NFL 2022-2023 Conference Title Games Prequel
The Conference Title Games are set:
NFC Title Game: 2.) San Francisco 49ers at 1.) Philadelphia Eagles (-2 1/2) at 3pm on FOX
— The 49ers started 3-4 and then ran the table to get to 13-4. Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy has been one of the great feel-good stories. He has plenty of weapons in Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. The Eagles started 13-1 and stumbled down the stretch with Jalen Hurts injured. Yet they finished 14-3 and Hurts seems like his old self again. AJ Brown stretches the field. Forget the home field in this game. This is not your father’s dink and dunk West Coast Offense 49ers. There is no finesse to this team. They win with a nasty defense. If Hurts is less than 100%, the 49ers will devour him to capture the George Halas NFC Championship trophy. Upset special, 49ers win outright
AFC Title Game: 3.) Cincinnati Bengals (-1 1/2) at 1.) Kansas City Chiefs at 6:30pm on CBS
— The Chiefs were the top seed at 14-3 while the 12-4 Bengals went on the road and throttled a very good Buffalo team. Last year the Bengals went on the road and took down top seed Tennessee. The Chiefs seem to dominate the league, With Walrus Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes making most other teams look foolish. The Chiefs let Tyreek Hill go and did not miss a beat. Travis Kelce is as reliable as ever. Yet the Bengals are not most teams. Joe Burrow oozes confidence. JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins stretch the field and Joe Mixon pounds the rock. The Bengals have beaten the Chiefs 3 straight times, including in the AFC Title Game last year in Arrowhead. This is a rematch, again in Arrowhead. In fact, the last 5 AFC Title Games have been in Arrowhead, a record. Patrick Mahomes is not 100%. The Bengals have a brutally tough defense. Yes, the Bengals are unfazed by the Chiefs. Burrow doesn’t seem fazed by anything. Yet betting against Mahomes is not a wise move. Being underdogs at home is a massive slap in the face, and it will add fuel to their locker room. The Chiefs will win the Lamar Hunt AFC Championship trophy in front of the late founder’s son and team owner Clark Hunt. Upset special, Chiefs win outright
SUPER BOWL PREDICTION:
The Super Bowl will be a rematch from 2019. Three years ago, the 49ers had a 20-10 fourth quarter lead but could not slam the door shut. Their defense flustered Mahomes for 3 1/2 quarters, but then he did what he does. 21 unanswered points in the final 7 1/2 minutes meant a 31-20 Chiefs win. If Mahomes is healthy, there will be no revenge. The best offense will take on the best defense. More importantly, Walrus Andy Reid will take on Kyle Shahahan in a battle of offensive strategists. Shanahan has choked in big games from a play-calling standpoint. Both of these coaches are pass-happy, but Reid in recent years has become more willing to run the ball to close out games. Shanahan has not, to his detriment. Reid will win his second Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Championship trophy and cement his first ballot Hall of Fame induction immediately upon eligibility. Chiefs win it all
eric