Those games

 Alrighty, then: The Chiefs and the 49ers.

That's your matchup in the Big Roman Numeral, and the lesson here is them that's been there usually win. The Chiefs and the 49ers had both been where they were yesterday, multiple times. The Ravens and Lions had not. And you could tell the difference.

The Chiefs and 49ers made the plays that win conference championship games. The Ravens and the Lions made the plays that lose them. 

Throwing into triple coverage. Negating a big gainer by taunting the guy covering you and then fumbling on the goal line. Dropping passes on gambler's-throw fourth-down plays, and not taking the points on those fourth-down plays to begin with in a game where every point was absolutely critical.

The Ravens and Lions did all of the above. The Chiefs and 49ers, when it counted, did not, because they'd been there before and didn't let the moment overwhelm them. They knew that's what it was going to take, and they responded accordingly.

Yesterday, in a nutshell.

Today, a few additional thoughts ...

* The NFL Is Rigged!

Oh, what an absolute hoot it was to watch the MAGAs and Testosterone Bros lose their minds because now we're gonna get two more weeks of Taylor and Travis.

"The fix was in!" they cried. "The woke league and woke networks made sure the Chiefs won because they wanted woke Taylor and woke Travis in the Super Bowl! The NFL is rigged and our elections are rigged (except when a Republican wins) and the justice system is rigged and the WHOLE GOT-DAMN WORLD IS RIGGED!!"

Oh, man. I am weak from laughing. Weak, I tell you.

* The Most Lions Thing Ever

Because who else could so thoroughly dominate a half, the way the Lions did in the first half last night, and then blow a 17-point lead in 10 or 12 minutes?

It was classic Lions, teasing their long-suffering fans with that 24-7 halftime lead ("Omigod! I can't believe this!"), and then handing the game to the 49ers with drops and fumbles and tactical backfires, and even a pass that BOUNCED OFF A LION'S FACEMASK TO A 49ERS RECEIVER FOR A 50-YARD GAIN. ("Omigod! I can't believe this!")

Conclusion: Even God switched sides at halftime. 

Further conclusion: The Curse of Bobby Layne never dies, it just keeps getting more cruel.

* Dan Campbell Is An Idiot

Because he left six points on the field by gambling twice on fourth down and failing, even though gambling on fourth down has been his signature move all season. 

Kick the field goals, and the Lions stay two scores up on the onrushing 49ers and change the way San Francisco has to play as the clock ticked down. Be your usual Swashbucklin' Danny self instead, and a potential 30-24 Lions lead in the fourth quarter is instead a 27-24 deficit with fewer than ten minutes to play.

You can't get greedy in a conference championship game, especially when you're the road team. And especially in this game, when every point was like gold with the 49ers on fire and coming.

* Dan Campbell Is Not An Idiot

Because both fourth-down gambles work if the receivers just catch the ball. In both cases, they'd been schemed open. In both cases, they literally dropped the ball. 

Then again, drops happen. 

Which is why the Blob still thinks you take the points whenever you can.

And last but not least ...

* Patrick Mahomes Is A Golden God. Also, Remember A Couple Of Weeks Ago, When Travis Kelce Was Washed And It Was All Taylor's Fault?

Mahomes on Sunday: 30-of-39, 241 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions. And he was sacked just twice by the hungry Ravens' pass rush.

Kelce on Sunday: Eleven targets, 11 catches, 116 yards, one touchdown.

Never bet against Mahomes in a playoff game. Never, ever, ever.

And if this was a washed, Taylor-distracted Kelce?

We should all be so washed, then. And so distracted.