Laser-focused Lamar to guide Ravens to Nevada
At the start of the season I picked these two teams to make it this far and at that point I expected Patrick Mahomes to shine and for the Chiefs to come out on top.
Now I have changed my mind. The Lamar Jackson X Factor is going to drive the Chiefs’ defence crazy. Lamar has been at it all year but this will be his toughest test so far.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kansas City won but if I had to pick one team then I’d go with the Ravens – I’d love to see Lamar in the Super Bowl.
What else could you want from a game? Kansas are playing their best offensive football right now and they’re at their peak going into this game. They’ve figured out all of their problems.
Usually, we’re waiting for them to fix their defence and they do it just in time for the playoffs, this year it’s the opposite and they’ve done that with their offense.
Because of what has happened in the past, Lamar’s focus is different. The team is feeding off of that and that is what we saw against the Texans. It’s a big few days and Lamar and his team will be laser focused.
Lions have every chance, but I’m leaning towards San Fran
I absolutely believe that the Detroit Lions can defy history and make it to the Super Bowl.
These two teams match up quite evenly, both can definitely score a lot of points on offense, and they have the same kind of structure. Both have that underdog mindset and every day is a fight.
The game being outside could be a factor and hopefully the rain doesn’t affect Lions QB Jared Goff too much! It will be all about who’s defence has a better game plan and who is up to the challenge on the day.
Deebo Samuel potentially being out is a big loss for the 49ers. His absence will allow Lions DC Aaron Glenn to adjust their defence accordingly and try to shut down other players.
The Lions can definitely win this game, but I’m probably just leaning towards San Francisco at the moment.
The 49ers have better players on every level in defence, but they haven’t necessarily been dominating lately.
They do, however, look much better on paper and I love their linebackers. They’re so good that the Lions are going to have to be very subtle in their play design to catch them out.
My two to make the Super Bowl
The Ravens and the 49ers are my two picks to make the Super Bowl. I would not be mad if any other combination were to happen, but that is how I see it going.
The 49ers being in the Super Bowl would be a great story and I’d like to see their defence in the Super Bowl, more than I’d like to see Detroit’s. I really want to see Baltimore there but that game is near impossible to call.
All I know for certain is that we’re going to get to watch some great football!
Harbaugh appointment great news for Herbert
Jim Harbaugh being appointed head coach of the LA Chargers is great news for their franchise QB Justin Herbert.
The problem with that team is knowing their identity and culture. Harbaugh has got to figure that out.
They’re going to have a quarterback that will want to win and will believe that he can. Harbaugh is a winner but we have to remember that he’s just come out of college football – he’s been recruiting high school kids.
He’s done it in the pros and he’s coming in off the back of a National Championship, so the players are going to listen to him.
What he did at the 49ers and what he did with Colin Kaepernick in making him a dual-threat shows that he can make it work in the NFL.
AP will lead Raiders by example
I’m absolutely thrilled that Antonio Pierce has been appointed as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
He is one of my closest friends and it is great to see guys that I played with in the coaching scene. He’s the first of that bunch to become a head coach!
He is a leader of men. He leads by example, with his word and his effort. He has had success in every venture so far – from ESPN to Head Coach of the Raiders – and he’s always found a way to execute any plan that he has in his mind. His work ethic and the detail he can go into is just amazing.
He has shown what a leader can do. The players want to play for him and they want to fight for him. They’re used to these other guys who couldn’t even lead them down a street, but Pierce is going to lead that entire locker room into every game. They aren’t going to know what has hit them.
He’s seen it all in football so no player or situation is going to catch him off guard. He will know how to deal with every player, tell them what mistakes they’re making and show them how to put them right.
