The Ravens have had an unbelievable season with Lamar Jackson being the MVP favorite. This comes shortly after Lamar was re-signed to the Ravens after almost being left as a free agent because of his salary demands. It’s safe to say it’s money well spent for the Ravens. They finished the regular season with a stellar record of 13-4, even more significant after starting mostly 2nd string players on their last game against the Steelers. The Ravens greatly owe their success to Lamar Jackson and their rookie WR pickup Zay Flowers. After clinching the number 1 spot in their division, they got the bye-week, then defeated the Texans (with their exceptional season with CJ Stroud).
The Chiefs had a slow start to their season. They lost their opening game to the Lions and some other important games through missed pass completions during the end game (Kadarius Toney). Kelce was also slow to start the season but eventually came back up. Although his end to the regular season was slightly disappointing as he missed the 1000 yards for the regular season, only being away by a couple of yards. The Chiefs also had an excellent rookie pickup, WR Rashee Rice. He consistently played well, even being considered a number 1 receiver for the team ahead of Kelce. Despite their season-ending 11-6, they showed pure dominance against the dolphins (temperature was definitely a factor). They played the Bills in the second round and won, but nearly went to overtime if Bass (Bills kicker) had made the field goal. The Chiefs remain undefeated against the Bills in the postseason with Mahomes as their QB, coming as a surprise after the dominant Bills win against the Chiefs in the regular season matchup.
The Lions are up next. The Lions have been one of the worst teams in the NFL prior to the start of this season. So their start to the season with a win against the Chiefs was greatly celebrated. This comes as their brilliant rookie picks in the draft, taking Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta (RB and TE). They showed amazing talent throughout the season, showing promising talent for the future in the NFL, and a great one for the Lions. LaPorta became a prime receiver on the team catching numerous touchdowns and making big plays throughout the season (definitely helping my fantasy football team). Gibbs assisted Montgomery with their run game, making their offense one of the most dominant in the league. They had many breakout games throughout the season that led them to win their first division title since 1991. The Lions arguably had the most improved season, finishing 9-8 last year, and 3-13-1 the year before. Dan Campbell (head coach) has been through the bad and the good. whether they win or lose, they’ve had a widely successful season, and can only improve from here on out.
And finally the 49ers, my favorite. Born in California, the 49ers always have a special place in my heart. As much as I “support” the Bears, the 49ers are my true team. After back-to-back
heartbreaking NFC championship losses, this year is hopefully our year. After assembling the Avengers, it only makes sense to make the Super Bowl. Having Aiyuk, Kittle, and Deebo as receivers, with McCaffrey at RB, and a stacked defense definitely helped our chances. Our regular season was quite a success, except for some disappointing losses. Beating the nearly undefeated Eagles showed the true capability of the 49ers offense and defense. The defense especially improved after trading for Chase Young mid-season to help with defense, especially Bosa. Bosa being doubled-teamed throughout allowed Young to get more tackles and place more pressure on the opposing O-line. Another key player to note is Brock Purdy, he has more than beat the “system QB” allegations as he has proven he’s much more than that, being the runner-up for the MVP conversations. Most of this was written prior to the games, but some of it after the games. Although I’m disappointed to see the Ravens lose after such immense success in the season, the Chiefs played well and seem to be a strong team to be playing in the Super Bowl. My devastation and frustration in the first half of the 49ers game thankfully proved to be shortlived as we were quick to catch up to the score an
d go beyond it.