Look, I’m not one to dance on other teams’ graves, but even I couldn’t help but do a little jig after the Chiefs topped the Bengals in the AFC Championship to advance to the Super Bowl last night.
I wasn’t the only one.
@EliApple Bahamas ?
— 🦈 (@Patrickqueen_) January 30, 2023
Quite frankly, there was no way the football gods were going to let the Bengals win this game. Not a Cincy team that spent the last month complaining about the aftermath of Damar Hamlin almost dying on the field; not Joe Burrow, who didn’t coin the Burrowhead moniker but certainly didn’t play it down leading up to the game; and certainly not Eli Apple, whose tweet after beating the Bills was ignorant at best and hateful at worst.
— FIELDS (@EDCburner) January 30, 2023
And if the Ravens and their fans were happy after the Bengals loss, the Chiefs clearly felt even better, led by none other than Travis Kelce.
He kicked off the celebration by reminding the world that Arrowhead was still Mahomes’ house…
Travis Kelce: "WOOOO! Burrowhead my ass."pic.twitter.com/T64OlhlNba
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 30, 2023
…and followed it up with words to live by.
Travis Kelce out here cutting promos. The man is a national treasure. pic.twitter.com/b27qgBANWS
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 30, 2023
No beer in Kansas City was safe last night, certainly not in the locker room, where Eli Apple continued to be a topic of conversation. (Caution: language)
“ELI APPLE IMMA SMOKE ONE FOR YOU”
They are wildin right now 😂 pic.twitter.com/ES4oGJzEHr— KCP Armour (@GameArmourGame) January 30, 2023
Now other than the obvious satisfaction Baltimore took in the Bengals’ loss, last night’s game could have one implication for the Ravens, relating to their offensive coordinator search.
Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been requested to interview for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator job, per sources. Bieniemy also remains under consideration for the Colts’ HC job that he has interviewed for, and the Titans’ OC job, amongst other situations.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 29, 2023
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy continues to draw interest across the league, including from the Ravens for their open OC job. If the Chiefs win the Super Bowl, especially with injuries to their wide receivers, Bienemy could draw even more interest and perhaps settle on a job before the Ravens conclude their search.
Is he the answer? I’m not so sure. Kansas City’s inability to have any sort of a run game despite a strong offensive line and explosive running backs suggest that Bienemy, a former NFL running back himself, may not be the best run game designer around. If John Harbaugh truly wants to keep that identity, Bienemy may not be a fit.
The Ravens also interviewed Georgia OC Todd Monken, an interesting choice given the Bulldogs’ reputation as a defensive team.
The #Ravens interviewed Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken for their OC job this week, per source. Monken has been eyeing a potential NFL return and also is slated to speak with the #Bucs.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 28, 2023
However, Monken coached Stetson Bennett and multiple talented tight ends to over 500 yards of offense in 2022, one year after losing George Pickens and James Cook to the NFL. Throw in Georgia’s dismantling of TCU in the National Championship, and I can see why the Ravens might be interested.
And finally, an update on one of the funniest underlying storylines of the season: Tyler Huntley’s Pro Bowl campaign.
Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow will be playing in the Super Bowl and out of the Pro Bowl games.
Alternates Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert are out due to injury, while 3rd alternate Lamar Jackson (knee) is presumably out.
Tyler Huntley as 4th alternate might be Pro Bowl bound. pic.twitter.com/4RFFbX6bDp
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 29, 2023
For the first time ever, I’m hoping Lamar Jackson can’t take the field, so that Tyler Huntley can have the weekend of his life at the Pro Bowl. I’m not sure why, but I feel like Snoop would be a hit with the current and former players, not to mention the media and fans at Pro Bowl weekend.
Here’s hoping Huntley can make it!
3 Responses
Need a QB before signing an OC. What OC would want to come here not knowing the QB situation? Now if they sign him or tag him at least the OC would know who his QB was going to be. But if they tag and trade then everything changes. So any speculation on the OC is premature at this point. Because if they sign an OC then trade LJ the headline will be the OC complaining all season how he thought LJ was going to be the QB.
As for Mr. Smug Joe Burrow: He’s at the top of my sh– list since the second Ravens-Bengals game of the 2021 season. In that match-up Joe deliberately ran up the score on the Ravens’ practice squad secondary just to hit 500 yds. What a smuck!
Burrow is home and I’m happy