Category: Playoffs

Former Bears playing in 2024 AFC, NFC Championship Games

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing in the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

The NFL 2024 postseason continues with Championship Sunday, where the final four teams will face off for a Super Bowl appearance. The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs will battle in the AFC Championship and the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions will battle in the NFC Championship.

While the Bears have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, there are some familiar faces for fans to watch on Sunday, including linebacker Roquan Smith and running back David Montgomery.

Here’s a look at the former Bears who are playing on Championship Sunday:

20 free agent targets for Bears in AFC, NFC championships

Here are some pending free agents the Bears could target from the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

We’ve reached Championship Sunday during the NFL postseason, where the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions will battle it out for a chance to play in Super Bowl 58.

The Bears are slated to have around $50.8 million in salary cap space in 2024, per OverTheCap, which is the eighth most in the NFL. It’ll give GM Ryan Poles plenty to work with as he looks to continue to add to the roster (and perhaps re-sign some in-house free agents).

Here are some pending free agents for Bears fans to keep an eye on during championship Sunday:

Lions elevate 2 from practice squad but Zach Ertz isn’t one of them

Lions elevate 2 from practice squad for the NFC Championship game but Zach Ertz isn’t one of them

The Detroit Lions elevated two players up from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s playoff matchup with the 49ers. However, former Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz is not one of them.

Ertz was signed during the week to the practice squad after the Lions lost TE Brock Wright to injury. However, Ertz wasn’t able to convince the coaching staff that he’s ready for playoff action. He’s been sidelined since October with a leg injury that led to his departure from the Cardinals.

The Lions elevated FB Jason Cabinda and OL Michael Schofield. Cabinda played last week in the win over Tampa Bay. Schofield provides depth with LG Jonah Jackson ruled out with a knee injury.

Lions have a distinct defensive advantage in a close game vs. the 49ers

The Lions defense is the best in the league in one key metric, and it’s one where the 49ers don’t matchup well too

The San Francisco 49ers have the better defense in the matchup with the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship game. No one would dispute that; San Francisco finished third in points per game and seventh in yards per play in the regular season, while Detroit finished 23rd and 28th, respectively, in those metrics.

Yet there’s one area where the Lions defense is the superior one. And it’s a very important one entering the matchup to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Per NFL Inside Edge, the Lions’ pass defense in crunch time has been excellent. Yes, really. From Inside Edge’s game matchup preview,

The Lions have allowed a passer rating of just 47.8 in close and late situations since the 2022 season — best in NFL.

 

The key for the Lions will be to get the game into a close game deep into Sunday’s contest in San Francisco. Along with the Lions pass defense stepping up in the clutch, that’s not where 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy succeeds.

Brock Purdy (SF) has a just 75.5 passer rating in late and close games since the 2022 season — 10th-worst of Qualified Quarterbacks.

The Lions defense rose to the occasion in last week’s win over the Buccaneers in this exact situation, with Derrick Barnes picking off Baker Mayfield to seal the game. The analytical statistics say they can do it again, too.

SKOL Search: Oregon QB Bo Nix

Oregon QB Bo Nix had a great two seasons after transferring from Auburn. Can he be a great NFL quarterback as well? SKOL Search investigates

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2024 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

On today’s show, we are looking at a quarterback that will be playing at the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Oregon’s Bo Nix.

We break down Nix and what he projects to be at the next level.

  • How do we quantify his performance at Auburn being so different?
  • Why was the offense designed for Nix to consistently throw it short?
  • What does his pocket presence look like and how does he use his legs?
  • Is Nix as accurate of a passer as the stats say?

Join us throughout the offseason leading up to the NFL draft in April as we break down prospects with the smartest minds in the industry on the Vikings 1st & SKOL YouTube channel.

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Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers is a rematch 66 years in the making

Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers is a rematch of the last Lions playoff win on the road way back in 1957

The Detroit Lions are setting themselves up to face off against the San Francisco 49ers this coming Sunday. The winner of that battle of top-tier NFC teams will represent the conference in Super Bowl LVIII.

This is not the first time these two teams have faced off with a chance to play for a league championship.

On Dec. 22, 1957, a mere 66 years ago, the Lions and 49ers met in San Francisco in the Western Conference title game. The Niners held a commanding 24-7 halftime lead, led by the passing of Y.A Tittle. The second half saw the Lions score 24 points while holding the 49ers to just three points, with Detroit advancing to the NFL Championship against the Cleveland Browns.

This 49ers team is likely to come out of the gates firing. They will be pressing the Lions’ secondary and linebacking groups. Brock Purdy will be doing his best Tittle impression, but the Lions need to do what they did back in 1957 — bend but not break. This Lions defense has done that all year, and they need to do it for two more games.

Will history repeat itself come Sunday?

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What does history say about No. 1 seeds vs. No. 3 seeds in the playoffs?

The third-seeded Lions face the No. 1 seed 49ers in the NFC Championship. How have those seed matchups gone in the past?

Sunday’s conference championship games include two matchups of No. 1 seeds hosting No. 3 seeds. In NFL history, things don’t bode very well for the No. 3 seed, and the numbers aren’t very reassuring if you are a Chiefs or Lions fan.

Obviously, both Kansas City and Detroit have overcome their fair share of obstacles this season. They also have trump cards in the form of Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) and momentum (Lions).

There have been 15 total matchups between No. 1 and No. 3 seeds. Here is how these teams historically have fared by the numbers:

– The No. 1 seed has won 14 of 15 matchups with No. 3 seeds.

– The only upset came in 2003 when the Panthers defeated the Eagles.

– No. 1 seeds are averaging 26.3 points per game, while the No. 3 seeds are averaging 14.8 points per game.

The Chiefs and Lions both are hoping to be able to bend history to their own benefit come Sunday. History repeats itself more in the NFL than in any other sports league, one could argue.

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Lions draw controversial referee for NFC Championship against the 49ers

Detroit Lions play against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship, where they will have a ref who they bad history with in the past

The Detroit Lions secured a decisive victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, earning their ticket to the NFC Championship where they are set to face the perennial powerhouse San Francisco 49ers. As the stage is set for this crucial matchup, the referee assignments have been announced, and unfortunately for the Lions, they find themselves under the oversight of Clete Blakeman, a referee with a troubled history in Detroit.

Clete Blakeman has been entrusted with refereeing duties for the NFC Championship, prompting disappointment among Lions fans. The mere mention of Blakeman brings back memories of the 2019 debacle when the Lions appeared on the verge of defeating the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night, only to be thwarted by a series of controversial calls, resulting in a heartbreaking 23-22 loss and almost ensuring the NFC North title for the Packers.

While the Lions had Blakeman as a referee earlier in the season during their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, there were no significant issues reported. However, an incident where he waved off a holding call from an umpire raised concerns about his attentiveness to his officiating responsibilities.

Despite Blakeman having one of the lowest totals for flags thrown (220), he has dismissed 45 of those calls, tying for the highest dismissal rate among officiating crews. Recent history includes the memorable flag-heavy game between the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys, where flags seemed to fly every 30 seconds, with many being picked up later.

In the playoffs, officiating crews vary from the regular season, introducing an element of unpredictability. However, convincing Lions fans to overlook Blakeman’s contentious history with the team may prove challenging. As the NFC Championship game approaches, all eyes will be on how officiating unfolds, with the shadow of past grievances lingering in the background.

Studs & Duds for the Lions playoff win over the Bucs

The Detroit Lions Studs and Duds for their playoff victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take them the NFC Championship game

The Detroit Lions secure another playoff triumph, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23. They are now set to face the San Francisco 49ers in the upcoming NFC Championship game.

The Lions persist in showcasing their resilience and prowess in the face of challenges, silencing skeptics who doubted their place in the playoffs. This game underscores their capability to compete at the highest level. While the offense took a while to find its rhythm, it executed crucial plays effectively when needed. The defense, although with some areas to improve, demonstrated its ability to thwart the formidable Bucs offense when it mattered most.

As they edge closer to glory, let’s highlight the Studs and Duds for the Lions in their playoff victory against the Bucs.

Twitter and Justin Jefferson call out the league for posting insensitive picture

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson joined fans in calling out the National Football League for sharing an insensitive picture

The divisional round of the playoffs has lived up to the billing. The Houston Texans held in there through the third quarter before the Baltimore Ravens took over for a 34-10 win and the San Francisco 49ers survived a resilient Green Bay Packers team for a 24-21 win.

Sunday afternoon was more of the same, as the Detroit Lions played a tough Tampa Bay Buccaneers team and advanced to their first NFC Championship Game since 1991 with a 31-23 victory.

During the game, the league’s official Twitter/X account shared a picture of a sign from a Lions fan in the crowd as it was meant to resemble the opening press conference when head coach Dan Campbell took the job.

The original press conference was about biting a kneecap off but both of those were ACL injuries caused by safety Kerby Joseph on low open-field hits to the knees of T.J. Hockenson and Tyler Higbee.

The picture set off a lot of Vikings fans and even elicited a response from Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.