Elite QB play remains the secret to success

Conference Championship weekend featured what most NFL followers believe were the best four teams in football in 2022. A solid argument could be made for Buffalo belonging in the conversation, but the Bills faltered down the stretch and were soundly beaten at home by the Bengals, leaving them out of the equation at the moment.

In the NFC, there really wasn’t much of a case to be made against Philadelphia and San Francisco. The Eagles were the best from wire-to-wire and the Niners may boast the most talented roster in football. On the other side, the Chiefs again piled up wins under Patrick Mahomes while the Bengals proved they were no one-hit wonders by following up last year’s Super Bowl appearance with another strong run.

In two weeks it will be Eagles-Chiefs in Arizona in Super Bowl LVII, and over the next 12 days we’ll no doubt be inundated with stories about Andy Reid facing his former team as well as the Kelce Brothers, Travis and Jason, going head to head.

Before that begins in earnest it’s worth looking at some elements of the teams that advanced the furthest. Of the final four, only San Francisco didn’t bring an elite quarterback to the table. Otherwise, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Mahomes represented three of the five finalists for the NFL’s MVP award. So, as has been the case for years, the need for elite play at the game’s most important position remains a prerequisite for consistent success.

While Mahomes and Burrow were already established among the game’s best, Hurts entered the equation in 2022. He really emerged in his third season, showing tremendous improvement as a passer while continuing to provide tremendous production as a runner for an Eagles offense that dominated all season. Although Mahomes will likely win it, my vote would go to Hurts for MVP, a case bolstered by Philly’s dismal 0-2 showing in his two-game absence due to a shoulder injury. Either way, it’s clear that all three were among the game’s best.

There’s been some talk about the…