Three Former Cards Reach NFL's 2023 Conference Championships

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Divisional Round of the 2023 NFL Playoffs is now in the books, and with it, we now move onto the Conference Championships, where teams are just one win away from reaching Super Bowl LVIII.

Out of the 11 former Louisville football players on the rosters for the 14 teams the clinched teams that clinched playoff berths, just three are left on the remaining four teams.

Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Malik Cunningham, each one a member of the AFC's top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, took down the No. 4 Houston Texans 34-10 this past Saturday to clinch the organization's first AFC Championship appearance since 2012.

On the other side of the bracket in the NFC, the magical run for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's No. 3 Detroit Lions continues onward, as they were able to defeat the No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 to advance to their first NFC Championship appearance since 1991.

Sporting a playoff record of just 1-3, Jackson was in dire need of a phenomenal playoff performance, and he delivered just that. He completed 16 of his 22 pass attempts for 152 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushes 11 times for 100 yards and two more scores.

Cunningham, who has been with the Ravens for a little over a month, did not see the field in Baltimore's win over Houston. Much like during the regular season, Bridgewater also did not play in Detroit's win over Tampa Bay.

Jackson put together a phenomenal 2023 campaign, and is the clear frontrunner to win this season's MVP and his second after winning it in 2019. His 67.2 completion percentage and 3,678 passing yards were both career-highs, and he threw 24 touchdown passes to just seven interceptions. On the ground, he ran for 821 yards and five touchdowns.

Cunningham started the 2023 season with the New England Patriots, bouncing in between their practice squad and active roster before being signed by the Ravens last month. The rookie signal caller has seen action just once this season, playing six snaps in the Patriots week six matchup at the Raiders.

Bridgewater has spent the season almost exclusively on the sideline. As the primary backup to Jared Goff, he has played in just one game this season, rushing twice for negative-two yards in Detroit's week five game vs. the Panthers. Bridgewater revealed earlier in the year that he will retire after the season.

The Ravens are set to host the No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 3:00 p.m. EST on CBS for the AFC Championship. Later that day, the Lions will travel to Levi's Stadium to take on the No. 1 San Francisco 49ers at 6:30 p.m. EST on FOX for the NFC Championship.

(Photo of Lamar Jackson, Sheldon Rankins: Tommy Gilligan - USA TODAY Sports)

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