Gamecocks in the NFL: Conference Championship guide
Then there were three. The NFL Playoffs continues this weekend with a pair on conference championship games. Only a trio of former Gamecocks are left in the hunt to win Super Bowl LVIII.
Here’s a look at which former South Carolina players to keep an eye on this weekend, as well as any injury updates.
Note: The Gamecocks in the NFL weekly guide won’t always include game day injury statuses. Players who are placed on IR (+) or on practice squad (*) will have marks next to their names. (q) are for players who are questionable, (o) are for players who are out.
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Saturday: Divisional Round
Chiefs vs Ravens – 3 pm (CBS)
**Jadeveon Clowney – OLB #24 (BAL)
**After tying his career-high in sacks this season (9.5), Jadeveon Clowney put together his best statistical regular season in five years. While this year marks the sixth time that Clowney has made it to the playoffs, Sunday will mark the first time in his ten-year NFL career that he’ll be playing for a conference championship.
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Lions vs 49ers – 6:30 pm (FOX)
**Deebo Samuel – WR #19 (SF)
***Javon Kinlaw – DT #99 (SF)
**Despite injuring his shoulder last weekend in the divisional round, Deebo Samuel is expected to play on Sunday. Earlier in the week, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shared that while there’s no fracture in Samuel’s shoulder, Samuel is dealing with a lot of pain. How much the do-it-all star is able to do as well as how much he plays is to be seen but expect Samuel to leave it all out there against the Lions as he looks to win his second NFC Championship of his career.
***For Javon Kinlaw, Sunday will mark the second time he’s reached the NFC Championship in his career. Plagued my injuries the previous two seasons, he’s been having one of the most production years of his career and is coming off a three tackle performance, which included a tackle for loss, in last weekend’s divisional round.