We are down to the final four teams in the NFL and the conference championship games will feature three franchises that have won multiple Super Bowls in the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and San Francisco 49ers. Then there is the Detroit Lions. The Lions second playoff win in this postseason AND in the last 30 years finds them in the NFC Championship for the first time in that same amount of time. The Lions are the fun, underdog story that continues to gain momentum, but the Divisional Round had plenty of great storylines.
Another Chiefs-Bills Playoff Game Ends in Heartbreak for Buffalo
The Kansas City Chief-Buffalo Bills rivalry has become one of the NFL’s marquee rivalries and a postseason dream for football fans in recent years. That postseason dream may be more of a nightmare for Buffalo and their fans, none more torturous than Sunday’s 27-24 home loss.
This marked the third time that the Patrick Mahomes led Chiefs eliminated the Josh Allen led Bills. After one of the great playoff games of all time in 2022 in which Kansas City won in overtime, this was the Bills best opportunity to eliminate their AFC rivals. It was the first time the Bills had a home game in the postseason against Kansas City and they had already defeated them on the road during the regular season. Additionally, Buffalo was on a six game win streak entering this game.
The other big reason to believe in a Buffalo win was the fact that this Kansas City Chiefs team has looked more beatable than any other version of themselves in this era. As many great teams do though, Kansas City appears to have found a way to “turn it on” for the postseason. An offense that often looked lost this season has now found stability through a strong running game with Isiah Pacheco and a growing receiving weapon in rookie Rashee Rice.
This game looked very reminiscent of the Chiefs of last year that won the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes was making plays with his feet and throwing the ball on a dime for 215 yards and two touchdowns. He also found a resurgence of his favorite weapon Travis Kelce who caught five receptions, two of which were touchdowns, for a total of 75 yards. Outside of taking a knee at the end of the first half, the Chiefs scored points on each of their other first five drives.
To his credit, Josh Allen played a good and clean game for the Bills. He helped Buffalo take four different leads over the course of the game through a heavy running attack. Allen’s passing numbers were modest for him, but he did provide a team leading 72 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
In heartbreaking Buffalo fashion, the game came down to Buffalo’s final drive. After getting the Bills into Kansas City territory, Allen took two deep shots on second and third down after the two minute warning that both ended incomplete. The questionable throwing decisions led to a Tyler Bass 44 yard field goal that sailed wide right, a staple Bills heartbreaking missed kick.
Kansas City will move on to their sixth straight AFC Championship Game. Since being a starting quarterback, Mahomes has played in the AFC title game every season.
Buffalo will enter a big offseason. After years of bolstering the roster, many of the core veteran players will become free agents or Buffalo may be forced to transition to a new foundation. Obviously Allen will return, but the support around him may look far different entering next season. This felt like Buffalo’s last true shot to shake off Kansas City and get into the Super Bowl with this roster. Now the Bills will be forced to adjust a roster that has been very good, but not good enough.
San Francisco Narrowly Survives Green Bay
The big surprise of the Divisional Round was the near upset the Green Bay Packers almost gave the top seeded San Francisco 49ers. The Packers outplayed San Francisco on their own field for the first three quarters, but a scoreless fourth quarter, missed field goal, and a late game interception of Jordan Love led to the 49ers surviving via a 24-21 win.
In incredibly rainy conditions, points were hard to come by in the first half as San Francisco took a 7-6 lead into halftime. Despite the lead, Green Bay actually had more sustained offense. The Packers just couldn’t get the ball in the end zone, having to settle for field goals.
The third quarter ended with a 21-14 Packers lead after two Jordan Love touchdown passes. The Packers defense also caused Brock Purdy to struggle in the inclement weather. Purdy struggled throughout the game, missing open receivers and looking rattled.
The only form of offense in the third quarter was a 39 yard Christian McCaffrey touchdown run that allowed the Niners to stay within striking distance.
San Francisco’s defense finally locked in during the fourth quarter, not allowing the Packers any points which is exactly what they needed to just outscore Green Bay. On Green Bay’s lone drive into San Francisco territory, kicker Anders Carlson missed a 41 yard field goal.
The following 49ers drive was their best of the game. Brock Purdy and the offense burned over five minutes of clock on a 12 play, 69 yard drive that ended with another McCaffrey touchdown to take the lead. Purdy worked out of his struggles and made a handful of clutch throws to sustain that drive.
With a chance to tie or win the game on a final drive, four plays in Jordan Love rolled out right and threw across his body toward Christian Watson, but was picked off by Dre Greenlaw to seal a San Francisco NFC Championship Game berth for the second straight season.
Although Green Bay will certainly be disappointed in losing a game that really was theirs for the taking, the improvement over the season of Love and the way this incredibly young roster performed, even winning a road playoff game, is something the Packers will be able to build off of next year. There’s no question that expectations will be high for Matt LaFleur’s team next year.
San Francisco will enter has favorites in the NFC Championship Game as they welcome the Detroit Lions. On paper, the Niners are clearly a more polished and playoff weathered team. This roster has been building up for an opportunity to play in a Super Bowl. After missing a chance last season when Purdy was injured in the NFC Championship Game, the stars seemed to be aligning for Kyle Shanahan’s squad. Although that may be true, the Niners cannot look past Detroit or they may just throw next week’s conference title game into their pile of missed opportunities.
Detroit Moves Within One Game of Super Bowl for Second Time
The Detroit Lions will play in their second NFC Championship in the history of their franchise and look to play in their first ever Super Bowl after holding off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-23.
Detroit was able to ride another great performance from their versatile and fully weaponized offense. Jared Goff, who continues to be one of football’s underrated quarterbacks, threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted 74 yards on just nine carries and broke off a 31 yard touchdown that separated a 17-17 tie in the early part of the fourth quarter, a lead the Lions wouldn’t give up. Star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also reached 77 yards receiving and caught a touchdown to put the Lions up 14 points, signaling the end of the Bucs season.
Detroit will now move on to play the San Francisco 49ers in their first NFC Championship since 1991. Dan Campbell’s team will be prepared if we’ve learned anything about his team over this season, but if the Lions plan to have any real chance to reach Las Vegas for the Super Bowl they will need to hatch down on the defensive side of the football. The obvious weakness of this team, Detroit allowed Baker Mayfield to throw for 349 yards. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy may not be Joe Montana, but with the weapons the 49ers have, the Detroit defense will need to be on top of their game.
Baltimore’s Second Half Shutout Advances Ravens to AFC Championship
The hottest team in the NFL and current Super Bowl favorite Baltimore Ravens got tested in the first half before they took care of business and ended an unbelievable season by the Houston Texans. After entering halftime tied at 10, the Ravens defense clamped down to shutout the Texans in the second half, leading to a 34-10 route.
Soon to be announced MVP Lamar Jackson is the team leader and dominated the game, throwing for 152 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 100 yards and two more touchdowns. Jackson has been on a terror for weeks now and is playing some of the best football of his career.
Jackson may get the accolades, but the Ravens defense may be the reason they have had the success they do this year. Baltimore shutdown rookie star quarterback C.J. Stroud for the second time this season, not allowing him to throw a touchdown and holding him under 200 yards passing. The Baltimore defense continues to play at a level equally impressive to what Jackson is doing on the other side of the football.
The win moves Baltimore into a premier AFC Championship matchup against the defending Super Bowl Champions. Fitting, as the Ravens inspire to be the team holding the Lombardi Trophy this season, they would have to go through the daunting task of knocking off the closest thing to a dynasty in the post Brady-Belichick era. Baltimore has played the more consistent football this season and will benefit with a home game because of it, but this game will be advertise as Mahomes vs Jackson and likely deservedly so. If Jackson plays like he has in recent weeks, it’s hard to imagine the Ravens losing no matter who they play. That being said, if Jackson were to struggle for the first time in weeks, Mahomes and the Chiefs is not the team you’d want to be facing.
Next Sunday can’t come soon enough. The AFC Championship Game should be fireworks from the opening kickoff.
Championship Weekend Power Rankings
- Baltimore Ravens
- San Francisco 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Detroit Lions
Championship Game Previews
AFC Championship Game: Kansas City Chiefs vs Baltimore Ravens
Last season was supposed to be the year the Kansas City Chiefs started to fall off. With no Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs were expected to struggle offensively without their home run threat. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid and the rest of the Chiefs just went on to win their second Super Bowl in this era.
Then there was this season. Kansas City’s wide receivers were even younger and more unproven than last year. Travis Kelce legitimately struggled to be the go-to star tight end we’ve grown accustomed to watching. In the second half to the season the Chiefs lost four of six games, including a Christmas Day game against Las Vegas in which their quarterback didn’t complete a pass for three quarters. This is the most beatable Chiefs team since Patrick Mahomes has been a starting quarterback. Yet here the Chiefs are again. Kansas City is playing in their sixth straight AFC Championship Game, pure dominance for a professional football team.
Kansas City will travel to play the top seeded Baltimore Ravens. A physical, hard-nosed, and well coached football team that also has a soon to be two-time MVP at quarterback in Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have been football’s elite team this season. With relatively good health for the first time in a couple of seasons, Baltimore has only lost four games (one of which was with many starters sitting due to clinching the top seed) and all have been within one possession. Jackson’s ability to take over a game with his arm and feet has only been amplified this season with the strongest group of receiving weapons he’s probably ever had, something that may even get stronger this weekend with star tight end Mark Andrews likely returning from injury.
The AFC Championship Game is the more high profile of the two games on Sunday and that’s not just because of Taylor Swift being attendance. Kansas City and Baltimore are two of the best franchises in football over the past ten years and this game features two of sports biggest stars in Jackson and Mahomes. With these two talented teams as well as John Harbaugh and Andy Reid being on opposing sidelines, expect this game to be tight heading in to the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. Baltimore may be the most impressive team all season and the Chiefs may not be the offensive machine we’ve seen in other years, but don’t be fooled. The Ravens better come ready to play if they intend to knock off the defending champions.
NFC Championship Game: Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers
Could we see the Detroit Lions in the Super Bowl for the first time in NFL history? If so, they will need travel to San Francisco and defeat a 49ers team that has been the NFC favorite for most the season.
Officially the greatest Detroit football season since 1991 when the Lions played in their only other NFC Championship Game, Detroit went from being viewed as one of the better NFC teams but outside of the elite class to being within one game of the sport’s biggest game.
San Francisco tripped up coming out of the gates for the postseason, but was able to survive a close call against the Green Bay Packers. Thanks to two Christian McCaffrey touchdowns and a late game interception of Jordan Love, San Francisco returns to the NFC Championship Game for the second year in a row. This time the 49ers will play in the comfort of their home stadium
San Francisco will be favorites, but with the trouble Green Bay, another NFC North playoff team, gave the 49ers in the Divisional Round, no one should count out the Lions. There’s also the concern about whether Deebo Samuel will be available after he exited the game against Green Bay to never return. The injury may not be as bad as the 49ers trying to play last season’s NFC Championship Game without a healthy quarterback, but the Niners are a completely different team without Samuel.
This game may come down to whether the Detroit defense can pressure Brock Purdy and prevent him from picking them apart. The teams that have been most successful against San Francisco have usually been able to find ways to make things difficult for the San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
This is the San Francisco team that has been preparing for a Super Bowl run. With a relatively healthy roster, a quarterback that fits the system, and arguably the most star studded roster in the NFL, the opportunity is there for the 49ers. All that may be true, but expect Dan Campbell to have his gritty Detroit Lions prepared as they’ve been all season.