Greg Bedard of BostonSportsJournal.com joined the Felger and Mazz program on Tuesday, as he does every week to discuss the Patriots and the NFL games from the past week. While on, Greg Bedard did his weekly “10 Questions” segment on the program following Divisional weekend of the 2023 NFL season…..
But before 10 questions, here are some notes from around the NFL….
The Kansas City Chiefs will be playing in their 6th consecutive AFC championship game when they visit the Baltimore Ravens. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has gone to the AFC title game every season that he has been a starting quarterback in the NFL. This will be the first time in the six year stretch that the Chiefs will have to play on the road in the Conference Championship.
The San Francisco 49ers will be appearing in their 19th NFC Championship game this week. It is their third consecutive NFC title game appearance. They 49ers are 7-11 all-time in NFC Championships games.
The Detroit Lions will be playing in the NFC Championship game for the first time since the 1991 NFL season. The Lions lost that game to the then Washington Redskins 41-10.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield currently leads all quarterbacks in passing yards in the NFL playoffs with 686 yards. With Mayfield’s playoff campaign over, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who site 2nd and 3rd respectively in passing yards, could potentially pass him on the list.
Both Conference Championship games will feature a matchup of the top-seeded team in the conference (Baltimore & San Francisco) and the third ranked team in the conference (Kansas City & Detroit). The second seeded Buffalo Bills fell to the Chiefs last week in the AFC divisional round, while the second Dallas Cowboys lost in the NFC Wild Card round to the Green Bay Packers.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – DECEMBER 10: Quarterback Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills in action during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
10. What’s preventing Buffalo from getting over the hump?
Greg Bedard: I want to say it’s McDermott, and you can make a case for that, but for me, it’s how the team’s constructed. Offensively they’re a dome team playing in Buffalo. And defensively they just they just play McDermott scheme, they’re built for that and it’s not good enough in today’s NFL.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 03: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers walks on the field after a win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 03, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
9. Is San Francisco vulnerable or are the Packers a stronger team than they were given credit for?
Greg Bedard: San Francisco is always vulnerable if they can’t play from ahead. They are built on getting a lead, their running game, getting into advantageous pass rushing situations or else, if they got to play it straight off, if the Lions come out there and they’re physical and beat them up and take a lead early, it’s going to go down to the end and Kyle Shanahan is not good at the end of games. He’s not.
8. Jared Goff or Brock Purdy?
Greg Bedard: Jared Goff. He’s taller, bigger, and he doesn’t melt when it rains like Brock Purdy does.
Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and tight end Travis Kelce (87) warm up before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
7. I ask this every time it comes up: Should the NFL change the rule that says a fumble through the end zone is loss of possession and a touchback?
Greg Bedard: It is way too punitive. It’s got to be changed. It’s absurd that the guy can fumble out at the one yard line and they still have possession and can score a touchdown, but just because it goes into the end zone all of a sudden they lose the ball? No. It should be previous spot, loss of down, 10 to 15 yards. That’s what it should be.
6. Thoughts on how the final four teams are built?
Greg Bedard: The two conferences are two different ways. In the NFC you have the teams that are “build the team up first, figure out the quarterback later”, and in the AFC they are “franchise, big money quarterbacks where they build everything around around that quarterback”. So I just find it very interesting to see how this whole thing plays out.
Felger: Which would you rather be?
Greg Bedard: I want the team because you can win in different ways. What happens if your quarterback gets hurt? With the 49ers it’s not a big deal. We’ve seen what happens with the Ravens when Lamar Jackson goes down, or if when Patrick Mahomes gets a foot injury that one year where they lost in the Super Bowl. In a team sport, the ultimate team sport, I like the team concept.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball against the Miami Dolphins at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
5. Who was the biggest toolbag from Divisional Weekend?
Greg Bedard: So this is very minor but it just irritates me…John Lynch on the sideline before the game’s over in a divisional round game congratulating guys, giving out big hugs. Like just go stay in the box. Go win something and then you can get on the sideline and hug people. Like a Super Bowl, not a divisional game. I thought that was lame.
4. Since the Pats traded Jimmy Garoppolo in October, 2017, the list of QBs they passed on in the draft between then and 2021 (Mac Jones) included: Lamar Jackson, Mason Rudolph, Drew Lock, Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts. Who should they regret the most for passing on?
Greg Bedard: No question, Lamar Jackson. It set up perfectly: You traded Garoppolo in the fall of 2017, Lamar Jackson was in the next draft right there where you could have drafted him and he could have sat for a year or two behind Brady and then took over and you could have had that going on. And they just completely blew it up. Why? Because Belichick was throwing a temper tantrum because Robert made him trade Garoppolo.
ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN – JULY 27: Dan Campbell, head coach of the Detroit Lions during the Detroit Lions Training Camp on July 27, 2022 in Allen Park, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
3. The Detroit Lions have famously never won a Super Bowl or even been to one. The only other teams never to have made the game are the Jags, Texans and Browns. Are there any of those four who you hope never make it?
Greg Bedard: If I had to pick one it would be the Jaguars. Just because, if the Jaguars won the Super Bowl who’s going to care? It’s going to be the dumbest storyline ever.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 04: Myles Straw #7 Amed Rosario #1 and Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after defeating the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on October 04, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Royals 5-3. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images).
2. If you could pick any one team to win any one championship – any league, any sport – who would you most want to see win the next one?
Greg Bedard: I would like to see the Cleveland Guardians win. I’ve just had an affinity for the for the Indians/Guardians. I wish Tito was still there, It’d be better if he was the one to do it, similar to, like he did in Boston, but the Guardians would be my pick, no question.
1.Same question in reverse. What’s the last team – any league, any sport – you’d like to see win a title?
Felger: The Yankees. Fun fact I still haven’t seen the Yankees celebrate that 2009 championship with A-Rod. I refuse to watch and acknowledge it. So in my mind, it never happened.
