And then, there were four! It’s time for the conference championship round of the NFL playoffs, deciding which teams will play in Super Bowl LVIII. Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup, and Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire and the USA Today Sports Media Group, are here to get you ready for the most interesting matchups.
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens
- How will Lamar Jackson deal with Steve Spagnuolo’s unconventional blitzes?
- Can Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco take over this game, and will “pin/pull” continue to be a thing?
- Will Mike Macdonald’s Ravens defense cause Patrick Mahomes to hesitate in his process with all those coverage disguises?
- How will Baltimore counter the Chiefs’ effective use of heavy personnel in the run and pass games?
Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
- Jared Goff has become much more than just a game manager, so how will Steve Wilks’ 49ers defense deal with that?
- Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has done a brilliant job coaching up a cornerback-light roster. But will that turn into a pumpkin against Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense?
- Is Brock Purdy’s bad game against the Packers in the divisional round indicative of vulnerabilities that can be exploited here?
- Will the Lions’ rookies on both sides of the ball be the ultimate difference in this game?
You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing both conference championship games in detail, right here:
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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…