2023 Conference Championship Games

[Jay Z]

Kind of surprising the Chiefs won without scoring in the second half. I guess it took so long for the Ravens to get within one score it didn't matter. Wondered if it happened before, a team winning without scoring in the second half. Found 1986, where the Giants beat the Redskins 17-0 with all of the points coming in the first half.

I am underwhelmed by the SB matchup. A recent re-run and a champ looking to repeat versus a franchise difficult to view as an underdog. Seem like Chiefs are likely to win.

[74_75_78_79_]

The half time score in 1957 was Niners 24 Lions 7. At halftime today it was 24-7 Lions. The 49ers just tied it up. Just an interesting coincidence.

So very eerie! So very eerie.

How many, if any, are still alive who partook in that tie-breaker at Kezar?

From the Lions, I think only Joe Schmidt and Jerry Reichow are still around. Steve Junker just died. Don't know about SF.

Thanks, Richard! I should have known that Joe Schmidt was still alive.

Second half of that game so tough to see. Congrats to San Fran though. Same with KC. It should be a real competitive SB in two weeks. Rematch of that "COVID-eve" pairing from four years ago. Still Mahomes/Reid and Kyle/KIttle/Bosa. But Purdy instead of Jimmy G along with CMC and a Chiefs defense this time around!

I feel for Detroit. And especially those who jam-packed their stadium to see the game on the jumbo-tron. I don't think this will be a case of Atlanta following SBLI. Dan Campbell has completely changed the culture! His style is what got them this far (and how can you NOT like it; root for him - Bill Cowher on steroids). As for his gutsy calls...he has to decide if he wants to un-apologetically continue the "I did it my way" approach (which may, indeed, still bring home future-Lombardis; we'll see), or perhaps find that gray-area and simply punt or settle for the FG in certain obvious high-stakes situations.

I leaned on Baltimore going in yesterday, but the defending-Champs putting up the victory as well as winning it the way they did (game not being as close as the 17-10 score indicated) was not a surprise. This was a better Ravens squad than 2019, and Lamar has further improved from then (and they at least won a playoff game instead of one-and-done). But yesterday indicated that he's not ready for the big stage yet if he ever will be. The offense play-calling was questionable though; lack of running the ball. Steeler-fandom aside, I reluctantly picked Baltimore a few times last decade to win-it-all in the off-season thus having John Harbaugh winning at least a couple more Lombardis by now. 2019 and 2023 definitely his best regular-season teams.

This appears to be the less-flashy but ice-in-veins experienced version of this current KC run, adding "road-warriors" to the resume now; and their Spag-led defense has caught up to, and surpassed, the O! But Mahomes has further added dimension to his game! You never like one being anointed as "the GOAT" immediately after the retirement of the actual, or at least arguable, GOAT (e.g. placing Kobe and LeBron above Jordan early in each of their careers) - and Patrick to me still has some distance to go - but thus far he being talked up isn't seeming to be too much jumping the gun.

I think in the very end, KC will pull it off. The current line going from an opening SF minus-2.5 last to night to, now, a SF minus-one is seeming to indicate this. But Kyle, I feel, has moved further from any "can't win the big one" tag he has placed on him. Winning two-straight big back-to-back comebacks...there's nothing un-clutch about that! Of course it wouldn't be an upset if San Fran wins, but if they don't, Kyle ought to hoist one soon enough. He likely won't have to wait as long as his opposing HC did.

[Brian wolf]

If Ben Johnson were to leave the Lions, could they promote someone from within to keep offensive continuity? The talent is there with Jameson Williams having a breakout game but like Campbell told the team, they may never get back and will have to work even harder next year. I think they should be fine if they can avoid injuries.

I know I can sound like Captain Obvious on here but Sutton at CB for the Lions had a terrible game. If you cant cover or make tackles, at least catch the interceptions.

[sheajets]

I was not a fan of Campbell's 4th down decisions there nor the "well that's how he's done it all year" rationale. It's about playing smart, sound, situational football. In that spot I am trying both field goals. If he makes that first one and that game goes back to being a 3 score affair...the entire complexion of the game changes

this was a devastating loss for the Lions. you never know when you'll get a chance at another conference championship game. You'd figure this core WILL again within the next 4-5 years or so...but you just don't know. Dan Marino was surely going to play in more Super Bowls...

Parcells and Belichick were guys who decades ago would go for it more in situations where punts were thought of as no brainers. I feel like this has gotten out of hand now with guys passing up on under 50 yard field goals and turning 2 possession games into 3 possession games and deciding to go for it is just reckless aggression. Kickers are so good nowadays. You have got to kick that

[Brian wolf]

Baltimore fans who recorded this game on their DVRs' have to be angry and frustrated ... it was weird how the defense kept giving the ball back to Jackson and the offense but they just seemed to freeze. That fumble by Flowers before getting into the endzone took all the wind out of their sails but in a game like this, you have to trust your teammates to make plays and they didnt run the ball enough, while Jackson took way too long getting the ball to Beckham or Likely.

When the pressure is on, especially with the Chiefs using a sound, ball-control game plan, a team cant lose its composure but the Ravens did at the worst time. The Chiefs got away with some aggressive play in the secondary the last seven minutes of the game.

[RichardBak]

From the perspective of this dinosaur, analytics is usurping common sense in sports. That's why Campbell went for it on those two 4th downs instead of attempting the FG. No-brainer decisions, as far as I'm concerned---kick the damn ball. A computer has no feel for the crowd, momentum swings, etc.

Among other things analytics has given us are entire lineups filled with guys hitting 18 home runs with 156 K. I gave up on baseball. It's like watching a loop of Dave Kingman.

It's no surprise that the root word of analytics is "anal." (Well, technically, it's not. But I gotta make my point.)

[Brian wolf]

The dropped passes and interceptions really hurt the Lions and when you cant seem to score anymore, any points, even three, can help your cause but Campbell believed in his players, they just couldnt execute. Like the Ravens earlier, the pressure of the moment just seemed to rattle the Lions.

Despite what Mike Florio or other critics say about Purdy, you cant lead 17 point comebacks being considered just a game manager.
He is now an NFC Champion and deserves credit for their success. Can he show Montana-like poise in the SB, remains to be seen ...

[Crazy Packers Fan]

From the perspective of this dinosaur, analytics is usurping common sense in sports. That's why Campbell went for it on those two 4th downs instead of attempting the FG.
Among other things analytics has given us are entire lineups filled with guys hitting 18 home runs with 156 K. I gave up on baseball. It's like watching a loop of Dave Kingman.

Yeah, analytics has killed baseball for me, and while I'm not a basketball fan, it's become harder to watch. Baseball is basically a home run derby, and basketball is a three-point shooting contest. I get it, those are the highest-scoring plays, but it's like when, Madden or whatever NFL video game, you find the one play that gives you a touchdown every play and you start calling that play the whole game. It becomes boring in minutes.

Fortunately, the NFL is not at that point. However, it is at the point where coaches get all the credit for being "aggressive" and no blame for being "conservative." Sometimes it's better to just kick the field goal or extra point. There was no guarantee the Lions would have scored even if they had converted the fourth downs.

[Citizen]

Campbell has spent his tenure in Detroit presenting himself as a firebrand, a no-nonsense gambler. Now that a few of those gambles have blown up in his face, I wonder if he's smart enough to learn from having overreached so badly.

[sheajets]

From the perspective of this dinosaur, analytics is usurping common sense in sports. That's why Campbell went for it on those two 4th downs instead of attempting the FG.
Among other things analytics has given us are entire lineups filled with guys hitting 18 home runs with 156 K. I gave up on baseball. It's like watching a loop of Dave Kingman.

Yeah, analytics has killed baseball for me, and while I'm not a basketball fan, it's become harder to watch. Baseball is basically a home run derby, and basketball is a three-point shooting contest. I get it, those are the highest-scoring plays, but it's like when, Madden or whatever NFL video game, you find the one play that gives you a touchdown every play and you start calling that play the whole game. It becomes boring in minutes.

Fortunately, the NFL is not at that point. However, it is at the point where coaches get all the credit for being "aggressive" and no blame for being "conservative." Sometimes it's better to just kick the field goal or extra point. There was no guarantee the Lions would have scored even if they had converted the fourth downs.

I call it the dumbing down and wussification of baseball. Little by little they took the guts and the mind out of the game. Home plate collisions were suddenly a problem because a few guys got nicked up. Rules for that. Pitchers babied excessively, this over emphasis on wild celebrations and showboating (how does that make the game itself better?) the rules regarding relievers, how many batters they must face...how many times they can throw over.

To me they've taken the nuance, the chess game out of baseball. As well as the blood and guts (however rare it was) out of it too. Now a pitcher gets lambasted because he drilled some guy for recreating Michael Jacksons Thriller while he circled the bases following a solo home run in a 13-2 game. How much choreographed nonsense with giant team logo rapper chains do we need? It's overkill

And I'm a guy who didn't at all mind the Ickey Shuffle or Prime Time...I liked it.