NFL power rankings 3 reasons why 49ers Chiefs Ravens Lions will or wont win Super Bowl 58
NFL power rankings 3 reasons why 49ers Chiefs Ravens Lions will or wont win Super Bowl 58
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The AFC and NFC divisional playoffs are done, producing the last teams left standing in the conference championship games ahead of Super Bowl 58. Congratulations to San Francisco, Kansas City, Baltimore, and Detroit for getting this far. The 49ers and Chiefs were here last year, too, with one losing and one advancing to win Super Bowl 57. The Ravens and Lions are mild surprises to be in the position vs. other teams in either conference, but they have proved themselves playoff-worthy with great coaching and talent. Here's one last Sporting News NFL power rankings for the postseason with a twist, putting the remaining teams in order of true likelihood to win it all vs. their updated sportsbook odds to become Super Bowl 58 champions: MORE PLAYOFFS: | (Getty Images) Why the 49ers will win Super Bowl 58 1. Offense, offense, offense. Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle have been the healthiest offensive skill star support for Brock Purdy. Should Purdy have Deebo Samuel (shoulder) back from the injury that knocked him out of the divisional playoffs, the 49ers are near unstoppable when Purdy is confident and on point throwing to those weapons all over the field. The 49ers can then simply pivot to rushing McCaffrey a ton when the matchup calls for it to take pre sure off Purdy Dominik Kahun Jersey . The 49ers sometimes seem to almost stop themselves by getting too cute or Purdy succumbing to mistakes when a pa s rush does get to him. 2. Defensive front seven. The 49ers' ideal scenario is getting to the quarterback with a front-four pa s rush, led by Nick Bosa off the edge. That allows them to keep seven back in coverage, including rangy linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. If they dictate the terms against any offensive line, running game, and short pa sing game, they can take over a game. When they eat up the run with their healthy beef inside and lick their chops in pursuit of quarterbacks, it's difficult to break that up. 3. Their past playoff disappointment. The 49ers know it's disappointing to have only one recent Super Bowl appearance a lo s to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 54 based on how succe sful the Kyle Shanahan era has been offensively and defensively. There's a sense they are overdue to lift the Lombardi Trophy with this group to end their 28-year title drought. The 49ers were determined and focused after last year's injury me s against the Eagles to return to the championship game, and there are a couple more games left before their goal is complete. Why the 49ers won't win Super Bowl 58 1. Pa s coverage in the secondary. The 49ers have the solid Charvarius Ward at corner, but between Deommodore Lenoir and Ambry Thomas, there can be some downfield lapses that lead to big plays when the pa s rush isn't getting home. They are fortunate they don't mi s injured safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) as much as expected at safety with rookie Ji'Ayir Brown and journeyman Tashaun Gipson playing well. 2. Brock Purdy is off again. Purdy had a few rough games in the middle of the season, leading to a three-game losing streak. When he has his key offensive skill players and left tackle Trent Williams intact, there's no excuse for him to have a shaky pa sing performance. He had a few jitters throwing the ball on the Packers and got away with it because of McCaffrey helping to settle him late. The 49ers will not be so fortunate a second time with the stakes raised. 3. Injuries. The 49ers lost Purdy against the Eagles last season and had no shot with no healthy QBs. Now the 49ers are dealing with Samuel on the shelf again. They also took a hit when Williams got hurt and had to mi s crucial time in some games. They can't afford to lose any more of their core players on either side of the ball vs. stronger competition. MORE: (Getty Images) Why the Chiefs will win Super Bowl 58 1. The defense. The Chiefs' defense has been nasty all season. They were No. 2 in total defense with an average of only 289.8 yards per game allowed. They also were No. 2 in scoring defense behind only the Ravens, allowing just 17.3 points per game. The Chiefs did let the Bills rack up some rushing yards and points in the divisional round, but they tightened things with their run-stopping, pre sure, and coverage when it counted most late. Chris Jones and George Karlaftis lead the unrelenting pa s rush inside-outside up front. L'Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie are stingy on their a signments downfield. The linebackers remain a key foundation for Steve Spagnuolo's calculated attack. The Chiefs are loaded vs. the pa s and can protect their sometimes vulnerable run defense situationally. Defenses still can win championships, even on a team still known for offense first. 2. Patrick Mahomes. Have you seen the playoff version of Mahomes make us forget about the struggling regular-season edition? He has looked great ripping the Dolphins and Bills in the playoffs, and in Buffalo, in his first-ever road playoff game, he got even sharper with his arm and legs. He built on trusting wide receiver Rashee Rice and tight end Travis Kelce most last week by finding his deep-shot prowe s again. Mahomes finds a different gear in the playoffs, timed with Andy Reid ramping it up for him as a play-caller. Mahomes can lead the Chiefs to a third ring based largely on his sharp play alone, much like what Tom Brady did for the Patriots. 3. Travis Kelce's "Love Story."Kelce isn't washed. He isn't le ser for being in a relationship with the world's biggest pop star. He isn't nece sarily ready to retire like older brother Jason. Travis Kelce is still the primary red-zone threat and most trusted target for Mahomes, as evidenced by ending his seven-game scoring drought with two big TDs in Buffalo. Before Kelce met Taylor Swift, he was attached to Mahomes, and now Jan Rutta Jersey they are the . Kelce looks rejuvenated and ready to help his QB get that magical third ring. Why the Chiefs won't win Super Bowl 58 1. Not enough weapons for Mahomes. The Chiefs' wide receiver woes outside of the rookie Rice have been well documented. It was key that Mahomes and deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling got going together again vs. the Bills. However, going too far behind Rice, MVS, and Kelce in the pa sing game can be dicey, as evidenced by Mecole Hardman and all those drops from everybody in the regular season. Mahomes once again has his pa sing circle of trust, but it needs a little expansion to go all the way again. 2. Forgetting to run the ball. Did you see Isiah Pacheco deliver "angry run' after angry run against the Bills? Did you see Creed Humphrey and the rest offensive line flex their athleticism to open up holes for chunk bursts? Let's hope Andy Reid did, too. Pacheco got 24 carries against the Dolphins for 89 yards and a TD, showing the savvy renewed commitment to the power run to lift Mahomes. Pacheco was more difficult to slow down vs. the Bills, as he needed only 15 carries to churn out 97 yards and another ma sive TD. Reid riding Pacheco (or a back in general) come playoff time is nothing new, but he can't go away from it now, knowing where the Ravens' biggest defensive weakne s is. 3. Run defense. The Chiefs gave up 4.5 yards per carry in the regular season, and they got pounded pretty well by Josh Allen and James Cook in the divisional round before tightening up inside late. The Chiefs know that the Ravens, 49ers, and Lions are all ready and willing to run the ball often to facilitate their pa sing. Baltimore presents a Buffalo-like challenge with its QB leading the rushing mix. The Chiefs can't put themselves in a position to keep getting run over. MORE: (Getty Images) Why the Ravens will win Super Bowl 58 1. Lamar Jackson, two-time MVP. Jackson had an awesome MVP campaign as a running-based rising QB star in 2019, but he was a better all-around QB in '23. He has put together his dynamic pa sing and running like never before, taking over as the game's most dangerous dual-threat. He's looser and , having shredded the Texans with his arm and legs. The Ravens can win it all with Jackson carrying them. 2. Pa s rush. The Ravens had a league-high 60 sacks in 2023. That was impre sive, given they had only one player in double-digits, defensive tackle Justin Madubuike with a team-high 12.5. Well-traveled Jadeveon Clowney (9.5) and Kyle Van Noy (9) were the best of the rest, as the wealth was spread around the front seven and blitzers from the secondary. The Ravens do a great job of mixing up from where the pre sure is coming from, and they can get it done either outside or inside . 3. Red-zone offense. The 49ers and Lions were better in the red zone during the regular season, but Baltimore doesn't need to call on Justin Tucker much once inside the opponents' 20. The Ravens were at a 63-percent TD clip for the season, but they've pushed that to almost 82 percent of late. Jackson, either on short bursts or short pa ses, and running back Gus Edwards are hard to stop in scoring position, as OC Todd Monken can keep opponents gue sing with the viable, versatile options. That gets even more of a boost with Mark Andrews (leg) set to return at tight end. Why the Ravens won't win Super Bowl 58 1. Run defense. The Ravens finished No. 13 in run defense during the regular season, allowing 105.4 rushing yards per game. They also allowed 4.5 rushing yards per attempt. Should a team stick with the run through the second half in a close game with the Ravens, the effective results will arrive with volume. The Ravens also would prefer to pin their ears back and get after the QB for MacDonald vs. getting worn down through their non-traditional weakne s up front. 2. Not enough big pa s plays. The Ravens have done well getting the ball downfield with Jackson spreading it around to his wide receivers under Todd Monken. With that philosophy to open up the offense, Jackson posted a career-best 8.0 yards per attempt. Those intermediate-to-deep shots used to be more calculated playing off the run, but they are now a regular part of the pa sing game. Should the Ravens be contained from executing those with Jackson, it would give a defense a better chance to get off the field at some point by making them sustain longer drives. 3. Penalties.With the Cowboys, Browns, Texans, Bills, and Packers all eliminated (keep that in mind), the Ravens are the most penalized team left in the postseason. Only the Cowboys were penalized for more yards than their 955. The Ravens cleaned up well vs. Houston, with just three penalties used against them for 15 yards, while the . Defensive pa s interference is the biggest concern, as they were penalized 13 times for that. MORE: (Getty Images) Why the Lions will win Super Bowl 58 1. Run defense. The Lions finished the regular season No. 2 in the league, allowing only 87.6 yards rushing per game. They are tough inside, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is a good run-stopper on top of his dangerous edge rush. Detroit needs to render teams one-dimensional to have a chance with Hutchinson and others getting to the QB 2. Running game. The Lions' running game saw tough sledding early against the Buccaneers until their stout blocking offensive line, battling injuries and all, wore down the opposing front. in the deciding fourth quarter, the rushing attack blew up, . Gibbs and former Bear David Montgomery have provided a strong, speedy 1-2 punch all season, all the way through the red zone. When they get both going in the same game, the Lions are hard Chris Kunitz Jersey to beat because the overall impact extends to QB Jared Goff and the defense. 3. Underdog spirit. Coach Dan Campbell has been telling the Lions to let out the roar ever since he was named coach. The players in Detroit love him and want to win for him as much as they do themselves, given they see them in him as a former player. No one believed how quickly the Lions could turn around by restocking the roster under his leadership. Few believed the Lions were ready to win one playoff game, let alone two. The motivation to get stronger while proving many doubters wrong can't be ignored. MORE: Why the Lions won't win Super Bowl 58 1. Pa s defense. The Lions finished the regular season No. 30 in the league, allowing 253.4 pa sing yards per game. The Rams (367 yards from Matthew Stafford) and Buccaneers (349 yards from Baker Mayfield) stayed in the game late because they were able to pick apart Detroit's coverage when their QBs were given time. The Lions are particularly vulnerable against big pa s plays outside in single coverage, and they also don't fare well in handling tight ends. 2. Jared Goff's play on the road. Goff, by every metric throughout his career with the Rams and Lions, hasn't been the same QB, either with efficiency or prolific production, on the road. That suggests he doesn't fare well in the elements outside or when things get more hostile to boost a defense coming after him. Goff needs to overcome this narrative after being fortunate to open the playoffs with two games in Ford Field. If he has a subpar to shaky game in San Francisco, Detroit's party-crashing fun would come to a screeching halt. 3. Relative inexperience. Goff took the Rams to Super Bowl 53. Some other veterans on the team have enjoyed playoff succe s before this current run. Overall, though, this a young, rebuilding team ahead of schedule with the best still yet to come under the leadership of Campbell and fiery, smart GM Brad Holmes. Detroit has time on its side with a rising youthful core, but this time, its overall playoff equity pales in comparison to what San Francisco, Kansas City, and Baltimore all have built as more established powers.
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