The AFC Championship Game’s weakest links

A championship-caliber unit is only as strong as its weakest link. Entering Championship Weekend, the rosters are so deep, and refined that it gets tougher to find dents in their armors. These aren’t the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. The Kansas City Chiefs found a way around their lack of go-to receivers by utilizing running backs and Joe Burrow and Co. overcame his protection woes by throwing more check downs and getting the ball out quicker en route to becoming an elite passer under pressure. The Chiefs and Bengals are efficient football machines more than 20 weeks into the season, but savvy coordinators will gash any soft spots they can find to death.

Here are the five AFC Championship Game players and matchups that could be bullied on Sunday.

For the weakest links in the NFC Championship Game, click here.

The Bengals cornerback has been a sieve in the team’s secondary since signing with Cincinnati in 2021. In two years, Apple has allowed a 101.5 passer rating in coverage, produced two interceptions, and been beaten for 11 touchdowns. He’s terrible at assessing risk and it’s gotten him burned countless times.

To make matters worse, he’s a loudmouth. There are entire lowlight reels devoted to instances of Apple getting owned by receivers and then being mocked afterward. Cooper Kupp had Apple seeing stars in the Super Bowl and while there is no one of that caliber left in Kansas City, Mecole Hardman has Apple in his crosshairs. Now, Hardman isn’t that great of a route runner, but hell hath no fury like a receiver scorned. Don’t be surprised if Mahomes carpet bombs the side of the line of scrimmage where Apple roams.

Valdes-Scantling never lived up to the expectations placed upon him in Green Bay as the successor to Davante Adams. Measuring in at 6-foot-4, 206 pounds and running a swift 4.3 40, Scantling is a promising deep threat, but has been plagued by drops.

The recipient of a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason barely reached halfway to 1,000 yards. A quiet AFC Championship Game for him would maintain the status quo.

Brown arrived in Kansas City as a transformative pass blocker on the edge for Patrick Mahomes. Instead, he’s been a polarizing figure on the offensive line. Early on in the 2022 season, Pro Football Focus graded him 55th out of 65 tackles as his turnstile blocking allowed relentless pressure to reach Mahomes.

Brown is an insanely streaky tackle on the blind side after burnishing a reputation as a top-tier right tackle in Baltimore.

If Mahomes is limited mobility-wise, it’s imperative for Brown to clean up the mistakes and keep Trey Hendrickson’s edge pressure off of Mahomes’s blind side.

Cincinnati spent gobs of money in the offseason upgrading their “Joe Burrow cleanup on aisle 3” offensive line. However, their offensive line still possesses the second-longest active streak for consecutive games surrendering a sack and Steve Spagnuolo’s pass rush will be facing an offensive line still moving Jenga pieces around after a slate of injuries. Left tackle Jonah Williams and right tackle La’el Collins will both be spectators for this one.

Reid talked a big game before Kansas City’s Week 13 loss to the Bengals. He ultimately wound up eating those words and a mouthful of turf.

Tyrann Mathieu’s replacement hasn’t been terrible, but hasn’t registered an interception in his first year outside of the dysfunctional Houston Texans environment. And things didn’t go so well last time he faced Cincinnati either.