NFL football: Lions and Chiefs increasingly favored for the Super Bowl

If they didn’t lose this time, they don’t lose anymore. For goodness sake, it’s too early to talk about a perfect season (which, as the 2007 Patriots well know, isn’t even a good thing, it puts absurd pressure on you in the playoffs), but in the meantime nine out of nine is a good run. Let’s talk about the Kansas City Chiefs. How many times this year have we said “they play badly but they win”? Many, too many not to think that sooner or later they would stumble. And when Will Lutz was about to kick what was supposed to be a field goal with his eyes closed, we thought, “This is it.” Instead, incredibly and inexplicably, whoever was supposed to block at the Broncos vanished as if David Copperfield had made them disappear. They’ve all passed. almost everyone, everyone (to quote “He was a post in the Ortica gang” by the legendary Enzo Jannacci). And then onwards, to the delight of Taylor Swift, towards Orchard Park. Yes, because on Sunday at 10.25pm ​​Italian time there is Bills-Chiefs, not too bad.

lions

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Speaking of broken headphones, shall we talk about the Lions? If anyone had doubts about Detroit’s real consistency, the doubts should have vanished after the comeback at the Texans’ home ground. Down 23-7, with Jarred Goff throwing five interceptions (three not really his fault, but they remain so) and despite this coach Campbell’s team manages to win at the end. Houston can bite their hands but also come out of the match with the knowledge that they are largely in the running in the AFC. It’s games like this that are worth much more than the final score, they make you feel invincible. But we can’t close the Lions chapter without talking about the kicker, Jake Bates, author of the 56-yard field goal of the victory. Until 18 months ago he was a representative of a company that sells bricks, he had never played football in high school or even in college (only kickoffs), his specialty was soccer. American history if there is one.

dallas disaster

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Not that it’s a surprise to see the Cowboys in shambles. It was written some time ago that with McCarthy at the helm they had no chance. Now that they’ve lost Dak Prescott all season, well, the ship has sunk even faster. And the coach also finds himself listening to the words of his (and not only) best defender, Micah Parsons, who attacks him heavily: “I feel sorry for veterans like Zach Martin, people who struggle much more than McCarthy ever did in his life. If he will still coach Dallas in 2025? You have to ask my superiors.” Except then to say that he had no intention of speaking badly about it. And what did you plan to do then? The internal defeat with Philadelphia, with Jerry Jones complaining about the sun in the faces of the receivers, in the stadium that he built, is just the latest comedy of the season. Don’t worry, more will come.

mccaffrey

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The return of Christian McCaffrey gave the 49ers a good hand, although it was Brock Purdy who made the difference by throwing for 353 yards and two touchdowns. However, the fact that the situation at the Niners home is not the best can be seen with Deebo Samuel who puts his hands on his kicker after the third missed kick. The victory at home in Tampa is at least a boost for San Francisco in a division in which it now seems to have only Arizona as a competitor, after the Rams’ Monday Night knockout at home against Miami, a 23-15 in which all points LA came from a field goal. Speaking of the Cardinals, if there was ever any need, they were the ones who put the last nail in the coffin that contains the season of the New York Jets, embarrassing in defense and attack (17.7 points on average with Aaron Rodgers after 10 games, a year ago with Zach Wilson it was 17.4 at the end of the season).

the race in the afc

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Taking a look at the rankings, it is difficult to find Super Bowl teams other than the usual Chiefs and Lions. In the AFC, among those that can try to hurt the two-champions we certainly leave Buffalo, Baltimore (with many doubts in the secondary and a Lamar Jackson who has yet to demonstrate that he knows how to win in the playoffs), Houston (at full strength, especially with Nico Collins and Will Anderson , they will be another team) and as a true Pittsburgh outsider. But realistically only the Bills seem up to it. Unless the Chiefs’ season is interpreted another way. Let’s say they win despite playing badly, risking excessively every time, and then who knows when they will trigger the fifth. But what if the opposite happened? What if things came home to roost?

the race in the nfc

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Here too the Lions seem to have no rivals. Perhaps the one with the best credentials to give him a run for his money could be Green Bay. Many doubts remain about Philadelphia, especially regarding coach Sirianni. Minnesota with Sam Darnold despite being 7-2 doesn’t scare anyone. Washington is worthy of applause but certainly not a contender for the playoffs. Ditto Arizona. In the end, San Francisco could still be the team to watch, as long as everyone stays healthy. But never like this year in the two conferences does there seem to be an abyss between the first and the others.

the super bowl of the week

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You’ve understood it a long time ago if you’ve read this far: Chiefs-Lions, the rest is (often) boring. And so much, too much, mediocrity.