Black Quarterback — 2021 — Conference Championships 2022
By Brandon Simmons
Bengals vs. Chiefs
Prepare to have your blood pressure raised again as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch that Cincy won after overcoming a 2 touchdown deficit in the 2nd quarter. Both teams were on the receiving end of thrilling wins in the divisional round and feature two of the highest-scoring offense from this season. Both teams went over the 30 point mark in their last game as the Bengals kicked a last second field goal to clinch the win. It was just a bump in the road for the Chiefs who cruised right to the number 2 seed of the conference and ended up hosting their 4th straight AFC championship.
This young Cincinnati Bengals team is growing up before our eyes in these playoffs. The tandem of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase — former teammates at LSU — have lifted this team to a division title as well as the team’s first playoff win in over 31 years. There are 2 things that have been impressive about these wins. First, they haven’t let the moment shake them at all. The Bengals jumped to a huge lead over the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans. In the latter game, Cincy withstood a big comeback and was able to score the game-winning field goal, in spite of Burrow getting sacked 9 times. Second, the Bengals have won games sticking to their high flying style. In both playoff games, Chase has crossed the century mark in receiving yards, while Burrow threw for 348 yards in last week’s win over the Titans.
While the Chiefs stumbled earlier in the year, this team has rebounded at the right time. Despite missing out on homefield advantage, Kansas City has played very much like the best team in the conference in these playoffs. They started their postseason with a blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers then prevailed in the closing minutes of last week’s divisional round win, to beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime. In the latter game, while being down by 3 with 13 seconds left in the game, Mahomes led an improbable comeback to force overtime and win the game on a touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce.
It’s possible the Kansas City Chiefs are going to have a long day against the Cincinnati Bengals, but they are still going to emerge victorious. The Bengals offense is explosive and stacked with weapons, but so is the Chiefs offense. The only difference is Kansas City doesn’t just have more experience — they have the right experience. This is the 4th straight AFC championship they are hosting — which is an NFL record — so they are very familiar with the task at hand and the intensity that comes along with it. While the Bengals have been impressive, they are a young team and we do not know how Burrow will respond to a crowd of Kansas City’s magnitude. It is known to be one of the loudest stadiums in the league during the regular season, so imagine what it will be like for this conference championship. Expect the Chiefs to end the Cinderella story of the Bengals.
49ers vs. Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are hosting the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch from their regular season finale, in which the Niners won on an overtime field goal. On paper, the Rams are clearly the superior team but this game could go either way. The Niners have been having an impressive playoff run, going on the road and beating potential Super Bowl opponents. However, the Rams have been dangerous as expected with a blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals and holding off a comeback from Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both teams have had solid playoff outings and now it has come to a head this Sunday for a chance to get to the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers have not played like the underdog they were made out to be in each of their playoff games. In the game against the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers jumped all the way to a 23–7 lead heading into the 4th quarter, to finish them off 23–17. Against the Green Bay Packers, the Niners were down 10- before their special teams sparked the comeback by blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown; special teams also played a part in clinching the W as Niners kicker Robbie Gould kicked the game-winning field goal.
The Los Angeles Rams have been on a tear this postseason. They blew out the Arizona Cardinals 34–11 in their Wild card win, in a game that seemed quiet for the Los Angeles offense. However, the next week against the Bucs, the Rams soared to a 27–3 lead before holding off a comeback attempt. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 366 yards and 2 touchdowns while wide receiver Cooper Kupp blew up for 9 catches and 183 yards, including a 44 yard reception to set L.A. up for the game winning field goal.
The Rams and 49ers are going to be slugging it out in their rematch, but they are going to come out with the win this time. The difference between these teams right off the bat will be quarterback. In the last 4 games, Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo has had some shaky numbers throwing for 2 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Rams QB Matthew Stafford has thrown for 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. However, Stafford’s picks in this span came in the regular season while Jimmy G has thrown picks in both postseason games. This is important to note because of how both teams have their own identity in winning games. The 49ers lean more towards running the ball, so much so that their best wide receiver, Deebo Samuel, has also become a major threat when he comes out of the backfield himself. The Rams lean more into throwing the ball, with a receiving core that includes Cooper Kupp, who has led the league in receiving yards, touchdowns and catches. In addition to that, they have a solid run game they turn to in Cam Akers and Sony Michel, should they need to find balance throughout the game or close the game out if they have a sizeable lead towards the end. It’s hard to speak about the Rams and not mention their pass rush, which features linebacker Von Miller and defensive lineman Aaron Donald. The bottom line is that the Rams are stacked enough to withstand any of the Niners biggest blows. The ironic part is Jimmy G has been to a Super Bowl before while Stafford got his first playoff win this season; but Stafford is leading the better team at this moment. Expect the Rams to get their revenge in this game and become the 2nd straight team to host the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
