adversity and return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2020.
Over in the NFC, the Huskers were even more ruthless, dismantling the Mallards in an 82-24 rout. The afternoon began quietly for the Huskers when rookie RB sensation Ashton Jeanty posted a zero in an early game, but he ended up as the lone blemish in an otherwise dominant lineup. The Huskers erupted for nine touchdowns from six different players and added 16 points from kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn, turning the matchup into a runaway.
The Huskers, led by rookie QB Jaxson Dart, will now clash with the Brothers, who are chasing their third straight Super Bowl appearance and an elusive first championship. Standing in their way is the Huskers' punishing ground attack and a Brothers roster that has been battered by injuries over the past several weeks, but looked primed for battle during their off week.
The march toward Super Bowl XXXIII rolls on, with the league's best now just one win away from a trip to the title game as conference supremacy hangs in the balance.