The conference championship week witnessed numerous triumphs and setbacks across the league, impacting teams on the field and influencing coaching decisions. Excitement and disappointments unfolded as the race to the Super Bowl intensified.
After his San Francisco 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl on Sunday night, Kyle Shanahan was asked in the Victory Stand at Levi’s Stadium if he felt like he had unfinished business.
Mr. Shanahan waited a while before publicly accepting it. At that moment, he was probably thinking about the 49ers’ Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, who will play this year in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. You may also remember when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, who lost 28-3 to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
Yes, that’s unfinished business for Shanahan and his 49ers. However, they managed to accumulate points with a 34-31 victory over the Detroit Lions in Sunday’s NFC title game.
The Chiefs don’t have much to prove other than to further their legacy. They could become the first team since the 2003-04 Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Kansas City is back in the big game after losing 17-10 to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game.
Let’s take a quick merry-go-round of title fights and workouts to determine this week’s winners and losers.
Winners
49ers
Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy were more than capable in a 17-point second-half rally between the 49ers. lion
I can stop mentioning Shanahan’s fourth-quarter issues. And I absolutely can’t call Purdy the weak link in the 49ers offense. The 49ers would not have won without Purdy, who took advantage of opportunities on the field to get his team back in the game. Of course, Purdy’s 51-yard completion to Brandon Aiyuk was a bit lucky, but the ball bounced off the helmet of Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor. But Purdy isn’t afraid to shoot, which was an issue under Jimmy Garoppolo.
Purdy also hurts the Lions defense with his mobility. He gained 48 of the team’s 155 yards. The 49ers defense struggled, but the team took the lead with two stops on fourth down and a forced fumble that changed the course of the second half. They’ve made a lot of mistakes under Shanahan, but now they can make it worth it by defeating the Chiefs in Las Vegas.
Cheifs
The Chiefs kept their game plan simple and it was enough to defeat the relatively inexperienced Ravens in the AFC title race.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce ran a balanced offense, dominating time of possession (37:30 to 10:30) and frustrating the Ravens’ top defense. Even on long drives, the Ravens couldn’t force the league leaders into fouls. Baltimore had three turnovers, while Kansas City had none.
Lamar Jackson, who was responsible for two of those turnovers, struggled against a Chiefs defense that ranked second behind the Ravens’ unit in most statistical categories.
Sometimes football is simple. It’s all about experience and execution. The Chiefs accomplished more with a well-planned approach to their return to the Super Bowl.
Charger
I’m not a fan of teams focusing on one managerial candidate. But there are exceptions, which is why I have many mixed feelings about the requirements of the Rooney Rule. More on this later.
But the Los Angeles Chargers were right to put all their eggs in Jim Harbaugh’s basket. Even with Bill Belichick, Harbaugh seems to be the best candidate as he has an impeccable track record of turning programs into winners, most recently helping the University of Michigan win a national championship a few weeks ago. It seems to me.
The Chargers gave it their all and didn’t miss a beat. Now, they are attracting the attention of Los Angeles and the soccer world as serious players. And perhaps the Spanos family no longer needs to be called frugal. But it’s not about winning fans or changing the narrative. It’s about winning games and maximizing Justin Herbert’s career.
No one knows how many games the Chargers will win next year. But based on Harbaugh’s impressive resume, Harbaugh could win out sooner rather than later.
Bryce Young
The Carolina Panthers’ hiring of Dave Canales as their next head coach comes as many believe owner David Tepper will give Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson a job he can’t refuse. It was incredible. If Canales is number one. The Panthers had two from the start but traded him quickly when they realized Johnson wasn’t interested because it’s Bryce Young’s best No-1 spot election in 2023. Nobody cares.
Yes, Johnson helped Jared Goff revive his career in Detroit. But Canales was able to get the most out of needy quarterbacks, and he did it on two different teams. He worked as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, first with Geno Smith in Seattle and last season with Baker Mayfield.
Canales is also a longtime assistant to Pete Carroll and was instrumental in the development of Russell Wilson. With his health and experience, Canales is the perfect person to help Young reach his potential after a difficult rookie season. Tepper has the right idea for Canales and Young will benefit greatly from it.
Defensive coaches and junior coaches of NFL
I remain pessimistic for this year because so many good little coaches, especially defenders, are often overlooked. Others, unfortunately, are content to conduct interviews with coaches to make statements about Looney’s flawed rules and practices.
It bothers me to sometimes see the phrase: “Club X can now recruit these coaches and others alongside Rooney.” » But at least four of the eight head coaching positions are filled by young, highly skilled teams, this coaching cycle gives me hope that there will be real change in the NFL. Las Vegas’ Antonio Pierce, New England’s Jerrod Mayo, and Atlanta’s Raheem Morris are black and all have defensive experience. Dan Canales is Mexican-American and becomes the fifth Latino head coach in NFL history, joining Ron Rivera, Brian Flores, Tom Flores, and Tom Fears.
Dan Campbell’s success in Detroit has encouraged teams to stop prioritizing offensive players, who are often white, and pay more attention to strong leaders who can contribute on multiple levels, allowing coaches to start ignoring coordinators and assistants. areas of weakness. We saw similar signs at Mayo and Pierce before Campbell and his teams were promoted from within. Morris has the same advantage thanks to his six years in Atlanta before becoming the Rams’ defensive coordinator.
It is hoped that soon, external candidates with similar qualifications and experience will be given a fair chance to prove themselves. Although there is still a long way to go, it was an encouraging day for equal opportunities training.
Losers
Lion
It’s hard to blame the Lions for falling behind twice in fourth place. It led them to their first NFC title in over 30 years. But offensive coordinator Ben Johnson might make a different play if we want to make fun of him.
The first miss for fourth place was a pass to Josh Reynolds, not Sam Laporta or Amon-Ra St. Louis. Louis. Brown, who has been in contact with Goff all season. Lion Coles S. Brown was behind in the second quarter, but Goff came out of the hole and made a quick throw.
Detroit could also call on two running backs, David Montgomery and Jahmil Gibbs, at key times. The Lions did many things well, but like the Crows, their opponent’s inexperience showed its worst side on Sunday.
Ravens
Baltimore remains close, but a seven-point loss to the Chiefs means nothing.
The Ravens’ inexperience showed as the offense couldn’t sustain the drive and the defense struggled to contain Kelce, who gained most of his 116 receiving yards in the first half. Baltimore was flat, tense and sometimes lacked moisture.
The Ravens will learn from their first AFC title game in 12 years, but will need to add weapons with Jackson, who was a regular-season star in his first season under offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Baltimore needs to add a reliable pony at running back and another producing wide receiver, and interior free agency and uncertainty at the tackle spot could necessitate a rotation of the offensive line.
Baltimore is playing well defensively, but will have to shell out defenseman Justin Madubuike and could lose defensive coordinator Mike McDonald, who is vying for two head coaching jobs.
Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick may not coach an NFL team in 2024 for the first time in a while after the Falcons decided to hire Morris.
Perhaps the 71-year-old Belichick’s coaching methods hurt him during this coaching stint despite his most successful career. Giving Belichick enough control over personnel decisions could also be an issue for Atlanta. He probably won’t be on the sidelines in 2025 unless Belichick loosens his interests and convinces teams to take a chance on him for a few years.
Mike Vrabel
Also, it looks like Mike Vrabel won’t have a coach this year.
Vrabel, 48, is one of the best point guards in the game, a crunch time specialist and often operates as a physical team on both sides of the ball. However, his release from the Tennessee Titans may have come as a surprise to many.
The Chargers probably didn’t expect to get Vrabel after learning about Harbaugh. It also doesn’t help that the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles decided to keep Mike McCarthy and Nick Sirianni, respectively.
Vrabel will likely get a head coaching job right away, but he may have to wait until 2025. The Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders still have a chance. However, Dan Quinn or McDonald may be the best choice in Seattle, and Johnson appears to be the favorite in Washington.
