NFL Conference Championship disappointments

NFL fans were treated to two contests that came down to the wire on Conference Championship Weekend, but there were certain performances and decisions that left us and other viewers wanting more. We’ll take a look at the production and execution from the AFC and NFC title game that weren’t quite up to par.

The Detroit Lions had a Super Bowl trip in the palm of their paws on Sunday evening, but couldn’t make key plays to secure the victory. Reynolds was at the forefront of that poor execution, dropping passes on third and fourth down that could have kept Detroit in control. Unfortunately, Jared Goff’s passes hit him right in the hands on both instances.

Down 10 late in the game, the Lions needed to put points on the board in a hurry. They moved the ball down to the goal line, and decided to run the ball with David Montgomery, who got stopped. This forced the Lions to take one of their three timeouts, which also gave them no choice but to attempt an onside kick after they scored a touchdown.

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San Francisco deserves a lot of credit for bouncing back in the second half of the NFC championship game, but they were thoroughly dominated at the point of attack for the first 30 minutes. Give Detroit’s impressive offensive line credit for establishing running lanes, but the 49ers will need to start stronger in the Super Bowl.

He had an excellent rookie season, but Flowers had some difficult moments down the stretch of the AFC title game. Baltimore’s wide receiver fumbled the ball before crossing the plane of the goal line in the fourth quarter, which Kansas City recovered. He also was flagged for a taunting penalty and cut his hand when he slammed it against the bench in frustration.

For as stagnant as the Ravens’ offense was for most of the game, they still had legitimate opportunities to win the game. Jackson appeared to gain some momentum through the air in the fourth quarter, but an interception he threw into triple coverage essentially sealed the game. There was still time left to move the ball down the field without an end zone throw at that point.

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As they desperately tried to get the ball back to make one last drive, Baltimore’s defense let them down ahead of the two-minute warning. Inexplicably, they were called for 12 men on the field at a crucial point of the contest. It’s unflattering when that happens at any point of the game, but especially in a must-stop situation.

Kansas City declared Toney inactive for the AFC title game with an injury, but the Chiefs’ wide receiver took to social media to state that he was not injured. This indicates that the team has lost confidence in him, and that they might not have him suit up for the Super Bowl, either. Toney has had a roller coaster campaign.

Penalties committed on the offensive line have been a hindrance for Kansas City’s offense this season, and almost cost the team dearly at the end of the first half. Guard Trey Smith was flagged for holding on back-to-back plays, pushing Kansas City further away from the goal line. He’ll need to clean that up ahead of the Super Bowl.

There’s a chance that the media may have dropped the ball on covering a historic record. Travis Kelce broke an NFL record on Sunday for most career catches in the postseason, passing the great Jerry Rice. This is a major accomplishment considering the longevity it takes to achieve it, and the person who was eclipsed. It only received minimal attention leading up to and during the game.

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