There are only four teams left competing in the 2021 NFL Playoffs: the Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Los Angeles Rams. Notably, both of the top seeds are gone, and there are two four seeds and a six seed still remaining in what has been the most thrilling playoffs in recent history.
Typically, quarterbacks and the occasional defensive stalwart dominate the headlines at this stage of the season, but this weekend will be decided by much more— with all four teams, all underdogs in their own right, playing with nothing to lose, this is the perfect opportunity for players not used to the spotlight to create their legacy.
So, keeping in mind the exclusion of the big-name QBs, here is one player from every team in the NFL’s Championship Weekend that will be vital in determining which teams will advance to the Super Bowl.
Apparently, no amount of time is too little for Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, as he proved against the Buffalo Bills, but that does not mean that it would not still benefit the Bengals to limit his opportunities on the field. The key to doing that is by running Mixon from start to finish.
The fifth-year back from Oklahoma finished third in rushing yards during the regular season and is often overlooked in an offense containing Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Still, he is set up to receive a busy workload this weekend. Mixon only has 102 yards and one touchdown on the ground in these playoffs, so look for him to get involved early to get his confidence going.
Jones will be lining up directly across from Burrow at defensive tackle and will have a tremendous opportunity to wreak havoc on his young superstar of an opponent. The Bengals’ offensive line gave up a playoff-record nine sacks in their miraculous divisional win over the Tennessee Titans. With Frank Clark and Melvin Ingram III on his flanks, Jones will get the opportunity to make plays in the backfield.
If there is one sign of hope for Bengals fans, Burrow has been under fire all year and has managed to keep standing tall, but Jones will be in multiple scenarios where there will just be one blocker between him and his target in orange and black.
This was the most telegraphed pick on the list, but with good reason; Samuel has totaled 193 yards and a touchdown in his two playoff games, coming off of a season in which he finished fifth in receiving yards and had 14 total touchdowns.
The hybrid receiver-running back has tremendous speed and physicality that makes him hard to tackle at every level, and his frequent involvement from different spots makes him even harder to plan for. The worst-kept secret around the league is that the 49ers want to run and run often, and Samuel will be a focal point in their attack Sunday.
It is not too often that a three-time Pro-Bowler and former Rookie of the Year gets to fly under the radar, but that is exactly what Odell Beckham Jr. is doing in his first season with the LA Rams.
While the Matthew Stafford-Cooper Kupp connection has drawn the praise of pundits around the league, it is Beckham that has hauled in six touchdowns in 10 games with the team. After producing his second-highest output as a Ram in last weekend’s upset over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, do not be surprised if Odell is a frequent target in the red zone.
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Tanner Kern breaks down the biggest news from the NFL world, discusses fantasy football stategy, and gives his future bets for the 2022 season on the debut of the CHFF Show.