SLATE Overview ::
By Hilow >>
- Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco (ankle/toe) did not practice Wednesday. I’m writing this on Thursday before the updated injury report is released, but I tentatively view this absence as more maintenance than anything that would place his availability for Sunday at risk. That said, monitor this situation closely as the weekend draws near, as an absence would have massive ramifications for this slate.
- Chiefs WR Skyy Moore (knee, IRDR) did not practice Wednesday as he works his way back from an extended absence.
- Chiefs OG Joe Thuney (pectoral) did not practice Wednesday and appears to be at significant risk of missing the Conference Championship game against the Ravens.
- LB Willie Gay (limited, neck), DT Derrick Nnadi (DNP, triceps), and S Mike Edwards (DNP, concussion) are the other injuries to monitor for the Chiefs. All three starters play vital roles in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.
- Ravens TE Mark Andrews (ankle, IRDR) practiced in full on Wednesday after managing two full practices before the team’s Divisional Round win over the Texans. It appears to be highly likely that the All-Pro tight end returns for the Ravens to play the Chiefs.
- Lions TE Sam LaPorta (knee) returned to a limited session Thursday after missing practice Wednesday. He should be good to go once again after playing each of the previous two playoff games with a hyperextended knee with an associated bone bruise.
- Lions WR Kalif Raymond (knee) has yet to practice this week after missing both playoff games so far.
- C Frank Ragnow (ankle/toe/knee/back) and OG Jonah Jackson (knee) have not practiced this week. Pay close attention to the respective statuses of these two offensive linemen – the struggles of QB Jared Goff when under pressure are well documented.
- 49ers WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder) did not practice Wednesday but was seen working on the side with trainers with his jersey on. Considering the team would have an extra week of rest between the Conference Championship week and the Super Bowl with a win here, I tentatively expect him to suit up come Sunday.
- The two AFC teams finished the regular season ranked first and second in points allowed per game, with the Ravens ranking second in points per game (28.7) while the Chiefs ranked 14th (22.3).
How detroit Will Try To Win ::
The Lions remain one of the true “in your face” teams left in the league, aiming to control the line of scrimmage on either side while leveraging their defense and elite red-zone touchdown rate to will victories into existence. Their expected dropback rate ended just below league average at just over 62 percent this season, while their actual dropback rate finished as the fifth lowest in the league during the regular season. That translates to a run-balanced offensive approach during the course of the regular season. That said, this team has shown an ability to alter its offensive game plan based on the opponent, most recently exhibited in their Divisional Round win over a Buccaneers team that was one of the most pass-funnel defensive units in the league this season. In that game, Goff attempted 43 passes to 19 designed running back carries in a game that played close throughout, going into the fourth quarter knotted at 17 points. That’s an important distinction considering a few variables at play in this matchup. First, the Lions are currently instilled as 7.5-point underdogs, which is one of the larger spreads you will find from a Conference Championship game. Second, the 49ers finished the regular season ranked 11th in yards allowed per carry and fifth in net yards allowed per pass attempt and held opponents to just 17.7 points per game (third). Finally, the Lions currently have two key injuries along their offensive line that could generate a distinct mismatch against the vaunted San Francisco pass rush. We saw the Packers control the line of scrimmage via a borderline elite offensive line, which allowed them to take a lead into the fourth quarter in the Divisional Round. That would likely not be the case for the Lions should Ragnow and/or Jackson either miss or be limited here. To sum that up, I expect the Lions to come out of the gate with a run-balanced approach, which ultimately gives this team the best chance of an upset over the 49ers. This team is not currently built to play from behind, meaning things could get out of hand in a hurry if the 49ers are able to get out in front of the Lions early.
Similar to the Ravens, the Lions’ backfield continues to ping pong around between 1A/1B status and a near-even timeshare. Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have very different skill sets, with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson doing everything from rotating series to running Montgomery as the preferred early-down option and Gibbs as the change-of-pace and obvious passing-down option. Considering the matchup and the state of the Detroit offensive line, I tentatively expect this to be a game where Gibbs is leaned on a bit more than is typical. That said, we should see the Lions start with each back receiving a set of downs to a full possession before giving way to the other, considering recent tendencies. The matchup on the ground should be considered middling, at best, against a 49ers defense that allowed 4.1 yards per carry, 1.16 yards before contact, and 15.7 DK points per game to the position this season. The 49ers filtered 117 targets to opposing backs during the regular season, sixth most in the league, which combines with the expected game environment to boost the passing expectation for Gibbs slightly.
As has been the case for each of the Lions’ two playoff games this postseason, Kalif Raymond appears set for another absence this week. That has translated to a more condensed target tree thus far, leaving Amon-Ra St. Brown and LaPorta in near every-down roles while Josh Reynolds should be expected to see a tick under near every-down snap rates and Jameson Williams should be at the mercy of the team’s 11-personnel rates. The Lions have utilized blocking tight end Brock Wright in a 41 percent snap rate role in each of their playoff wins, which should be the baseline expectation here. There is the potential for Wright to see a slight uptick in snap rate considering the injuries to Detroit’s offensive line, which would be likeliest in a close game environment. St. Brown and LaPorta have combined to see 41 of 70 playoff targets from Jared Goff through two games, good for an extreme 58.6 percent combined target share. There is nothing in the matchup or state of the Lions that should drastically alter that target distribution, with Gibbs the likeliest player to see his target rate increase in this spot.
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