Chapter 1356: Chapter 1355: Leading the Tempo
Is Li Wei really Lamar Jackson’s heart demon? No one knows, probably not even Jackson himself. But if people want to verify, they’ll have to wait for next season, eagerly anticipating another showdown between Li Wei and Jackson.
As for the present?
Jackson is not the focus. No one cares how the loser licks their wounds. The media’s bustling attention is fixated on the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, as the American League’s number one seed and the National Conference’s number one seed each prepare to defend their home ground against challengers, vying for the Super Bowl berth.
Even though the matchday is Sunday, media reporters have already made their way to the two cities early, as a season of hustle and excitement enters its final sprint. They might witness the biggest upset of the season or come closer to league history. No matter the result, no one wants to miss such a golden opportunity.
Especially in Kansas City.
The league promptly announced the schedule for the conference finals, with no surprises—
January 19th, Sunday.
Central Time 2 PM, American League final, "Number one seed Kansas City Chiefs VS number four seed Houston Texans."
Central Time 7 PM, National Conference final, "Number one seed San Francisco 49ers VS number two seed Green Bay Packers."
The reason is straightforward enough.
Although the Kansas City Chiefs might achieve the feat of reaching the Super Bowl for three consecutive years, and the Houston Texans might achieve the ultimate upset of the 2019 season, the National Conference final is the main event, a clash of titans with true suspense, a fifty-fifty chance where anyone could win, prompting endless heated debates among even the league’s professional analysts.
In regular season week twelve, the San Francisco 49ers had once played host to the Green Bay Packers.
In that game, the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive group hammered the Green Bay Packers, not only limiting the Packers’ total yardage gained through passing and rushing to an ultra-low 198 yards, but also completely shutting down Rodgers’ passing game, with Rodgers averaging only 1.7 yards per pass attempt throughout the match—
A career low.
"8:37."
The San Francisco 49ers crushed the Green Bay Packers at Reeves Field.
In this rematch, the revitalized Green Bay Packers head back to Reeves Field, with Rodgers and Lafleur ready to avenge their previous defeat.
During the official press conference on Wednesday, Lafleur candidly stated.
"Our current situation is very similar to last season’s Kansas City Chiefs. We’ve completed an outstanding season, but the league always expects more from us. Our encounters with strong teams always seem to lack that something to prove ourselves."
"Everyone knows the story thereafter. This is us this season."
Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs had a thirteen-win-three-loss record, losing to the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, and Los Angeles Chargers respectively. Later, the Kansas City Chiefs avenged their losses by defeating the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams to claim the title.
This season, the Green Bay Packers also have a thirteen-win-three-loss record, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Los Angeles Chargers respectively. The prospect outlined by Lafleur is now clear—they will first defeat the San Francisco 49ers and then the Kansas City Chiefs to claim the Super Bowl.
Stay tuned!
It’s not just the league’s professional analysts; coaches and players themselves are not exempt. The outcome of this match is full of countless possibilities. The Green Bay Packers are more mature and experienced, while the San Francisco 49ers are young and rising. In the single-elimination playoff scenario, numerous variables arise, with the suspense of the outcome holding unforeseen possibilities.
It is, of course, understandable that the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers game is scheduled for the night match.
There is no doubt that this is the key to boosting viewership ratings with the National Conference’s all-out battle at its peak. No matter who is the last to laugh, it is a well-deserved victory.
So, what about the American League final?
The fact remains that the Houston Texans unexpectedly defeated the Baltimore Ravens, and it wasn’t a narrow victory, but a comprehensive victory on both offense and defense, eliminating the team with the highest reputation to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs’ throne this season, showcasing their capability.
Additionally, the Houston Texans overcame the "home curse" of the wildcard round. In a season where Watt’s abilities declined, Watson finally on his path of growth and transformation, took up the mantle, proving he can carry the team’s future.
This well-honed team stealthily reached the stage of the conference finals, finally breaking shackles, achieving the best season in the team’s history. The final step remains to step onto the Super Bowl stage.
The Houston Texans are brimming with confidence.
At the same time, the fact remains that the Kansas City Chiefs stood the test, withstanding Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans’ fierce assault—not just maintaining their undefeated regular-season run but also awakening the "playoff Chiefs’" fighting spirit and bloodlust, fully armed and ready for battle.
In the league, no team dares to boast "we can win" against such a Kansas City Chiefs, not even Belichick and Brady.
The impact from the Tennessee Titans, in turn, awakened the fierce nature within the Kansas City Chiefs. Their close call of almost being eliminated in the divisional round allowed them to discard the burdens of a potential three-peat and perfect season, turning their focus entirely.
Such a Kansas City Chiefs stands on the peak of the world where the entire league looks up and longs to defeat—even the "strongest quarterback" Jackson can only trail behind, exhibiting an aura of invincibility, unmatched by anyone.
Therefore... the Houston Texans are strong, now at the peak of their confidence, yet professional analysts overwhelmingly believe that the Kansas City Chiefs will win.
"8:2."
Represented by "within the league," various professional analysts’ predictions and the Las Vegas odds overwhelmingly favor a Kansas City Chiefs victory.
Among them, the odds for the Kansas City Chiefs winning by seven to ten points are the lowest.
Rather than saying they don’t believe the Houston Texans can pull an upset, it’s more accurate to say the league’s discourse has been led astray.
Previously, numerous voices confidently declared that the Baltimore Ravens were the one’s destined to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, and that Jackson was the ultimate champion to claim the Super Bowl.
As a result, with the Baltimore Ravens’ elimination, expectations plummeted instantly, leading people to naturally believe that no one in the American League could stop the Kansas City Chiefs anymore, leaving the final hope with the National Conference.
Thus, the situation became as it is.
In some sense, the conference finals’ schedule coincided perfectly with expectations, prompting rounds of applause and cheers on social networks, with people all proclaiming to fetch snacks and sodas to enjoy the drama of the year, amidst the clamor.
Putting aside the suspense of victory or defeat, the attention on the 2019 NFL season has multiplied. Not only has each playoff game set new viewership records, but the mere announcement of the conference finals’ schedule by the league has already skyrocketed into trending topics—
Attention. Heated debate. Focus.
Fully ignited.
The once North American football glory limited to self-entertainment, is now expanding its influence on a global scale. The Super Bowl is no longer just about the "halftime show" gimmick, with attention around the game itself continually climbing, sweeping across the globe.