Lessons from NFL Championship weekend as Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and Chiefs head to Super Bowl
YouTube: Official ESPNTravis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate as Chiefs earn Super Bowl berth
The NFL crowned its AFC and NFC champions this past weekend. After beginning the post-season with 14 teams in Super Bowl contention, only two remain.
Fresh off two post-season victories, the Detroit Lions headed to the Bay Area to challenge the one-seeded San Francisco 49ers.
Detroit stormed out to a 17-point lead in the second half, but Brock Purdy and the Niners charged back, ending the Motown Cinderella story in its tracks.
The Kansas City Chiefs, led by two-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, went into M&T Bank Stadium and emerged victorious against the Baltimore Ravens.
Lamar Jackson, the expected 2023 NFL MVP, couldn’t overcome a staunch Chiefs defense. The Baltimore defenders couldn’t slow Mahomes down, either.
Dexerto Sports highlights five things we learned from Championship Weekend, including the intrigue of the upcoming Super Bowl rematch.
49ers and Chiefs meet again in Super Bowl LVIII
The 49ers and Chiefs are on a collision course for Las Vegas on February 11 as Allegiant Stadium will host the NFL’s 58th Super Bowl.
If the matchup sounds familiar, it’s likely because the two franchises squared off in Super Bowl LIV four years ago.
The Chiefs came out on top after San Francisco blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead. Mahomes won Superbowl MVP honors.
The Niners have a similar roster as the previous matchup, but Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey could make the difference in the second duel.
Dan Campbell lives and dies by the sword
For better or worse, Lions head coach Dan Campbell is never shy about rolling the dice.
Multiple times during Detroit’s loss in the NFC Championship, the offense remained on the field on fourth down rather than trotting out the special teams unit.
Analytics favor Campbell’s decisions on such plays; aggressiveness is part of the team’s DNA.
However, the Lions ultimately lost the game, falling just shy of their Super Bowl aspirations, leaving many to question Campbell’s decisions.
Travis Kelce is the most decorated pass catcher in NFL Playoffs history
The superstar tight end has 156 career receptions in the postseason, using an impressive 11-catch performance vs. Baltimore to surpass the legendary Jerry Rice.
Kelce holds several regular-season records for tight ends, so it’s only fitting that he also etched his name in the play-off history books.
The 35-year-old veteran is hoping for a third Super Bowl ring.
Taylor Swift will be along for the Super Bowl ride
The CBS crew panned to the pop icon multiple times on Sunday afternoon. Taylor Swift, now a regular at Chiefs games, even took to the gridiron afterwards to celebrate the victory.
Kelce and Swift embraced on the field.
Swift has a concert scheduled in Japan the day before Super Bowl LVIII, but reports say she plans on flying back in time to support Kelce vs. the 49ers.
The Ravens need a few more weapons on offense
The overhaul in Baltimore, led by new offensive co-ordinator Todd Monken, resulted in an MVP campaign for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Rookie pass catcher Zay Flowers single-handedly changed the unit, but the AFC Championship revealed how badly the offense needs another game-changer at wideout.
The Ravens have a Super Bowl-winning head coach, a championship-level defense, and an MVP-caliber quarterback.
The front office must put the finishing touches on the roster to get the Kansas City-sized chip off its shoulder.
