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We are down to four. A few more sleeps until Championship Round gridirons open up their battlegrounds with two tickets to the Big One on the line. Four fierce armies; two epic clashes. A season of hard work, grind, and fatigue all comes down to Sunday. One more win to secure a berth to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. I'm ready. I know that you the reader is ready. Who's it going to be. Chiefs vs. Ravens. Lions vs. 49ers. We are soon about to find out. Let there be war!
The first battleground takes place in Baltimore with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff. Chiefs have been to six consecutive AFC Championship games, which is the longest streak in the Super Bowl era, but this is the first time they will duke it out on the road. Baltimore will host their first AFC championship game since 1971; when the city hosted the very first AFC Championship (Super Bowl era)... of course, they were called the Colts then and not the Ravens. History occurs on Sunday when the Ravens welcome the Chiefs to their nest. What a battle we have in store. A strong MVP candidate in Lamar Jackson welcomes a known January face in Patrick Mahomes for a star-studded clash for the ages. Reid and Spagnuolo have one more former companion on their kill list. John Harbaugh puts his 2-5 record against his former boss Reid on the line for an ultimate win to add to his own resume as he looks for ring number two to match Big Red. This game should be pure and utter NOISE.
I expect this to be a chess match in it's purest form with the defenses gettin' most of the shine. Harbaugh and his DC Mike Macdonald look to unleash their mighty defense again to try and outplay Steve Spagnuolo and the havoc he plans to reek on Action Jackson. People forget that Harbaugh and Spagz spent their first eight professional years together in Philadelphia (outside of Spagnuolo's intern year with the '83 Redskins). All under Andy Reid, of course. I love when past roads meet in big games. Reid and Spagnuolo just went through Sean McDermott, who was on the same staff as the lot and even was Harbaugh's assistant in the DB room the year after Spagz left. Now, they look to end Harbaugh and his Ravens' season. Friendly warfare with massive stakes. You can't write it up any better.
Mahomes is in new territory this season as last week was his first career playoff road game (outside of SB). He slayed the Bills inside a loud and raucous Orchard Park and now is ready to break the Ravens' hearts inside the Bank. Don't worry, Action Jackson will have something to say about that. This is the biggest game of Jackson's career, whom might just be on his way to his second career MVP award. Jackson has waited his entire career for this moment. A chance to finally fight for the Lombardi in the Big One. In order to get there, he will face his toughest challenge yet against the defending champions and a club of guys that feel this moment yearly. LJ already got the monkey of losing to the Chiefs off his back with the Ravens' 2021 regular season dub, but now he looks to get an even bigger monkey off his back. I expect him to be game. Spagnuolo is going to have to be of the same game if you are someone who wants the Chiefs in LVIII. Action Jackson is playin' the best ball of his career and is tired of hearing the doubters.
This sure is a tough prediction as it's so hard to bet against Mahomes, Reid, and the Chiefs in ANY given battlefield, but the Ravens are so well-rounded and have been the best team in football across every week this season. It's real tough. It's easy to say this is going to be a barn-burner. That's an easy prediction, I mean cmon! This game is going to be pure NOISE, but choosin' the winner is tough. Real tough... I am rollin' with the Ravens! If they stick to their same game-plan of smash mouth and control then they will win this for their fans. Which I hope sets us up for a rematch of Lions vs. Ravens in Vegas. Smash mouth versus smash mouth. Can the flock pull it off? Soon we will find out.
Keep that seat buckle strapped on 49ers fans- an even more ferocious of a NFC North gladiator is coming in to Levis Stadium with do or die intent. Lions are ROARING as they play in just their second NFC Championship game in their franchise's history. If 49ers' Nation thinks that noise will hide their roar and will, then you will be sadly mistaken. These Lions thrive off that energy. They will welcome it, as they will welcome all your smoke. If we thought the game last week was epic with the Packers... we are in for one helluva ride on Sunday in primetime.
Jared Goff returns to the Golden State as he looks to stay West and return to the Big One, but this time with a franchise that has never smelled Super Bowl air. They must go through a dominant foe in Cali in order to reach their destiny. Kyle Shanahan's led 49ers have a strong starvation to hold the Lombardi as well after having it ripped from their grasp in 2019. A franchise prepared to sell their soul for a ticket versus a franchise that feels there soul has been gone since 1994. Have I reeled you in yet!? How about two top-5 offenses ready to go fist for fist? Two epic running-backs ready to shred open grass? Yeah, get hype! This game should be one for the ages, cha heard.
Lions will look for Jared Goff to continue his blaze and for the defense to reek pressure upon Brock Purdy. 49ers will lean on Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams to dominant the trenches and beat up the Lions defense takin' limbs, blood, and sweat. The three factors will be in play as this game is sure to be a heavyweight fight. The winner will likely be the team that wins the turnover game, gets to the QB the most, and wins the clutch moments. Both teams are the very best at it. Now you just gotta add in the nerves of being so close to the Big One. Nerves that both teams should be in fear of. We have seen Purdy and Shanahan crack under pressure, and the same thing can happen to the Lions who are playing the second most important, if not THE most important game in the history of their franchise. Jared Goff is the first one to back my words up, in case Lions fans think I am being delusional. Those feels will be in play; which makes my prediction a tough one like it was for the AFC side.
I have been quite vocal on my doubts regarding Brock Purdy. I still think that he can crack under significant pressure. If the Lions blitz to success like they did against Baker Mayfield, then I think Purdy could fall apart. I mean holy cow is he happy to be in San Fran' rather than Detroit. As great as Goff has been for the Lions this season- the same can be said for him. History can show the tape, but he at least has been to a Super Bowl. These things matter in my prediction. CMC could go ballistic and carry them to a dub. Amon-Ra could go ballistic and kill the spirits in Levis. So much variables! A tough choice indeed. If I am going to lay any confidence down... it's going to be placed down on Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions. That team is special. The vibes are special, and more importantly, the culture is special. Those players know how important that game is for their fans... they want it bad for them. They want to be the team that broke the bad history. The team that will be glorified for eternity. I think they will want this game more. I got the Lions stunnin' the 49ers with a double beer smash and the cracked glass music hittin'. I'm so stoked to watch this war. We are set up for pure fireworks. Watch them lite up the skies!
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