The culmination of the NFL playoffs is fast approaching, with only four teams left in the hunt for this year’s Lombardi Trophy. Those four — the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens — certainly have a lot going for them, just one step away from an appearance in Super Bowl LVIII, which will be broadcast on CBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount+.
But just because we’ve reached the conference championships doesn’t mean these contenders are devoid of lingering concerns. Here are the biggest questions facing each of the four teams still in the mix for the Super Bowl:
Chiefs: Are Mahomes’ weapons truly enough?
There’s no denying Kansas City has flipped a switch down the stretch. Patrick Mahomes has settled in while leaning almost exclusively on the trio of Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco and emergent rookie Rashee Rice. And it’s worked. But the Ravens are a different breed when it comes to defense, at least compared to the Bills and Dolphins. No team’s surrendered fewer points this year, and stalwarts like Roquan Smith swarm to the ball.
What if Rice is blanketed on the perimeter? Are Kelce and Pacheco, who thrive more as grind-it-out chain-movers than field-stretchers, capable of carrying the day? It’s possible. But for much of 2023, remember, Mahomes’ chief issue was simply finding a reliable outlet when he needed one. The Ravens could inflame that.
49ers: Can they survive more adversity?
Prodding at San Francisco for barely escaping a Packers comeback feels a bit like nitpicking; this is still a 13-5 team (including playoffs) with enviable infrastructure, including a coach in Kyle Shanahan who’s now been to four NFC title games in five years. But anyone with eyes could see that young quarterback Brock Purdy was more finnicky than usual against Green Bay. Whether it was due primarily to the rainy conditions, the absence of a healthy Deebo Samuel or pressure from the Jordan Love-led Pack isn’t entirely relevant. Because whatever you think of the Lions, Detroit is destined to make the NFC title clash a fight.
Will Samuel be at full speed? Can Purdy build off a calmer finish to his otherwise erratic outing? And will Shanahan stop bending conservative in key spots? We all know this contender has the all-star talent to win it all, but time and again, they’ve suggested they’re built to play from ahead, not the other way around.
Lions: Can they keep Jared…
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