Tag: AFC Championship

Throwback Thursday: Wild stat that only applies to the Seahawks

Throwback Thursday: Wild stat that only applies to the Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have been around since the 1976 season. When they entered into the league, they were initially in the NFC, and that conference has been their home from 2002 until present day. But from 1977-2001, the Seahawks were an AFC team, and many older fans still surely think of them as such. At least in the back of their minds.

Seattle is not the only team to flip flop conferences, but they are the only team to have achieved something truly unique. The Seahawks are the only franchise in NFL history to have played in both an NFC and AFC Championship game.

Fans today are intimately familiar with the fact Seattle has been to three Super Bowls since the 2005 season, their only appearances to date. Of course, in order to reach the Super Bowl, a team obviously needs to win their conference championship. The Seahawks as a franchise are 3-0 in the NFC title game.

However, their time competing for a spot atop the conference did not begin in the 2005 season. When Seattle first earned a playoff berth during the 1983 season, they took their opportunity and ran with it. Chuck Knox’ team defeated rookie John Elway’s Broncos 31-7 in the Wild Card round, then upset Dan Marino’s Dolphins on the road in the Divisional. Those wins earned them a spot in the AFC Championship.

Unfortunately, that was the end of the road for the Seahawks that year, as the Los Angeles Raiders trounced Seattle 30-14 in another AFC West showdown. While the Seahawks were unable to advance to their first Super Bowl then, their mere appearance in the AFC title game would prove to help the franchise make history.

History that might not ever be replicated.

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Sauce Gardner is a coverage nightmare for NFL QB’s | New York Jets

New York Jets DB Sauce Gardner didn’t produce an interception last season but that’s because opposing QB’s know not to throw his way.

Last season the New York Jets ranked No. 1 in pass yards allowed per game. Perhaps defensive back Sauce Gardner deserves some credit for his dominance.

Sure, Gardner didn’t produce an interception in 2023, but that’s because his 12 pass deflections were enough to convince opposing quarterbacks not to throw his way.

To make things more exclamatory, two of the NFL’s  top 5 leaders in pass yards last season play for teams in the same AFC East division as Gardner.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen combined for 8,900 plus pass yards last season yet neither of them had a game where they threw for 300 yards versus the Jets.

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Gardner is a humble assassin, standing six-foot three-inches with a wingspan of 79 inches. With a 40-yard dash time of 4.41 seconds, his combination of size and speed makes it nearly impossible to sneak passes underneath against him.

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Gardner is physical at the line of scrimmage, inhibiting opposing wide receivers from getting a clean release. His ability to jam wide receivers is crucial, especially when trying to contain speedsters like wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers.

There isn’t a quarterback in the NFL who finds comfort throwing the football in Gardner’s proximity. The Jets’ defense relies heavily on Gardner’s ability to play man coverage.

Are Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely the best TE duo in the NFL?

Not enough is said about the talents of all-pro Baltimore Ravens tight-end Mark Andrews and his reserve Isaiah Likely.

Not enough is said about the talents of all-pro Baltimore Ravens tight-end Mark Andrews and his reserve Isaiah Likely.

Last season, Likely stepped up big in the absence of Andrews, who sat out multiple weeks with a leg injury. Both tight-ends are sizable pass-catchers with the strength to do damage as run-blockers.


All logic suggests that offensive coordinator Todd Monken should opt for 12 personnel this season. With newly acquired running back Derrick Henry, Monken should think of ways to force the opposing defense into 3-4 and 4-3 and away from nickel-and-dime packages.

Likely, Andrews combined for 81 receptions and 11 touchdowns last season. These stats may have inflated had Andrews not missed eight regular season games. Both players fit ideally into the structure of the Ravens offense constructed around the running and play-action pass game.

With height, athleticism, and run-blocking physicality, Likely and Andrews are undoubtedly the best tight-end tandem in the NFL.

Ravens HC John Harbaugh was just one win away from SBLVIII

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was just one win away from coaching in SBLVIII, and a chance at his 2nd Super Bowl victory.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was just one win away from coaching in SBLVIII, and a chance at his 2nd Super Bowl victory in 2024.

With NFL Training Camp under sixty days away, Harbaugh is prepared to coach in his 17th season with the Ravens.


Harbaugh continues to set the tone for the Ravens by leading a team-first mentality in the media. When talking with Rich Eisen this spring, Harbaugh spoke highly about rookie defensive back Nate Wiggins from Clemson as well as NCAA transfer rules and other vitals.

Harbaugh needs to address changes at the offensive lineman position and coach alongside newly promoted defensive coordinator Zach Orr to relive last year’s historic output.

Obviously, a lack of camaraderie may have cost the Ravens last season when offensive coordinator Todd Monken decided to run a pass-heavy attack in the AFC Championship. Harbaugh and Monken are going into their 2nd season together and with new running back Derrick Henry acquired, things may flow more congruently for the team offense.

Harbaugh’s quest for another Super Bowl title has taken time but Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta and team administration still believe he is the guy. With just a 12-10 playoff career record, Harbaugh can only hope to change the narrative this upcoming season.

Can star RB Derrick Henry be the missing piece to the Ravens’ Super Bowl puzzle?

The Baltimore Ravens already ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rush yards per game last season, so is Derrick Henry really the missing piece?

The Baltimore Ravens already ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rush yards and attempts per game last season, so is running back Derrick Henry the missing piece to their puzzle?

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The Ravens totaled about 156.9 rush yards a game in 2023 through 541 carries. Their offense dominated tremendously on the ground, but this success should be heavily credited to the defense, which allowed opponents to score just 16.5 points per game.

With opponents held to low-scoring outputs, quarterback Lamar Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Monken were allowed to commit to running the ball. However, with their defensive secondary expected to take a few steps back, the offense may need to be even more dynamic this upcoming season,

Furthermore, the Ravens’ rush-by-committee approach now needs to be delegated proportionately.  Will Henry average 20 carries and Jackson 10? How will running back Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell fit into the equation? 

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Ultimately, while it is premature to give a swift answer to these preliminary questions, the Ravens need to consider building their secondary with the best defensive backs available in the upcoming NFL Draft. Ravens’ fans should celebrate the arrival of Henry; it wasn’t inadequacy in the run game that ended the Ravens’ season last year.

However, the historic 60-sack, 18-interception season is behind the Ravens’ defense, so offensive excellence may need to balance the books for a secondary that may digress. Henry may need to have his most remarkable season yet if the Ravens plan on returning to the AFC Championship.

Chiefs’ DL Chris Jones is ready for Super Bowl LVIII

On Sep. 24, Kansas City Chiefs DL Chris Jones signed a 1-year deal worth up to $25 million. Could Jones be the x-factor in Super Bowl LVIII?

On Sep. 24, Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones signed a one-year deal worth up to $25 million. Jones could very well be the x-factor on defense in Super Bowl LVIII.

 Jones had zero tackles in the AFC championship but his presence opened lanes for his teammates to rattle Lamar Jackson.  The San Francisco 49ers however are unlikely to abandon the running game the way the Baltimore Ravens did in the Super Bowl so Jones will need to be on his A-game.

Jones did record 10.5 sacks and seven stuffs through 16 games played this season and his leadership has given way for defensive end George Kalaftis to get lose. Identically, Kalaftis also recorded 10.5 sacks this season and was terrific in the AFC Championship.

With all this,  I seriously doubt that Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan will omit running back Christian McCaffrey from the game-plan. The 49ers led the NFL with 4.8 rush yards per carry so Spagnuolo and the Chiefs better have an answer in SBLVIII. Jones needs to be the enforcer on gameday.

Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce reflected on Eric Bieniemy’s visit before the AFC Championship Game

Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce reflected on Eric Bieniemy’s visit before the AFC Championship Game

The rumor mill gained extra fuel on Wednesday during the Kansas City Chiefs’ latest round of Super Bowl media scrums. The focus is on Sunday’s game, but a reveal about their former offensive coordinator had everyone talking.

Former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was in attendance in Baltimore for the AFC Championship game, spoke with players in an unofficial support role. During his conversation with reporters on Wednesday, Patrick Mahomes shared his thoughts on Bieniemy in the locker room before the AFC Championship game.

“It’s always great to have EB (Bieniemy) in the building, just being there and the energy he brings, and the mentality he brings because he has that intensity, but he loves it,” Mahomes explained. “He loves being there. He loves being a part of the team and being a part of that culture. And so just having him back in the building was really cool.

“Listening to him talk with his energy. I mean, it just got everybody guys going. I think the guys had a little bit of chill bumps today. Like, Hey, we got EB’s back here, and obviously, he didn’t get that head coaching opportunity. But I’m excited for him to continue to coach football and continue to make his impact on the game.”

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Mahomes wasn’t the only current Chiefs star with plenty to say about Bieniemy as Travis Kelce opened up about his former offensive coordinator during his media scrum on Wednesday.

“Man, EB was a special coach here for a long, long time, man, and he’s like my uncle or a father figure in the football world for me,” Kelce said. “Everybody knows how fired up he can get, and I definitely share that same passion for coming to work every single day to play this game.

[He is] one of my favorite coaches of all time, so I think the biggest thing that we could take away from who he was as a player and as a coach is just his passion and his desire to be ready for every single scenario out there on the field. His football awareness and his understanding of the game was second to none when it comes to football, and you know I’m hoping for the best for him coming up in his near coaching career, but I think who he is as a person is always going to go with me in life.”

Bieniemy’s legacy remains strong in the Chiefs facility as the players continue to sing his praise. A reunion is always possible, but the focus is on Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII.

Are we ready to be honest about Lamar Jackson?

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was unimpressive in the AFC championship game, and it’s time to be honest about his shortcomings.

After Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson lost again in the playoffs, it’s time to be honest about his shortcomings.

While offensive coordinator Todd Monken does deserve some blame for abandoning the running game, is Monken wrong for expecting his “MVP” to complete passes with accuracy and timing on three-step drops? Furthermore, Monken’s quick passing attack was the correct counter to the blitz scheme of Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Jackson’s play was pedestrian at best, holding the ball too long in the pocket, dropping back 15-plus yards aimlessly on the first play, and throwing into triple coverage at a crucial point of the game. The Ravens were 3 of 11 on third down. Jackson went 20 for 37 through the air and was sacked four times, losing a fumble on one of them.

As a result of Jackson’s inability to lead the offense, the Ravens defense had to be on the field for 73 snaps. After shutting the Chiefs down entirely in the second half, the Ravens still had to wake up to the false narrative that Patrick Mahomes carved them up. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald didn’t even speak to the media before he decided to skip town.

Instead of presuming the Ravens will be back next season, Jackson needs to process the loss and know that the AFC North will be a much more challenging road in 2024. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will return from injury, and the Cleveland Browns will have running back Nick Chubb back from injury.

The Ravens didn’t sign Jackson to a five-year, $260 million contract last offseason for empty promises at the podium, locker room dance moves or his ability to win the MVP award. Jackson must improve his game as a pocket passer. It’s time to hold him accountable.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ workouts with his trainer helped him avoid injury in AFC Championship Game

Kansas City #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says his trainer’s workouts helped him avoid injury in AFC Championship Game.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has dealt with his fair share of injuries during his career, including problems with his ankle in last year’s playoffs. He is credited for his high tolerance to pain in being able to stay in the lineup, but the reigning league MVP has openly praised the preparation from his trainer, Bobby Stroupe.

Mahomes opened up at Thursday’s press conference about avoiding a potential knee injury during last Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, and he credited the training he got from Stroupe.

“So I think he showed that for everybody, but that was really directed towards me because I hate doing all that stuff,” Mahomes explained. “Every time he does, I’m like, why am I doing this stretch right now and everything like that? And then he gets an opportunity like that, where he shows me he’s like, see, this is why we do it.

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“So now that’ll be a staple in every workout I do. We try to prepare for everything. He’s done a great job of adapting and learning from stuff that I’ve done in my career and prepared me for those moments to keep myself as healthy as I possibly can.”

Stroupe works with other Chief players, including defensive lineman George Karlaftis and many other athletes in different sports.

“They always say the best ability is availability, and you want to be out there, and lucky enough for us, so far, knock on wood,” said Mahomes. “We’ve been able to have a lot of healthy guys out there, and we want to play our best football in the Super Bowl. And so we’re gonna try to do.”

Stroupe released a video on his X account detailing Mahomes’ workout routine mixed with his avoiding the injury against Baltimore. The hard work is paying off, and Mahomes noted that he may not enjoy the process but appreciates the results.

“He always gets me doing stuff I don’t want to do, and I know he wants the best for me, so I’ll do it,” Mahomes continued. “But, there [are] definitely some times where I’m like, man, we’re on two hours of working out, like, let me go up and go upstairs and just and just hang out. And so, he pushes me every single day.”

NFL rookies played well on Championship Sunday

Some quality rookie performances on Championship Sunday are a strong indicator that the NFL is becoming more competitive.

Here’s a look at the NFL rookies who played well on Championship Sunday as we prepare for SBLVII next weekend.