Conference Championship Weekend is Here!
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The chance to get to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas is staring the 49ers, Ravens, Chiefs, and Lions directly in the face.
This year’s Conference Championship round figures to be extremely competitive. In one game, you’ve got arguably the top two quarterbacks in the league going toe-to-toe with one another. In the other matchup, we have the dichotomy of one of the NFL’s most storied franchises going up against the plucky proverbial loser who’s yet to even appear in a Super Bowl.
When analyzing the games further, multiple X-Factors for each team could ultimately lead them to eternal glory. We’ll break it all down for you in this preview of what should be a fantastic weekend slate of football.
X-Factors For Detroit: Jameson Williams, Jack Campbell
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Jameson Williams could turn the entire NFC on its head without catching a pass. On Sunday, nobody on either sideline will be able to compete with the footspeed of Detroit’s second-year wideout. His ability to stretch the field is invaluable. And, don’t just look at his stat line to see if he influenced the game. The 49ers’ secondary got flagged for three pass interferences against the Packers. Drawing a PI is just as good as hauling in a deep pass. To pull off an upset, the Lions will have to be willing to launch the ball downfield to their top-speed threat.
On the other side, we know the 49ers like to attack the middle of the field with their potent passing game. Brock Purdy has been exceptional at layering passes over linebackers right into the hands of George Kittle and the rest of San Francisco’s playmakers. Rookie Jack Campbell will have his hands full. Draft pundits scoffed at the Lions for spending two first-round picks during last year’s draft on positions the league doesn’t view as premium (linebacker and running back). However, will anybody really care where Campbell was selected if he intercepts Purdy and helps negate the 49ers offense on Sunday?
X-Factors For San Francisco: Dre Greenlaw, Brandon Aiyuk
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It will be incumbent on the 49ers linebacker unit to make plays. Most specifically, we’re talking about Dre Greenlaw. Versus Green Bay last week, he led the team in tackles (8) and had two interceptions for good measure. His pick late in the 4th quarter clinched the win for San Francisco. In this game, he not only has to be productive crashing toward the line of scrimmage in the run game, but also in coverage versus one of the best TEs in the league in Sam LaPorta. LaPorta is a monster in the red zone and is relied on constantly in play-action situations. Greenlaw will surely be matched up with LaPorta in space, and he mustn’t let the rookie playmaker go off.
As of Tuesday, Deebo Samuel is reported to be “50/50” for the game this upcoming Sunday. Understandably so, San Francisco’s offense is impacted immensely without the electric playmaker on the field. George Kittle will surely get his touches from the tight end spot, but another receiver needs to emerge if Samuel indeed isn’t available. Aiyuk should be that player for the 49ers. He’s coming off a stellar year in which he hauled in 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and 7 TDs. Averaging nearly 18 yards a grab, there could be an opportunity for him to hurt the opposition deep in this game — particularly if Detroit stacks the line of scrimmage to slow down Christian McCaffrey.
X-Factors for Kansas City: Chris Jones, Rashee Rice
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Chris Jones is integral to the success of this defense. He sets the tone up front as both a run-stuffer and most importantly a pass-rushing dynamo. He tied for the team lead with 10.5 sacks. Perhaps more so than in any game this year, Jones’ ability to win the battle at the point of attack along the line of scrimmage will be key. Baltimore’s offense is quite run-heavy — but also heavily reliant on timing. Whether it’s Lamar Jackson finding Zay Flowers on a short crossing route, or executing a zone-read rushing attempt, Kansas City has to win the battle up front. Jones will be the key to doing so.
Offensively, everyone at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Baltimore knows Patrick Mahomes will look to Travis Kelce for production in the passing game. Isiah Pacheco will be keyed on by the Ravens’ defense to disrupt the balance of the Chiefs’ offense. In other words, another receiver has to step up and make plays in this contest. Rashee Rice has to be that guy. Only Kelce had more receiving yards and receptions this year for Kansas City. With other receivers dropping passes and fumbling balls into the endzone, the Chiefs desperately need a second pass-catching threat behind Kelce playing with both competency and consistency.
X-Factors For Baltimore: Isaiah Likely, Kyle Hamilton
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Mark Andrews’ availability for this game is still in doubt. While the team has left the door open for a return, it’s unclear how the Baltimore TE would even be used after sitting out the last two months with an ankle injury. As devastating as it was when Andrews got hurt, his absence allowed for the emergence of Isaiah Likely. The 23-year-old stepped into a larger role and has blossomed into a top target for MVP favorite Lamar Jackson. Likely has scored six touchdowns over his last seven games. It should be noted that Kansas City’s excellent defense has had a bit of trouble stopping TEs recently. In two of the Chiefs’ last three games, the opposing TE led their team in yards — including last week when rookie Dalton Kincaid was Josh Allen’s leading receiver.
Maybe labeling an All-Pro selection as an “x-factor” is a bit of a cop-out, but Kyle Hamilton is such a good player that we can’t help but highlight him. The Notre Dame standout has been elite in Year 2 emerging as a top star for the league’s best defense. Of course, the matchup against Travis Kelce will be a marquee matchup. Two of the league’s best talents going at it. However, Hamilton’s will need to be all over the field for the Ravens to succeed. That means covering for the mistakes of teammates, and even being a difference-maker in the run game. He can do it all for the Ravens this weekend.
