The Philadelphia Eagles have emerged as a dominant force in the NFL playoffs, particularly due to their defense's effectiveness against deep passes, yielding a negative EPA for opponents attempting such throws. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions have exploited the talents of their running backs, with David Montgomery outperforming Jahmyr Gibbs in advanced metrics.
As playoff anticipation heightens, the Kansas City Chiefs shine due to their stellar interior offensive line, led by Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith, which has yet to allow a sack this season. In contrast, the Houston Texans boast an elite pass rush duo in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, each eclipsing 10 sacks this regular season.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has also made headlines for the Washington Commanders, particularly in the red zone, while the Eagles' defense has shown remarkable resilience, forcing incompletions at the highest rate in the league on deep attempts. Quarterback Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams continues to excel in play-action passes despite facing challenges this season amid injuries to key receivers.
Furthermore, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills has demonstrated an impressive ability to avoid sacks, and the Baltimore Ravens have effectively utilized the read option, especially with the addition of star running back Derrick Henry.
