Staff Picks: Championship Weekend
That went both the exact way I thought it would and the exact opposite of how I thought it would. It’s weird, how the NFL is.
Connor here, NFL Editor for PSF. Thanks so much for y’all’s support on the Staff Picks from the past two weekends! It’s been a joy to put them together, and our staff loves writing for them.
Anyway, let’s get into our matchups, only two this weekend.
Photo Credit: Todd Olszewski, Getty Images
AFC Championship Game: (3) Kansas City Chiefs at (1) Baltimore Ravens, Jan. 28, 3 EST
A 3-2 split decision for the Ravens last weekend, we had some staffers that bought into Houston’s talent. To pair with that, a clean sweep of incorrect picks, a 4-0 decision for the Bills to move on. Let’s see what this matchup has in store.
The Ravens are on a rampage. They lost a game in Week 18 where they rested starters, but won six straight games before that, en route to a No. 1 seed and free pass to the Divisional Round. The last time that happened was in 2019, where they held the No. 1 seed and were embarrassed at home by the Tennessee Titans. That didn’t happen this time, with the Ravens coming out hungry for a win and torching the Houston Texans, winning 34-10. Lamar Jackson showed why he’s the MVP frontrunner, and why the Texans weren’t even considered to be in contention for a playoff spot by many pundits before the season.
The Chiefs are such a weird team. Their identity has completely shifted over the course of this year, turning from a high-powered offensive juggernaut to a defensive brick wall. What happened? Who knows. One thing stayed the same though, beating the Bills in the Divisional Round in a very close game of football. If Bills kicker Tyler Bass hadn’t missed that game-tying field goal, we’d likely be talking about a different team here. But he missed it, so here we are with the Chiefs segment.
Will the Ravens keep their warpath intact en route to an AFC Championship win and Super Bowl date, or will playoff Andy Reid activate just in time to see the Chiefs through to their fourth Super Bowl in five years?
Trent Finnegan: The big factor is going to be who establishes the run game. We know how great Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are as passers (even though some won’t admit the Lamar aspect), so getting the run game going early will help the pass game out. For the pass game, having Mark Andrews back for the Ravens is massive, so look for them to be in 12 personnel most of the time with him and Isaiah Likely on the field. Ravens win 34-27.
Sean Salazar: This game has a lot on the line, which is that the Chiefs win and start a dynasty, or the Ravens start a new era in the AFC. The Ravens have come a long way with quarterback Lamar Jackson and that strong Ravens defense led by cornerback Marlon Humphrey, linebackers Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith. Although the Ravens look like the favorites, don’t doubt the Chiefs, as this will be the 6th AFC Championship game in a row they’ve been to in 6 years. The Chiefs, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, are hoping to win an AFC Championship in Baltimore and appear in the Super Bowl for the 4th time in these 6 years. This will be a tough game that’ll entertain a lot of fans this weekend which in my opinion, this is the Super Bowl and I got the Baltimore Ravens winning 31-27.
James Stowell: Honestly, this might be the best chance for the Ravens. They go in with one of the best defenses in the league against a confusing Chiefs team. Inconsistency among all the receivers for the Chiefs, except Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce. Mecole Hardman had two fumbles last week that nearly cost them in the end. Now they face a much better, more formidable defense in Baltimore, which was second only to the Browns. I think the script is going to be followed and the purple on the Super Bowl logo will advance to the Big Game. The final score will be around the 28-19 range.
Joe Grassano: Like expected a matchup of heavyweights in the AFC championship as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens. In the past, the Chiefs have had the advantage in this matchup, as Patrick Mahomes is 3-1 against Lamar Jackson. However, this year, Mahomes hasn't been playing his best ball, while Jackson has looked closer to his first MVP-winning season. Defensively, Kansas City has been playing the best it ever has during the Mahomes area, but Jackson and the Ravens can say the same thing, as they had the league's best defense this season. Ultimately, The Ravens have a more complete team and should come out on top in this one, 24-20.
Shannen Horan: This was a matchup I think a lot of us saw coming but were hoping the Bills would dominate so we could stop 1) watching the Chiefs win and 2) hearing and watching Taylor Swift at random times during the games. But alas, here we are with an AFC Championships that could be quite interesting. Both teams have elite quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, both of whom have also led their respective teams this far into the season. There is no question that both the Ravens and the Chiefs have stellar offenses, making it so that this game will be decided by the defense. On paper, the Chiefs have the better defense, but they haven’t had to play a quarterback with the speed and versatility that Jackson has. Therefore, I have the Ravens out playing the Chiefs in a close three-point game.
Samir Ajy: Lamar Jackson answered many questions people had about his ability to perform in the Postseason last week in Baltimore’s 34-10 thrashing of the Texans, where Lamar and the league’s best Baltimore defense took over the game in the second half and stifled the upstart Texans. The Chiefs come to town, appearing in their sixth consecutive AFC Championship, just two shy of the NFL record of eight set by the Patriots from 2011-2018, despite fielding the weakest team of the Mahomes era. Travis Kelce, while still elite, has taken a slight step back this year. Meanwhile, rookie WR Rashee Rice has emerged as the potential new WR1 for years to come in Kansas City to accompany a strong defense that shut down Josh Allen and the Bill offense in the fourth quarter of last week’s game. Despite being perennial contenders since John Harbaugh’s arrival in 2008, this is Baltimore’s first appearance in the AFC Championship since their Super Bowl winning campaign back in 2012. Nonetheless, this is arguably the best team in Ravens history, with the 2019 squad that fielded 13 pro bowlers. Lamar has proven to be worth every penny of his historic contract this season. The return of All-pro TE Mark Andrews will especially be huge for Baltimore. If the Chiefs want to win this game, they will have to get pressure up the middle. Mahomes is by far the best QB in the league, but Kansas City simply does not have the manpower this season to beat the vaunted Baltimore defense on the road. Ravens 29, Chiefs 21.
Anthony Francis: After seeing the Ravens not only dismantle opponents but also beat all of them by double digits. There is a clear distinction that a defense this good may not be worried about the pressure of facing Mahomes. Not only has this same defensive system proved to exploit some of the most versatile college offenses, but also exposed NFL offenses all season. The addition of Roquan Smith has virtually changed this defense from its performance over the last two seasons. Since his addition, the Ravens have been the #1 defense in terms of points and #1 total defense. I am not overly convinced about the Chiefs beating the Dolphins and then the Buffalo Bill's injured defense. Ravens 34-20.
Austin Loring: Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have completely turned it on since hitting the playoffs. Mahomes seems to be the kryptonite of AFC quarterbacks, and this will be a great game to watch. The Ravens have been rolling over teams recently, and this is their biggest test of the entire season so far. This will be the matchup many are looking forward to seeing if quarterback Lamar Jackson can finally make it to his first Super Bowl or if Mahomes will stomp on the dream of another AFC Quarterback’s dreams. The internet at large is hoping for a Baltimore Ravens victory so they do not have to see Taylor Swift for another week especially at the Super Bowl of all games. The Ravens defense will be key in shutting down tight end Travis Kelce, with linebackers Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith being capable of holding the future Hall of Famer in check. This game can go either way and while I lean towards the Ravens in this one, you can never count out Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. I predict a Ravens victory with a final score of 35-31.
Paul Vozzella: The Chiefs managed to pull out a gritty win last weekend in a great quarterback duel. Patrick Mahomes proved himself yet again, winning on the road for the first time in his NFL career. The Ravens got off to a slow start against the young Texans last Saturday. Just like they have done the whole season, the Ravens proved why they are one of the best defenses in the league, holding the Texans to zero points in the second half en route to a 24-point win.I made the mistake of picking against Mahomes last week and regretted it the whole game. Being the fool that I am, I am going to do the same thing again. The Ravens secondary won’t allow any breathing room for the Chiefs’ unappealing group of receivers. The Ravens pull out the win, 27-24.
Photo Credit: Leon Halip, Getty Images
NFC Championship Game: (3) Detroit Lions at (1) San Francisco 49ers, Jan. 28, 6:30 ET
4-0 49ers, 4-1 Lions. Our staff is right on the mark when it comes to this matchup, so let’s see what they have to say about an unexpected but highly anticipated matchup.
The Detroit Lions are just happy to be here. They want more (as they should), but they are a year or two ahead of where they planned to be. Jared Goff has reverted to peak Rams form, and the mix of his play, their stubborn running game and hard-nosed defense all combine to make a scary team to be staring at from across the line of scrimmage.
The 49ers were the preseason Super Bowl favorite. They have a star at nearly every single position: running back, wide receiver (twice), tight end, left tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end (twice), linebacker, safety (twice, even though one is injured). It is unheard of how stacked this team is, but there are still doubts as to what they’re able to do under Brock Purdy. We’ve seen Purdy get demolished in prime time before, on Christmas of all days, against the Ravens. That’s the stem of many people’s doubts with this team, it starts and ends with Purdy.
Will the Lions complete an absolutely magical run to make it to their first Super Bowl, or will the 49ers be too big of an opponent to overcome?
Trent Finnegan: Last week, the Green Bay Packers laid out the blueprint to defeat the 49ers. Load the line of scrimmage with a 5-0 front, don’t sit in a two-high shell, and move Brock Purdy off his spot. If the lions can do that and mask their week secondary as much as possible, they have a great chance to win, especially if Deebo Samuel is out for San Francisco. However, this 49ers team has too much firepower in my opinion, so I have San Francisco winning 24-21.
Sean Salazar: The Lions have been a true underdog story all season long and have proven that with the right coaching staff there is hope for an organization. Even though all this is true, they still have to go to Levi’s Stadium and face the San Francisco 49ers and steal one out of San Francisco to keep this Cinderella story alive. The Lions have been my playoff favorites in the NFC and i hope they keep the winning going, so I got the Lions winning the game 27-22.
James Stowell: Never thought I’d see the Detroit Lions in the Super Bowl in my life yet here we are. The Lions are riding a huge wave of momentum, lead by Jared Goff and Aidan Hutchinson. Yet, all good things must come to an end. The Lions have faced underrated or just not so great defenses this year in the playoffs. The Lions passing defense, as I’ve previously said in the past, has been on the decline, and now I feel like they’re finally facing a foe that is far too great to overcome. As Connor said, the 49ers have stars at practically every position. Top two offense, top 10 defense. Something to look forward to either way. That and I still think the logo predicts the matchup in the Super Bowl and there isn’t any blue in the logo so sadly, the Lions run will come to an end. The final score will be around the 25-19 range.
Shannen Horan: Wow! Who would’ve thought that the Lions of all teams would be in the NFC Championship game. I didn’t, but I am honestly so proud of that team. This is a team that has clawed their way out of a hole and I think almost anyone can appreciate what head coach Dan Campbell and the players have done for the organization and the city. Now, they are one game away from their first Super Bowl appearance. If you can’t tell, I love the underdog and comeback story of the Lions, but they are facing a team that has been the front-runner all season. The 49ers have a stacked team, but quarterback Brock Purdy hasn’t been the most reliable player, which was seen last weekend in the Divisional game. I honestly think, based on how the 49ers played last week, that this game will be a toss up. With that being said, I will be pulling for the Lions this weekend for them to upset the 49ers and move on to the Super Bowl.
Samir Ajy: Fox Sports Talk show host and TV Personality Colin Cowherd is known by many for his hilariously awful takes. However, he was right when he claimed that the Lions roster is as talented as the 49ers. Both Detroit and San Francisco, arguably the two best teams in the NFC this season, survived scares in the divisional round from two 9-8 teams that had drastically exceeded expectations (Bucs and Packers). We really were an Anders Carlson missed field goal away from potentially having an epic NFC Championship showdown between two longtime rivals in the Lions and the Packers. Nonetheless, the wild card to this game will be Deebo Samuel’s health. The Niners are 0-2 when Samuel is inactive this season. In both games, Brock Purdy and the high-powered offense struggled mightily, failing to score 20 points in either game. The Niners secondary gave up multiple big plays against Green Bay last week, which they cannot afford to do against the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Josh Reynolds, and co. Even Jahmyr Gibbs has proven to be a threat in the passing game. I’m going to take Detroit here 24-21. Dan Campbell, Brad Holmes, and Co. will bite away at yet another kneecap on their way up to the franchise’s first ever Super Bowl appearance, while the Niners lose their third consecutive NFC Championship game. This time on their home field, setting themselves up to be a repeat of the Eagles in the early 2000s.
Anthony Francis: Detroit proved all season that they pride themselves on stopping the run, running the football and being aggressive throughout the game, if the lions are to go into Levis’s stadium and knock of the 49ers they have to hold to these principles. It starts with stopping the run, which is easier said than done. Not only are they facing a top 3 team in terms of running the ball, but also a top 5 team against the run. This game will ultimately come down to if Brock Purdy is ready for the moment, or if the Detroit magic can continue. Detroit 27-24.
Austin Loring: The Detroit Lions have made a NFC Championship game for the first time in my lifetime as a Detroit Lions fan. They are coming into this game with zero pressure on them, with many fans already seeing this season as a massive stepping stone and success on the part of General Manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. The 49ers have all the pressure with their loss in this game would come countless ridicules on the downfalls of the 49ers in the Conference Championship game. Most of America wants the Detroit Lions to win this game to create the ideal matchup of the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions. The Lions can win this game if they stick to their run game early with running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery having the potential to have huge games. The 49ers should still be able to win this game with their overwhelming offense against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. As much as I want to believe in my Detroit Lions. I have to take the 49ers in an offensively dominated game with a final score of 45-28.
Joe Frescott: It has been 32 years since the Detroit Lions made it to the NFC Championship game. In a game that featured Hall of Fame talent such as Barry Sanders and Herman Moore, the Lions got humiliated, falling to Washington 41-10. That was their only appearance. As much as I want this week to be different, I cannot foresee it happening. Making their third consecutive appearance, the 49ers are the more well-rounded team, despite an overall lackluster showing against the Packers on Saturday night. The only questions facing them are the availability of Deebo Samuel and the quarterback play of Brock Purdy. There is no doubt that Deebo is a major facet of this offense, and with his status in question, the 49ers will have to rely on their other playmakers. There is no team more equipped than San Francisco, as they have an abundance to choose from. When it comes to Purdy, those who are shortsighted forget that he has played well all season, leading the MVP race before his meltdown against the Ravens. Against a mediocre Lions defense on Sunday, I expect a major bounce-back performance from Purdy and the entire 49ers team, advancing to the Super Bowl with a 38-24 victory.
Paul Vozzella: The 49ers pulled out an underwhelming win against the Green Bay Packers last weekend. The defense made up for Brock Purdy’s mediocre performance. After proving naysayers wrong all season, he gave them plenty to criticize about following the game. The Lions got a close win to keep their dream run alive. It was a true team effort on offense, with everyone in both the pass and run game contributing. This weekend, I think there is a decent sized gap between the two teams. The Lions secondary is a liability and won’t be able to expose Purdy. The 49ers win this one 24-20.
Photo Credit: Pro Football Focus
Staff: Pick a team that isn’t still in the playoffs: highlight a major free agent they have upcoming, and what they might do about them.
Trent Finnegan: The Broncos’ starting center, Lloyd Cushenberry, is a free agent. He has been with the organization for a few seasons now, and has improved every year. The two sides have mutual interest in having Cushenberry back in the Orange and Blue in 2024, so it will be interesting to see how General Manager George Paton handles it. It’s much easier to keep a guy who’s established himself in an organization than to start from scratch.
James Stowell: The Bears have one of the best cornerbacks in Jaylon Johnson potentially hitting the free agent market. While it is likely he will get the franchise tag, both he and general manager Ryan poles mutually want to reach an agreement soon. Johnson finally got a pro bowl, and all-pro nomination for the best season in his career. Looking forward to seeing what the Bears will do this offseason with their draft picks and top 10 cap space.
Shannen Horan: Patriots defensive back Kyle Dugger is a free agent this year. The Patriots drafted Dugger in 2020, and he has quickly become a major component of the defense in his four years. He ended this season with a career-high 98 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. With Dugger continuing to progress and lead the team each season, I believe that the Patriots will re-sign him.
Samir Ajy: It will be interesting to see the direction the Bills decide to go this offseason in regarding Stefon Diggs. Initial reports after the team’s third consecutive loss in the Divisional Round indicate that Diggs and the team are not expected to part ways. However, it is likely that the Bills will take all options into consideration. They will have to consider the cryptic tweets, the sideline argument with Josh Allen in last year’s Divisional Round playoff game against the Bengals, making headlines for not showing up initially to Training Camp, and his lack of production after Joe Brady took over as OC. Add in the fact that the Bills still have yet to get over the hump in the postseason, with Diggs being a non-factor in all of those games. Will the Bills decide to run it back and try to get what’s left of a closing contending window? Or will Diggs wear another uniform come Week 1 of next season?
Austin Loring: The biggest free agent this season in my opinion is the Carolina Panthers’ defensive end Brian Burns. If the Panthers are going through a rebuild completely, then Burns may decide he does not want to sit through half a decade of a rebuild and especially his prime on a losing team. Burns is one of the top pass rushers in the league and is underrated due to the fact of being on a terrible Panthers team. Burns could possibly land off a team like the Chargers, Lions, Raiders, Buccaneers or Steelers and would elevate their pass rushes to an elite level.
Joe Frescott: Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is hitting free agency for the second consecutive season after signing a one-year deal to stay in Minnesota last offseason. Starting eight games last season, the NFL veteran was playing well, throwing for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns before tearing his Achilles. The Vikings failed to find consistent quarterback play in his absence, starting the likes of Josh Dobbs (who had an incredible run), Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall. None of those guys are NFL-caliber starters, and there aren’t many in the quarterback market this offseason. Cousins, who will be 36 years old next season and coming off a major injury, should still be a hot commodity when free agency begins. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Head Coach Kevin O’Connell have both made it clear that they want Kirk to return, which is what I expect to happen on another short-term deal.
Paul Vozzella: A free agent that seems to be flying under the radar is Indianapolis Colts wideout Michael Pittman. Quarterback Anthony Richardson showed flashes of great play in his rookie campaign before going down with an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. Richardson is going to need weapons surrounded by him if he is going to continue his success in his second year. Pittman, a 1,000-yard receiver twice already, is vital for Richardson’s future success. If the Colts want to grow into a real Super Bowl contender, they need to bring back Pittman at whatever cost it takes.
Thanks for reading! We’ll be back in two weeks with our Super Bowl predictions!
