The NFL Playoffs are finally here, so we are at the business end of the calendar, so to speak. The Playoffs have thrown up the usual mix of teams that look dominant, some with several flaws, and some that seem to have sneaked in by the backdoor. Yet, we know from experience that anything can happen over the next few weeks en route to the big date at Caesars Superdome for Super Bowl LIX.
Of course, fans of specific teams will want to see their side book a date for February 9, but what about the neutrals? Not everyone will agree, but we can argue that the blockbuster tie many will crave is the Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX!
There are reasons for this, and they go beyond the fact that the teams are the favorites in the Super Bowl odds and have the No.1 Seed in the NFC and AFC, respectively.
If we are to be brief about it, the potential matchup is so intriguing because the teams are polar opposites. Yes, they each posted 15-2 records, the best in each conference, yet they got there in different ways. The Lions got most of the plaudits, rocketing up the power rankings throughout the season and getting praised by pundits for their explosive offense and ability to blow teams away.
The Chiefs Have Won “ugly” All Season
The Chiefs, the preseason favorites for the Super Bowl, were somewhat the opposite. They ground out results, winning many games within the margin of a single scoring play. It caused some to question Andy Reid’s reigning champions, with some putting their results down to luck. As the season concluded, the Chiefs began to earn their respect again – you can’t fluke a 15-2 season.
That said, how the Chiefs went about their business seemed to be the mirror reflection of the Lions. This is evident in how the teams scored in the regular season. The Chiefs managed an average of 22.65 points per game, holding opponents to 19.18. The average margin of victory was just under 3.5 points per game.
The Lions, meanwhile, averaged 33.12 points, conceded an average of 20.18, and had an average margin of victory of over 13 points. It sums up precisely what we said about the Chiefs grinding out results and the Lions blowing teams away.
A Collision of Styles is Possible
The win-loss columns were the same at the end of the day. And that takes us to our following reason for the fascination with this matchup: the Chiefs’ experience versus the Lions’ relative lack of understanding. We all know the Chiefs are going for a three-peat and have been in four of the last five Super Bowls.
Andy Reid and key players like Patrick Mahomes have been through it all. While the Lions had a decent run in the playoffs last season, the status of a favorite is new territory for Dan Campbell and most players.
The Chiefs have been making that experience count all season, and you can be sure that Reid will have his team mentally prepped for whatever the Playoffs throw at them, but Dan Campbell has a more difficult job.
Winning is habitual in football, and the Lions are new to that, too. It’s a team in wonderful form, playing some of the best football we have seen during the regular season against a team drawing on all that nous, grit, and mettle the coach has instilled in them over several dominant seasons.
There’ll be many questions about the ‘difference-makers’ if these two eventually meetup in the Super Bowl. Some will point to the performances of Mahomes and Jared Goff, whereas others will look to the teams in their entirety, asking whether the Chiefs have another gear to find or if the Lions have already peaked in their performance levels.
Perhaps only one of the teams makes the big game in February, or maybe neither. But we’d love to see this clash of styles and personalities for a blockbuster Super Bowl LIX.
