LIONS ALL TIME LOSS AND RAVENS NO SHOW SETS UP CHIEFS/NINERS PART 2

Summary

The hosts discuss the AFC and NFC championship games, analyzing the performances of star players like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. They debate the coaching decisions of the Lions' Dan Campbell in their close loss to the 49ers. Looking ahead to Super Bowl LVIII, they make predictions, discuss the Chiefs' inevitability, and consider silly prop bets. They close analyzing other sports storylines like Bill Belichick's unemployment, the Badgers' surprise success, and bookmarking funny tweets.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17-14 to advance to Super Bowl 58 against the 49ers, who beat the Lions 34-31
• 😮‍💨 The Ravens abandoned the run early and their offense struggled, while the Chiefs defense dominated
• 👏 Patrick Mahomes was brilliant early but the Chiefs D shut down Lamar Jackson and won the game
• 🏈 The Lions took a big early lead but mistakes and the 49ers adjustments allowed a comeback win
• 🤯 There was debate over Dan Campbell's aggressive 4th down calls that may have cost the Lions
• 🎉 Taylor Swift's appearance at the AFC Championship game overshadowed the action
• 🏆 The Super Bowl will be Mahomes vs Garoppolo's replacement Brock Purdy in a rematch from 2020
• 😠 Big Cat is tired of Patrick Mahomes beating him betting against the Chiefs
• 📈 Early money is on the Chiefs covering as underdogs in Super Bowl 58
• 🏀 With football ending, college basketball rivalry week was a welcome distraction

Q & A

What were the scores of the AFC and NFC championship games?

The Chiefs beat the Ravens 17-14 in the AFC Championship game. The 49ers beat the Lions 34-31 in the NFC Championship game.

What was the big storyline from the AFC Championship game?

The Chiefs defense, led by coordinator Steve Spagnolo, dominated the Ravens offense and MVP Lamar Jackson. They held the Ravens to just 10 points after the first quarter.

Why did the Lions lose in the NFC Championship game?

A combination of fluky plays going against them, like a deflected pass turning into a 49ers TD, and some questionable playcalling decisions by head coach Dan Campbell late in the 4th quarter.

How does Patrick Mahomes compare to Tom Brady's first 6 seasons as a starter?

Mahomes has a better record (72-22 vs 70-24), more playoff wins (14-3 vs 12-2), more AFC titles (4 vs 3), and a better TD-INT ratio (258-69 vs 167-87) than Brady did in his first 6 seasons.

What was an impressive part of Mahomes' leadership this season?

He never publicly complained about his inexperienced wide receivers even when they struggled, which helped keep their confidence up going into the playoffs.

Why didn't Lamar Jackson play well?

The Chiefs defense confused him all day, he was consistently late leaving the pocket, and he missed a lot of open receivers. He also threw a terrible interception in the 4th quarter.

Will the 49ers win the Super Bowl this time after losing 2 years ago?

It's hard to say. This 49ers team has more offensive weapons like Christian McCaffrey. But their defense still looks vulnerable at times. It could go either way against the Chiefs.

What's going on with veteran coaches Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll?

Both are currently unemployed after leaving/being fired from their long-time teams in New England and Seattle. Their age and desire for control seem to be hindering them from finding new jobs.

Who does the show predict will be the next coach of the Washington Commanders?

It sounds like they expect Ben Johnson, the Lions offensive coordinator, to get the job.

Who was named the "who's back of the week?"

Hank chose college basketball returning after football season. Big Cat went with LeBron James after a big Lakers win. And PFT said Bill Belichick, who is still influencing things behind the scenes.