With the NFL Conference Championship Games kicking off on Sunday, we’ll break down a few players that could have a big impact on the outcome this weekend.
The NFC and AFC title games are upon us and they feature a pair of great matchups.
On one side of the bracket, we have two of the most prolific offenses in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. On the other side of the bracket, we have two of the best defenses in the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.
There are a few different players that have a chance to make their presence felt on the road to the Super Bowl.
Let’s take a look at the players to watch for in the AFC and NFC Championship Games.
Ja’marr Chase — Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals
Ja’marr Chase has been making plays all throughout the Cincinnati Bengals’ championship run.
His playmaking abilities were on full display last weekend in Buffalo as he was making defenders look silly. Even during the snowy weather conditions, he was able to torch that pass defense to the tune of 5 catches for 61 yards and 1 touchdown.
Chase just like his quarterback Joe Burrow, has had a ton of success against the Kansas City Chiefs throughout his career. In 2 games he was able to compile 18 catches for 363 yards and 3 touchdowns with all 3 touchdowns coming in last year’s AFC title game.
If the Bengals have to keep up with the Chiefs, Chase will have to have a big game.
Nick Bosa — Defensive End, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are known for their stout defense.
A large part of that is due to Nick Bosa wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lines. Bosa is one of the finalists for defensive player of the year and rightfully so. He finished the regular season with 51 tackles, 10 assists, and led the NFC with 18.5 sacks.
His presence will be felt every moment he is on the field, especially if the 49ers want to have a chance at slowing Jalen Hurts and this high-flying offense. The Eagles’ offensive line gives up on average 2.5 sacks per game which are 20th in the league.
If there was a game for Bosa to show out, this is the game. Watch out for him on Sunday.
Travis Kelce — Tight End, Kansas City Chiefs
The player that will have the biggest impact on the Kansas City Chiefs, outside of Patrick Mahomes, is certainly Travis Kelce.
There’s no doubt that Kelce has been the go-to target for Mahomes since he took over the starting job. He has 496 catches, 6,319 yards, and 48 touchdowns in 78 career games with Mahomes as his quarterback.
He will be in for a heavy workload ahead of this AFC title game, especially if the Chiefs want to keep up score-for-score with the Bengals. The Bengals have played stout defense against Kelce throughout his career to the tune of 19 catches, 225 yards, and 1 touchdown in 4 career games.
He will need to break out of that slump if he wants his team to have a chance of making it back to the Super Bowl.
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