NFL playoffs recap plus Bears’ offensive coordinator search reaches Kliff Kingsbury

On this episode of the Under Center Podcast, Kenneth Davis and Alex Shapiro break down this weekend’s playoff games. They start by discussing the Ravens’ win over the Texans (1:33) and Jordan Loves’ playoff performance in the Packers’ loss to the 49ers (6:25). Then, they recap the Bucs’ loss to the Lions (11:19) and the Bills’ loss to the Chiefs (25:34). Later, they discuss the Bears interviewing Kliff Kingsbury for the offensive coordinator position (42:20). What does this mean for Justin Fields and the Bears’ quarterback situation? Finally, they discuss the Bears interviewing Chris Harris for the defensive coordinator position (51:10). How would he fit on Matt Eberflus’ staff?

#ChicagoBears #NFLPlayoffs #GreenBayPackers

✔️ Subscribe to NBC Sports Chicago: https://www.youtube.com/c/NBCSportsChicago?sub_confirmation=1
✔️ Subscribe to our podcasts: https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/podcasts
✔️ Subscribe to our All-Access Daily newsletter: https://nbcsportschicago.com/newsletter

📱Get the NBC Sports Chicago App:
Google Play: https://trib.al/WrMXSDP
Apple Store: https://trib.al/x7nIm69

NBC Sports Chicago on Social Media:
► Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nbcschicago/
► Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NBCSChicago
► Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NBCSChicago
► Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcschicago

🎧 Listen to our podcasts:
🎙️ Big Ten Country: https://link.chtbl.com/BigTenCountry
🥅 Blackhawks Talk: https://link.chtbl.com/BlackhawksTalk
🏀 Bulls Talk: https://link.chtbl.com/BullsTalk
🧢 Cubs Talk: https://link.chtbl.com/CubsTalk
🏈 Under Center: https://link.chtbl.com/UnderCenter
⚾ White Sox Talk: https://link.chtbl.com/WhiteSoxTalk

The official YouTube page of NBC Sports Chicago. Home of the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks. We connect fans with the teams they love. NBC Sports Chicago’s coverage includes NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears. NBC Sports Chicago’s original programs include Football Aftershow, Football Night in Chicago, Under Center Podcast, Blackhawks Talk Podcast, Bulls Talk Podcast, Cubs Talk Podcast and White Sox Talks Podcast. Visit https://NBCSportsChicago.com for the latest live streams, scores, post-games and more—all in one place.

NFL playoffs recap plus Bears’ offensive coordinator search reaches Kliff Kingsbury
https://www.youtube.com/NBCSportsChicago

Welcome to the under Center podcast presented by St Xavier University I’m always fortunate enough to be joined by our Bears beat reporter Alex Shapiro please follow him at Alex Shapiro NBCS CLA flipple of course of course I meant to say is running everything and taking

Care of us the great way that she always does all right we are broadcasting virtually from the NBC podcast Studios Josh is off tonight as we break down the divisional playoffs and both the AFC and the NFC of course the ones that are at home as far as NFC North Rivals and the

Games that they played in and won or lost I’m also we’re going to get back to the Bears offensive coordinator uh interviews and also a defensive coordinator that may be interviewed that’s kind of close to the team in the past perhaps play for him a couple of

Times all right Alex how are you doing today man I’m wonderful you know as as for longtime listeners of the podcast know my in-laws are from Kansas City everybody’s very happy happy the chat is litty we’re very everybody’s stoked on Jason Kelce being shirtless chugging beers Patrick Mahomes does it again so

Yeah it’s like all Good Vibes in the Shapiro household right now I told Kate to relax but we’ll get to that we’ll get to that all right kicking it off first let’s go with the Baltimore Ravens the AFC odds on favorite or at least the the

The only team with a byee in the AFC since they’ve gone from two teams to one having the best record their MVP of course Lamar Jackson facing the young upstart perhaps the offensive Rookie of the Year in the AFC CJ Stout and the Houston Texans game was tied at 10 and

Half but by the end of the game 34-10 the Ravens um the team that I think most of us knew would win this one um Josh had a feeling that perhaps the Texans could over take over upset I meant to say the Ravens but you have Lamar

Jackson of course the presumptive MVP of the NFL threw for two touchdowns passed for two touchdowns passed for 100 yards ran for 100 yards and is the only player I believe in NFL history to pull that off and have the quarterback a p a passer rating of a 100

He’s the only player in the regular season or the playoffs to have pulled that off and he did it in a fantastic way the first half of the game um the defenses were stifling again the Braven were able to score the only touchdowns that the Texans scored was on a punt

Return at the first half of the game so CJ stra and that so that’s points they had a field goal and a punt return that’s it for the entirety of the game um again tied at 10 at the half and then Lamar Jackson exploded um they had

Nothing and and you could see just the offensive intelligence of the the Baltimore Ravens figuring out what they had to do to get Lamar in the running lanes and also take advantage of the passing lanes and the receivers that he had Z flowers had uh some wonderful plays um everything the running backs

Did a fantastic job it’s just it was hard for CJ stra everybody CJ stra never had a platform to throw from he was scrambling the entire game another stat real quick on Lamar Jackson Jackson faced a career high Blitz rate of 75% he was 13 of 18 for 124 yards and two

Touchdowns against the blitz at what point do you just stop blitzing him when he when he’s carving you up when you’re bringing extra pressure at what point you like hey maybe we should just leave some dudes in coverage um I will say it was probably a damned if few damned if

You don’t situation for the Texans uh let’s be honest nobody expected the Texans to be here at the beginning of the year a lot of people thought they were going to be among the worst teams in the NFL the Arizona Cardinals certainly did when they acquired some of

Those Texan picks right um this felt to me like the Texans ceiling and it’s an unfortunate you know for Texans fans it’s an unfortunate end because it’s kind of like a flop in the last game of the year but if you’re a Texans fan I

Got to imagine you got to feel stoked I mean you know you got your guy in CJ Stroud you know that the future is incredibly bright and they did really all of this without a run game whatsoever and the playoffs this is the time of year where you need to be well

Balanced you need to have as few deficiencies as possible because teams are going to exploit your deficiencies at this time of the year and uh and the Texans were hurt by having no Run game whatever to to to speak of um so yeah to me this felt like the Texans ceiling uh

Bummer bummer game for Texans fans but I mean again again like you gotta feel pretty good about the totality of the 2023 season for Houston yeah and you also know what you have to do going into the off season they need to for toly that offensive line and protect CJ Mo

And as you said the running game was atrocious um you’ve mentioned I had Damon Pierce on my uh fantasy team last season and he helped me out tremendously down this down last stretch of the season um you have Devin single ter had nine carries for 22 yards darare and I

Will not uh mess up his La I think it’s oo agba agba w agba w had carries for seven yards CJ had three carries for nine yards but as you said this has been something the entire season it’s surprising without a rushing attack and a Young quarterback they were even able

To get this far um and yes they they definitely were were pummeled but this was a much better team than you you show you came here first half and you showed up for a half too this would be different if this was an ass kicking from start to finish right but you at

Least and even though it wasn’t a touch an offensive touchdown you were tied 1010 with so some people have presumptive favorite to make it to the the the champ the I’m sorry the Super Bowl yeah to win the Super Bowl right A lot of people the Ravens to be the Super

Bowl favorites like already so until until baby goat does what he does anyway it’s true Hey listen I don’t bet against the baby goat how could you bet against the baby goat yeah so all right that’s enough of that all right let’s get to something near and dear to us um

Listen this was a game that I had an upset alert Alex can tell you y I said that if there’s any team that I think can defeat the favorite I think it could be if the Green Bay Packers who lost to the San Francisco 49ers 24 to 21 if they

Could have that defense play in the same fashion that it’s been playing and you still get the same offense and you had Brock pie having to go six for seven and 47 yards on the decisive drive after having and it wasn’t just him the defense too they had an off night this

Was gonna be and I’m sure Josh shck was somewhere hiding under a rock because the Brock the Brock py slander was going to come out like what happened to your guy y’all kept telling us was MVP um but you know what that’s what teams in that are championship and I know they haven’t

Won what but they Championship caliber refer referring to the 49ers that’s what they have to do um Fred Warner said they that they were exhausted they took everything that the Packers could give them and the Packers are one of those teams and this is another reason why we

Sit on past episodes and of course we’ll get to a happen as far as the other game in the NFC division round with as far as the Lions and I’m really referring to MC North but we said this the Bears going to need to try to score around 30 points

A game all right when you look at when you look at this listen Green Bay had 21 against what maybe the best defense in the NFL all right on an off night but still the best defense in the NFL and you had you we we’ll get to the lions in

A second with what they pulled off um listen what damn near put up 50 against the Cowboys which is another incredible defense great point I mean the Cowboys defense is legit and the the Packers made him look silly um my thoughts on Packers ners though uh it’s a shame

Because this weekend I thought was just headlined by incredible quarterback play especially we’re recording this on Sunday today we just saw some truly awesome quarterback play and I think perie and love both kind of had a stinker uh on Saturday neither of them in my opinion looked really good

Obviously pry put it together for that game-winning drive and he did what he needed to do which as you said that’s what teams do when the game’s on the line can you figure it out also huge hat tip to Christian mcaffrey I mean Christian mcaffrey really put the team

On his back uh over the last like 20 minutes whatever it was of that game so big shout out Christian mcaffry George K also made some incredible plays um but I thought perie was not good for the majority of that game and I thought Jordan love was also not good for the

Majority of that game that last interception it’s like dude you can’t throw that ball and we were it’s funny we were just talking we were just talking the week before about him making these these throws back foot leaning the wrong way where you’re like oh Jordan oh

No but then it’s dotted and it’s a touchdown he did not have that magic he did not have that magic on Saturday and uh yeah that last pick that that iced the win for the 49ers I just thought was a really bad throw Brock py 23 of 39 for

25 252 yards one touchdown a QB uh rating of 6 1.9 Christian mcaffry you mentioned had 17 carriage for 98 yards and two TDS Jordan love 21 for 34 194 yards two tods two interceptions qbr of 44.5 this is something that we keyed in on too which this was going to be the

Reason that the Packers would have had a chance to win and he did what we thought 18 carries 108 yards from Aon Jones as we said is Aaron Jones is in that running game is allowed to thrive it gives Green Bay a chance in any game if

They can get if they can through the air and that defense is pounding you to do what they need to do we’ll see if there’s any regression from one what happens with Jordan love but also and this is a question about Green Bay can that defense stay locked in they have

They’ve been inconsistent for the past two seasons they played hot when they played well when they needed to that was down the final stretch when you’re talking about to to to get into the playoffs they had to win to get in and then they continue to win as when they

Got in how that they decisively beat the AFC the nfc’s north no NFC East I meant to say um with the Cowboys I’m sorry my brain is all over the place I don’t know it’s that’s in the subject for another day but yeah this game um I really

Wanted this to be the NFC and I know it couldn’t have been but I really kind of maybe wanted this to be the NFC championship game but we’ll get to that we’ll W you’re just gonna you’re just gonna diss your kitties like that it’s been Kitty love all all year and you’re

Just gonna diss like that it’s it’s it’s but you know what and as we we transition over to the Lions versus Tampa Bay right and I’m G tell you why the the difference is the Lions don’t have as many players on D that you have with the Packers particularly front to

Back the Lions defensive back field isn’t what it should have been they’ve had injuries they had to make trades and they still necessarily haven’t got the production from their defensive back field we all know Aiden Hutch is a beast um but out really outside of that and

That’s where when I look at what the Packers can do on a good day defensively is kind of where because I think offensively both of these teams are ex really good now I I’m fine if people lean definitely towards what the lions are doing and how will Jerry G is one

Playing right now but what you can do with with Jamir Gibbs like jir Gibbs on an angle is it’s is a frightening thing you know what I’m saying like that run that 31 yard touchdown run I mean he just there were a few guys that could

Have stopped him he just ran past them which just like no I am going to be faster than you right now and I’m making it to the pylon first and that was a huge moment um in terms of the defense I mean you mentioned Aiden Hutchinson I

Think Jack Campbell has something to say about that I think Alex adalone has something to say about that Brian Branch the rookie had such a great I know there was the one penalty where Brian branch is like stumbling because he’s trying to get off uh he’s trying to like

Anticipate that snap count he got he got dinged for that for that flag but I think Brian Branch had an excellent game then also CJ Gardner Johnson you know who uh on the Eagles was such a such a great player he obviously had a huge interception as well they haven’t gotten

The same returns that they thought they were gonna get out of CJ Gardner Johnson right um they’re but remember I said the DBS their linebacking core is nice I elone coming over from New Orleans seasons ago of course uh bringing in Campbell which we all question but it’s

Played well coming out of Iowa um but it’s still the def it’s from front to back but that’s not the point we that’s part of the point you have you have of course Jared G 30 for 43 287 yards and two TDS Baker Mayfield 26 for 41 for

Tampa Bay 349 yards three TDS two interceptions and know one of them really wasn’t his fault that was more on Mike Evans mik hands which almost never happens and it wasn’t like high off his hands it was like right here off of his hands uh Mike Evans had eight re still

147 yards in a TD um again we talked about jir Gibbs nine yards nine carries I meant to say for 74 rush yards average of 8.2 our got David mcgomery 10 carries for 33 yards being a battering ram basically for jir Gibbs I’m and Ross St Brown doing whatever he need like just

Sam leapor on one knee Sam laor on one leg has been crazy what he’s been giving them and I know he didn’t score a touchdown but the threat that he provides you with and also the gut and look speaking of jir Gibbs four catches for for 40 yards like they that’s where

I say I’ll give them I I will give them the benefit over Green Bay offensively and also well I think Mal Flor is a good offensive mind too but you have Ben Johnson um malifu I’m joking malifu is kind of in the first year of his offense

The way that he wants to run it right because Aaron Rogers was maybe he had a couple things to say about the offense maybe had just like a tiny bit of input we’re not we’re not stuck in shotgun 247 um but yeah you have but look Baker

Mayfield Baker out here man was doing the thing he end he closed out the game with the interception but it was in a period where they had to try to come back um but Baker seemingly solidified himself as perhaps the start of moving forward he’s a free agent we’ll see

Contractually what the glazers are willing to do to perhaps bring him back to Tampa Bay but if you look at what they have right now I think what they need they probably need and Clancy kaga Clancy who look we’ve discussed here Josh shck was the biggest fan of KAG

Clany coming out of pit he was B danged up at the beginning of the season um he definitely was applying pressure and we can see perhaps what he may be moving forward they need another guy I know they have Barrett they need and they have of course um what’s thank V via I

Still think they may need another guy up front you know what I’m saying just to provide more pressure for that defense um I mean and again I I I I I love Antonio Whitfield Jr because I remember seeing his his father play for the Vikings but on that cut in that angle

Basically on that two-way goal that Jamir had Gibbs had he froze him like Iceman it was that one I have to give jarro gfus props I love hearing him detail how he’s finally relaxing because you can see it and I’m never the biggest Jared golf fan but I have to give that

Man props because I’ll say this in some cases he’s underrated and not by us we all know he processes things well but man if if jerck G can play like this and I’ve said this after Ben John Ben Johnson leads to take on a head coaching

Job if he can continue to do this Detroit doesn’t have to look for a quarterback and they can allocate those that draft Capital uh in other directions to solidify that defense on the backside of that team uh two things I want to really touch on with this game

Uh two quarterbacks who have seemingly resurrected their careers great in different spots and who are still young guys Jared gof and Baker Mayfield it’s not like they’re 30-some year old dudes who are Journeymen they’re still young dudes who were drafted very are they both number one picks in the draft both

Both number one overall picks that I mean previous to this year you know people are talking bust bust city right Baker Mayfield has been on like a billion teams what was it four or five teams now for Baker obviously Jared gof it’s only only his second team but I

Mean the Rams moved off of him and then won a Super Bowl with Matt Stafford so stock on Jared G was not super high um but both of these guys I thought played extremely well uh in a playoff scenario in a go to the championship game

Scenario uh so that was really cool to see each of these dudes kind of resurrect their career over the course of this season and kind of put that stamp on it in the playoffs uh I I lied I’m G I have three things I want to touch on uh you you talked about

The Lions and them being exciting and all these players I think what’s also really cool is how young they are we talk about the Packers being really young because they are shockingly young but all those contributors that we mentioned I mean how many of them are rookies Jamir Gibbs rookie Brian Branch

Rookie Sam leapa rookie Aman Ross St Brown still on his first deal we just got saying yeah Jack Campbell rookie uh so a lot of these dudes are young young young and they’re going to get better agent Aiden Hutchinson rookie deal right I mean penny S was his third fourth year maybe

Right exactly and you can just go on and on and on and the fact that this group is going to grow together I mean you can see again just the arrow pointing straight up for the Detroit Lions I mean I’m not breaking any news here we’ve said that all year

But it’s it’s really interesting to see this four kind of grow together and it’ll be really fun to see where they take it I don’t think the same issue will happen because I think I think Dan Campbell will be able to replace his coordinators better but you could have a

Situation similar to what took place with the Eagles last season where you lose you lose your your defensive coordinator again and you lose your offensive coordinator and it seemingly came back to bite your butt you had Shand Desa com in there then be replaced um you so that’s the only thing I could

Say that may May set this team back but I I don’t think it I don’t think it will they lost some players they lost Javon harra was a huge great Point great they lose TJ Edwards huge piece um so it’s it’s not exactly a one toone I would

Imagine the the Lions keep more of their personnel intact well I’ll say this we still have to see because remember one of the problems that the Lions may have and look they can always go back and restructure it so there’s kicking more money down the line but let’s not forget

Jer GF is getting paid QB money now yeah all right part of the reason that those picks was sent was of course you wanted Matthew Stafford but you had to take jarro go in that contract and at that point a lot of teams didn’t necessarily want to do that so he’s already making

Supreme QB doll like his contract but if he plays like this he earns every penny if he continues to he’s earning every penny of that contract no no I’m not I’m not saying it as a detriment as far as him I mean is what you can do allocate

Funds and retain players you know what I’m saying I don’t think like even even with CJ Gardner Johnson that’s a one-year deal I believe when he came over and signed because he couldn’t find the money that so just in those situations where and again it’s not to

Take away from what you were saying as far as it’s not an Apples to Apples comparison you are correct I’m still saying we still don’t know what one also let’s say this too they’re going to have to allocate some of those future funds for of these young players now not the

Rookies from this year because you but but Aiden Hudson is gonna need money I’m and Ross Brown’s gonna need money right right okay and let’s not forget you’re talking about some of these guys they drafted in the second and third round there’s these not all a first first

Round players that you have fif your options but anyway we’re going that’s my fault we’re going way I got one more thing yeah we we are getting hey it’s the Lions we’re talking about an NFC rival we can get in the weeds with our NFC Rivals for the Bears um Mike Evans I

Mean this guy guy he was uncharacteristically dropping the ball and still had an incredible game uh the sliding catch he made near the goal line yeah dude incredible his touchdown where he just boxes out the DB I mean the he has no chance the defensive back

Literally has a zero% chance to make a play on that ball because he’s too big knows how to use his body positions it it’s an easy easy touchdown where if the Bucks in my opinion are foolish enough to let him out the door I mean if I’m

The bar I am just running because can you imagine Mike Evans next to DJ Moore and how well they would compliment each other you have DJ Moore who is solid with the Deep game but really he eats in the middle of the field really he’s that intermediate game yak attack guy and

He’s a smaller dude right he’s not huge and then you have Mike Evans who is a big big guy big time deep threat having those two Targets playing off of each other that could be that could be crazy so again I am not saying that the Bucks are

Going to let Mike Evans walk I’m not saying that Mike Evans is for sure GNA become a free agent we’ve played this game so many times with so many different wide receivers but if he does I might Circle him as my number one free agent Target I mean all right I I enjoy

Watching Mike Evans that much and I think Mike Evans is still that good I don’t believe there’s any way they let him walk out of the door because why would you want if they bring Baker Mayfield back you’re definitely going to bring Mike Evans back um plus I think if

Healthier the two between him and and and Godwin has been him for the most part um but I’ll say this my only issue would be allocations of funds and having that much in the wide receiver room but I will play I will go along with you for

This reason depends on what you do with the quarterback and if you don’t decide to go wide receiver in the first round maybe you decide to go defensive player maybe you decide to go uh off trenches I should just say trenches on both sides offensive trenches defensive trenches

And you can say you know what we’ll take care of whoever started under Center because we have DJ Moore we have Co K now we’re going to give him Mike Evans so we don’t have to worry about this for another few years we can go in the later

Rounds and find developmental uh wide receivers that perhaps we can hopefully have something like Green Bay has every five years as far as a wide receiver room that’s five players deep um but yeah I could I could I but I’m with you but again I thought and it’s funny you

Mention that watching this game I’m like Tampa can’t let Mike Evans walk out the he’s too much of the culture um of everything like of of being there and you don’t really really want to let that guy and he’s kind of like probably Mr Tampa Bay I mean because yeah you love

Tampa Bay but Tom Brady doesn’t belong to Tampa all right he belong he’s been the Buccaneers for so long and he’s been so good for so long when I think excellent Buccaneers players I mean Mike Evans is up there on the list I mean obviously there are a

Lot of great players who play for the Buccaneers and that Super Bowl team was stacked but in recent memory it’s Mike Evans he’s the guy yeah he’s Mike Evans we take if if we’re not including Tom Brady which I have no problem if you include him as far as because he’s been

On the roster he took him to Super Bowl and they won a Super Bowl and he was probably he was about to take him to another one if sha McVey didn’t let his foot off the gas two seasons ago in the playoffs um but anyway that’s a

Discussion for another day Sean McVey um but if if we’re just talking about guys that let’s go guys that were drafted or spent majority of their their career in Tampa Bay he is probably the best player in Tampa Bay since those Tony dunie teams that John John guden uh won a

Super Bowl with so we’re talking about Warren Sap we’re talking about Brooks we’re talking about Lynch we were talking about all those guys back then he’s better than Mike allot and that’s not that’s not a dis for Chicago I’m just I’m just talking about guys I think

Of I think of Tampa Bay bucaneers next year be like War dun he’s better than War dun but like those you know Tiki Barber not Tiki Ronde Ronde Barber Ronde Barber like those those guys that core from there Mike Evans is along that tier as far as Buccaneer greats I would say

All right yeah moving moving on to our last game that we just got through watching the Buffalo Bill lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 27 of 24 Patrick Mahomes 17 of 23 215 yards two two touchdowns and zero interceptions of course then we go to Young Josh Allen 26

Of 39 think about thir 26 of 39 only 106 yards uh in the air one TD no interceptions but and this is what makes Josh Allen so Dynamic 12 carries 72 rushing yards and two t with his feet and they were they dude this right here

Was a rockim sakm Isaiah Pacho who I don’t know why somebody went away from him 15 of 15 carats for 97 yards one TD but I also want to go this James Cook 18 carats for 61 yards Ty Johnson seven carries for 40 you know the reason why I

Bring that up one of the things that we have been talking about on this podcast with Josh Allen for the last two seasons will stop making him be become super Superman all the time take advantage of the Run game and let him be Clark and they did a terrific balance of that this

Game where they when it was needed Superman popped out but they both these teams did that knowing and that’s what Kansas City has learned the last couple of years with this with Isaiah Pacho coming on the scene that let’s take some of the pressure off our quarterback and

Get back to fundamental football because one we’re not getting him hit as often we’re controlling the clock and we’re helping our defense and Kansas City went first game for young baby goat Patrick Mahomes on the road and the entirety of his NFL career for the haters that said

That he wasn’t he wasn’t gonna do it Kansas City also under Patrick Mahomes has never lost in a divisional round since he’s to taken over in 2018 six straight championship game appearances six straight AFC Championship Game appearances six straight that is crazy that is greatness that’s unbelievable in this AFC too this is

Right exactly and this is this this is quarterbacks all around the world only quarterback that’s out is Joe burrow when we’re talking about those dudes right Lamar Jackson was the MVP Josh Allen was insane uh there other teams were great no beginning of the year two people view

Two as an MVP all right CJ CJ stra listen they they had a terrible coach but Justin her he you’re still going up against a team that has Justin Herbert all right yeah Russ can’t cook anymore but you still had him in your like there’s quarterbacks in the

AFC compared to the NFC like who like really if we even look at it who’s the who’s him right now CA I don’t Matt Stafford I don’t know I don’t you know what I don’t say that he I think Matt Stafford is nice I think he’s nice

I dude you look he got one St look we can we can we can sit there and and of we can put it on the franchise as far as what took place in Detroit but he had the ball in his hand and there could have been more victories while he was

The quarterback under Center in Detroit so yes you go to a ready-made Super Bowl team with a young wonderin as the offensive minded head coach and you get a Super Bowl I’m not saying he’s not nice but I never I’ve never and I mean we’ve talked about it last week about

But I’ve never been like Matthew Stafford was him like for real like for look Patrick Patrick Mahomes is is him a healthy Joe borrow is him Josh Allen regardless if you like him or not Josh Allen is him right that Josh all did not lose this game the the P the kicker went

I won’t say wide right but he went wide right if he could go back to the 90s with Buffalo but like this was on he did exactly what he was supposed to do he got them within kicking range with a time for them to kick the go in OT and

The kicker scoot the pooch and so I can’t for those who want to knock Josh Allen and I know Josh Allen hasn’t lived up to the hype as far as versus Patrick Mahomes but man it’s not a lot of people that can duel face to face with Patrick

Mahomes the way that Josh Allen is and look almost every time and this wasn’t it but if this game looked like it was going to be just like that game several years ago in the playoffs which win to OT which this game seemed like it was

Going to OT is Whoever has the ball last well I don’t know I don’t know if that was going to OT Patrick Mahomes is gonna have the ball with I’m with over a minute and a half and uh and a timeout so I ain’t sold that it would have gone

To OT because we know Patrick Mahomes does a lot of great things worst case scenario for us Mahomes lovers worst case scenario because I was with you I was like because look initially look so on on a text St with me and my guys we’re like everybody Tony’s like all

Right Patrick gets the ball back I’m like yeah there we go and then but I know he I know his his streaming is slower so I’m like oh I’m like oh he they don’t need them they just I’m like they just need they just need a knee I’m

Like all they need is one first down first down one first down ISO and that’s how fast it went from what you were just saying where you thought this was going to be Andy Reid Patrick Mahomes and Matt naggie um we’re going to come back and

Win the game or in the in the fourth quar at the end of the fourth as you said a minute and a minute and a half to go but they didn’t need it um again they leaned on Isaiah Pacho with how diligent that run game Isaiah Pacho is so much

Beast mode 2.0 was as far as his his his durability the force and Agility one thing that I I don’t think that marshan Lynch gets real props on is how agile he was his balance and Agility was ridiculous to go along with how strong he was but um they you only thing that

Really agitated any of us M oh Harman how could you do that to us how how could we’ve you know what we’ve sat here for these years all right where you were drafted because Tyreek Hill’s a mess up right and you never lived up to the hype

Then you leave we try and bring you back and you almost give it away yeah that was bad news here’s what I think the game really came down to it was a couple of factors one you kind of touched on it when when you first started talking about the

Game the bills were really dominating up front and gashing the chiefs with James Cook and that was really effective and it was like whoa if if the Chiefs can’t stop the run joshan doesn’t need to be Superman right as you said really astutely in the

Few cases where Josh Allen had to make a play he made the play but it’s not like he had to make the play every play because James Cook was so good and spags uh Steve spagnolo the DC I mean great halftime adjustment they start loading that box up they start getting some tfls

In the second half they start bringing them down after you know zero yards two yards three yards instead of six yards seven yards eight yards in the first half and now you’re putting the ball back in Josh Allen’s hands you’re letting your really talented secondary because that is a really talented

Secondary headline by Trent McDuffy and leria Sneed those guys are fantastic players you’re letting them uh you’re letting them cook a little bit and you’re also letting your pass rush you’re letting your Blitz your pressure packages cook a little bit and that was a big difference a big difference making

Adjustment that’s that spags made then the other thing that you also touch on a little bit uh the bills were so methodical and Josh Allen passed the ball a ton but where are the yards the bills were just completely unex and the chiefs were far more explosive I mean

The chiefs were scoring Super Quick drives and the bills are just eating up all this clock which is smart right if you’re eating a ton of clock it’s great because you’re keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field but get this uh eight plays of 20 plus yards for the Chiefs

How many plays of 20 plus yards you think the bills had um I think if the longest one was that Josh Allen run was uh perhaps no maybe three zero he 17 he he has 17 yards you’re right he I think he only had 17 yards and that was the

Longest yardage from scrimmage eight plays of 20 plus yards for the Chiefs and none for the bills so that explosive difference is also huge you know because I mean the Chiefs the start of the second half what do they do they go out right away get a huge chunk play um mvs

Did show up mvs had been a liability for that offense for so long mvs made some huge plays Travis Kelce obviously comes through for huge plays and uh yeah Patrick Mahomes is extremely good spags is a great defensive coordinator that defense when it can hum when they get teams in third and long

Situations that defense is scary good uh that that was just a heavyweight fight after after a wonderful card after a Wonderful Card of matches you saved the heavyweight title belt fight for the very end and it was it lived up right yeah it totally lived

Up to the billing you you put every I was going to say everything that you said as far as SPS making those adjustments and stifling the rung from the running backs and from Josh Allen so I have nothing more to add but let’s transition before we get into some bears

Talk to get everyone up out of here we always appreciate you spending some time with us everyone that’s listening or watching us um to talk about what’s gonna happen next week all right so now you have the Lions traveling to Santa CLA to face the 49ers and of course you

Have the chiefs traveling to Baltimore to take on the Ravens so let’s start on the NFC side 49ers in the Li or I should have say Lions 49ers which way are you leaning Alex so if last week you were right on it with uh with the Packers

Maybe having the best upset chance even though I think the bills were favored so I guess the Chiefs weren’t upset they that was upset right were the not in my heart baby exactly we’re gonna get there we’re gonna get there um I think the Lions actually do have a decent chance

Of keeping this game close and I know the the 49ers are great but the Lions can come at you so many different ways ways whether it’s jir Gibbs whether it’s David Montgomery who didn’t have his best game this week I mean he can always go off uh whether it’s Sam lto whether

It’s Alan Ross St Brown whether it’s Josh Reynolds I mean they have so many ways they can hurt you jamus yeah yeah Jameson Williams uh it’s gonna be a it’s gonna be a tough challenge for that Niners defense that has been really really good and then I think Aiden

Hutchinson I mean that guy is such a problem he was again just so so good where let’s see if Aiden Hutchinson can be a Difference Maker if he can rattle Brock py and if Brock Pie plays the way he did against the the Packers like there is no reason why the Lions cannot

Win that football game they have definitely have a chance um everything you say is fact if you the only thing is if you you get the same game from Brock pry which we can’t say like this is one of the fewer games we’ve seen where

Brock py kind of was off um usually he’s not uh so we we should give him the benefit of the doubt because now we’ve almost had not two full seasons but close to two full seasons of seeing him perform and we know it’s not a fluke and

The question him being a fluke is just look he still pulled it off guess what that’s he did exactly what baby go did versus the 49ers in the Super Bowl winning his first Super Bowl and that’s I had a bad game majority of the game

And then I put it together end of the game and we pulled it off because the other team’s quarterback wasn’t playing as well either referring to Jordan love of course that wasn’t Jordan love that was um what was uh pretty face yeah JY Garoppolo and just like uh just like pry

Leaned on chrisan mcaffrey let’s be real Patrick Mahomes leaned a lot on Damen Williams in that game Damen Williams was oh D he should have won he probably should have won that mvp no maybe go forever but he should have won that mvp no question but uh

Look let’s flip over all right and look at the AFC side um you have you have the presumptive MVP Lamar Jackson playing at home in his first AFC Championship game um I I I I’m G just be honest I kind of feel bad for Lamar um because I didn’t

Know what was gonna happen with Patrick Mahomes but man this isn’t this team right here isn’t the team that you want to face with the fact they’re they’re not the scoring jugging out I’m referring to the Chiefs that they’ve been in the past but now we’ve seen that

They’ve weathered the storm rice is starting the show giving them a threat and Pacho was healthy he was beat up and now it’s opening up more for you to get to Travis Kelce who hadn’t had a touchdown in like eight games since week 11 um so that alone but this is the key

Too and both of these teams have really good defenses but you’re talking about a Kansas City team with the best defense that they’ve had in the Patrick Mahomes era and I think that may be an issue um I I think this let me say this and I’m

Biased because of Patrick Mahomes and I I would usually be biased as Lamar Jackson but no I’m going ain’t no a a chance my question will be can they make Lamar inefficient is really my question um because he’s gonna get some runs that he’s dog what he can do on a phone booth

Yeah it’s just that that two-way go he had and Mahomes did it too but Lamar it was it was different where Mahomes put his hand on the the lineman’s back but it was at the edge but when Lamar had and that Defender didn’t know which way

Lamar was going it was like a this is terrible this is sad Lamar Jackson is gonna is he’s gonna get it’s just how how much right exactly how much is he G and also I I’ll tell you this I think this will be a major factor as far as if

The Ravens can be but I’m gonna pull this off of Lamar if the Ravens can get as much pressure and I know this is a this is one of this is the generational best quarterback of this generation and Patrick Mahomes but if they can get the same amount of pressure that they got

Against CJ stra yeah the Ravens are gonna win would be able to win in this game because CJ stra man was under duress it was like whoa you know it’s just it that that was crazy what CJ strout was under and if they can do that to Patrick Mahomes the Ravens have it

They’re at home they’re gonna have of course the noise the fans behind them um if they can do that I’ll give them props but I don’t know if they’re going to be able to do that if they can’t pressure Mahomes in the same fashion I’m going

With Kansas City to win that game and make it back to another Super Bowl I’ve said it so many times on this podcast and I will continue to say it until I’m proven wrong um Patrick Mahomes has just earned the I will never pick against you treatment like on paper the Ravens win

This game if it’s any other quarterback if it’s any other team I’m picking the Ravens but I just cannot pick against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs I will not do it no no I’m saying he’s earned that for years okay okay just make a show that’s

What I’m saying I’ve said it for years on this podcast so many times come up you have you’re totally right you have said it I I was just making sure so no one put that in the comments because you you this is well established how you

Preferenced it was that I’m I will this is what you’re saying now but you have said it for you I’m just saying so everyone clearly knows because like right I’m sorry if that was not clear Patrick Mahomes has had this status for quite some time I will not pick against

Him it was similar to the Bills game like when you look at the Bills game on paper you think like yeah the Bills should probably win that football game they’re humming they’re hot they’re the hottest team in the NFL like Josh Allen is doing his thing James Cook has

Figured it out how do the Bills not win this game what because the Chiefs just win these games it’s they simply win these football games so uh I’m not picking against Patrick Mahomes I won’t do it even though like no football analysis needed no football analysis Patrick Mahomes AFC Championship game

I’m picking Patrick Mahomes me to I have to I roll I roll with him so I have to go down I go down fighting with my guys all right let’s transition to a little bears news of course we are the under Center podcast the Bears podcast so we definitely want

To update you on anything that’s happening with the Bears um since the last time that we’ve spoken with you the Bears have reached out to Cliff kingsburry UM quarterback coach senior offensive assistant for USC of course we know also Alex is an alumni which we always mention um but also you have the

Caleb Williams Factor so just thinking about the CLI kingsberry aspect what do you think about the Bears reaching out to him Alex so to me it feels more like we’re doing due diligence on Caleb Williams were information gathering on Caleb Williams and I’m sure yes to a degree yeah they are of course

Considering him as an offensive coordinator candidate the way he has developed quarterbacks cannot be denied uh hey who’s this quarterback that we just got done talking about is the greatest quarterback of Our Generation and is unbelievable and you can’t pick against him Patrick Mahomes who has a

Lot to do with Patrick Mahomes being great Cliff kingsburry was his coach at Texas Tech uh Kyler Murray obviously his incredible start to his career in Arizona Cliff Kingsbury uh Baker Mayfield Cliff kingsberry this guy develops quarterbacks so that cannot be ignored however his air raid style

Offense that is like pass 75% of the time spread it out wide what’s a run game I guess we’ll have to do it sometimes on Third and inches that’s just not the bear style right that to me is just an immediate budding of has an immediate Clash this Air Raid Offense

Versus or compared to what the Bears want to do being a zonun first team and then building play action and pass off of that um so that is certainly at odds and that’s what makes me kind of believe it’s maybe a little information gathering on Caleb Williams but you got

Got to pick this guy’s brain about hey how do you develop quarterbacks so so well because he has an incredible track record of developing quarterbacks all right moving along of course you have also have Marcus Brady uh he’s out of the Shanahan tree um and he was an an

Assistant for the quarterbacks in 2018 and 20 21 I believe uh in mat with that mat Eber flu um your thoughts and don’t we don’t have to stick on it if you don’t have anything to say about Marcus Brady because some of these guys we’re not going to know real quick yeah uh

Brady coached with f three years in Indianapolis yep and he started as assistant quarterback coach in 2018 and he became the offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022 um moving on we have of course and this is the big one Greg Roman um Greg Roman um who we all know from 49 being a

49ers offensive coordinator over with Jim harball and then going with his brother John Harbaugh and help develop Lamar Jackson um but the thing is they had to move off of him to get to this Lamar Jackson he did have his own MVP version of Lamar I think we look at this

Is being closer to full final form Lamar and I don’t think Lamar is at his final form just yet um I’ll say this and being Josh talked about this on ethnic digital um yeah I mean if you’re holding on to Justin I can see why but to me it’s

Still you’re you have to take advantage of the fact that Justin can run the way that he can run um but Lamar was raised running the ball even in a pro style offense at Louisville he still was this type of player where Justin was not this

Player at Ohio State so doesn’t mean he can’t become I don’t know if you’re fully accentuating what Justin could be by making him by forcing him into this dual threat um and I know you have to take advantage of it so I know you’re like Kim you not gonna take advantage

Yeah I’m saying that but I think there needs to be more development and we saw that Lamar’s development was stagnant they had to move off um so I get though you’re saying well Ken he’s not Justin not at Lamar 1.0 so let’s get him to that standard and see

How far we can get him going and then we can improve on that which is there’s logic to that um but I don’t know if the Bears are willing to are willing to do that it I think it’ll tell us this it’ll Lally let us know in a way how when now

They are um I believe because you’re basically it’s like we’re gonna just take advantage of and they should take advantage of everything Justin can do but I still would want someone to do it through the air better than what Greg Roman has shown that what he could do because you had Colin Kaepernick

Plateaued after to a certain point and then even the same with Lamar but Lamar’s also included injuries I hear you and I understand the recency with the Ravens wasn’t great and obviously the Ravens have taken the step with him out of the picture and he’s out

Of the game now but I don’t know that it’s fair to say that he never developed this great passing attack because he absolutely has now whether it is outer date or not like that’s up to debate but I think Greg Roman philosophically makes a ton of sense because what’s he really

Known for building dominating run schemes right uh you talked about Lamar Jackson in his MVP season but like he’s built run schemes with the bills and L LESA McCoy with the 49ers and Frank Gore but he’s also developed a lot of of really great passing attacks with guys like Sammy

Watkins Sammy Watkins only had success with Greg Roman in Buffalo Vernon Davis incredible tight end for the 49ers Anin Balden had all those great years Hollywood Brown had his best success under uh who are the quarterbacks wait wait give me the quarterbacks You Gotta Give me the quarterbacks though that are

Because these I’m I’m just still saying like so like so are we talking about Alex Alex Smith’s um cuz I don’t I never looked at that like this was a great passing I view I actually view Alex Smith under Andy Reid because Alex Smith was even more of a check down Charlie

When he was with the 49ers um again and the thing is this even with the things that you’re mentioned I’m not trying to take away from it it was okay we got this guy but what do we build off of that guy yeah that might be like more of a of

A nod in Greg Roman’s favor that he did this with trod Taylor in the in the Buffalo Bills right he he got the trod tlor Buffalo Bills to have a nice year for LESA McCoy and for Sammy Watkins as I was saying like he got the Alex Smith

49ers I mean anquin Balton and Vernon Davis had crazy numbers in those offenses so with less than exciting quarterbacks he still produced and then yeah he had a Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level again I’m not discounting the the recency of the Ravens not not

Being able to make it past that step they they plateaued right that that was real and you there’s a lot of there’s plateauing but like the plateau is pretty good here’s the thing from the Bears perspective where the Bears have been and where the Bears have never been the

Great Roman Plateau pretty good pretty good so can he build that like crazy Miami Dolphins offense or is he gonna build the Ben Johnson Lions offense like I don’t know he’s been out of the game for a year and yes there was damn well he’s not gonna build nothing that

Resembles Ben don’t that’s my way of saying no okay that’s my way of saying no he’s not gonna do that he’s not gonna do that but but the success that Greg Roman has had over the breadth of his career and he’s super experienced offensive coordinator is really good

Like let’s not just say Greg Roman has had has had no success he’s had a lot of success all right I’ll push back how many years have you since since his MVP year had uh Lamar Jackson in your fantasy league and he starts off high

And then the rest of the year you like damn I gotta look for a quarterback but that’s but that’s that’s not all due to injury that’s not all due to injury and by Design also it’s like that run game was so good where they have three running backs and they’re like doing

This crazy run attack you yourself said that the Bears are going to have to be have to be able to score 30 points a game you said that you agree I agreed you’re right I did agree the Bears have to put up points your points and we’re look we’re going back you have

Great points here you you’re making great points you’re you’re actually making me feel better about it I’m just because me and you are friends we always have to I know yeah you know it’s all fun it’s all fun again we’re doing a debate show here it’s all and it’s all

Love here and it’s not a fake debate either where we’re just debating for the second all right no this is real debate it’s all love right um if NFL Networks Tom pisaro um let us know that former bear safety Chris Harris is will be interviewed for the Bears defensive

Coordinator position most recently he was the Tennessee Titans passing game coordinator um he had two stints under Lovey Smith he also was a quality control coach under Mark tresman um listen a a guy that from what you check out has always kind of been a coach and

A player um interesting to see I say he went on let me see real quick uh Paris was an assistant def the back coach with the charges from 2016 to 2019 and with Washington from 2020 to 2022 before of course going over to the Tennessee Titans under former head coach Mike

Grael um your thoughts on Chris Harris perhaps getting a chance to be the Bears defensive coordinator one Alex but also if he is do you think he will be getting play calling duties given play calling duties I’ll answer the second part first because I think it’s a much shorter

Answer the answer is no uh I expect whoever the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears is that Matt eberl will retain the play calling it works really well if we believe that it’s a medium hot seat on ebra flu why would you give that up you know you probably want to

Keep riding with with your play call and you want to maintain that control and there’s no reason to give it up you were really good at it last year um to answer Chris Harris I think it makes a ton of sense if you are going to go outside of the

Organization he’s a guy who’s extremely familiar with this system he’s a guy who’s extremely familiar with the typee of program that Matty bfo wants to run because Lovey Smith handed out loafs just like Matty bfo hands out Loaves and yeah maybe some of the terminology is different some of the ideas are

Different but a lot of it you know swarm into the football preach and takeaways the pillars are the same and it you know if you want to bring in that outside voice it’s probably good that those pillars line up but maybe you do have a few different ideas on how to do things

Right we talk about Phil snow as this analyst who was doing all this Advanced scouting work and you know it’s Eber flu talked about it was nice that yeah we pretty much Al line but he does have some different ideas um so I think it makes all the sense in the world uh

He was a part of that Bears Super Bowl team you want to talk about like a Ryan poles type of guy he was like what a sixth round pick a fifth round pick so a late round pick starts as a rookie gets an interception in the Super Bowl like

He embodies a lot of the things that Chicago Bears want to do so if they go outside the organization with their DC I think it makes a ton of sense all right that’s it for us here thanks to CLA fippy of course Alex Shapiro we always appreciate you taking

A little bit of time next time you see us make sure you check us out Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. on NBC Sports we’ll definitely be back next weekend of course to talk about what happened in the NFC and AFC Championship Game appreciate you all taking a little bit

Of time to hang out with us as we talk football and of course as we talk Bears football