The conference championship matchups are now set following this weekend’s divisional round games. In the NFC, the Detroit Lions will travel to take on the San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile in the AFC, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will host Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens.
Lions Continue Cinderella Run, Upset Bucs to Advance
The Detroit Lions continued their improbable playoff run by going on the road to upset Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-27 on Sunday. Second-year running back De’Andre Swift rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Lions offense. Meanwhile, Detroit’s much-improved defense came up with a crucial late stop to seal the victory after Brady led an late touchdown drive to pull the Bucs within three points.
This is the Lions’ first NFC Championship game appearance since 1993. Head coach Dan Campbell has engineered a remarkable turnaround after the team finished with the NFL’s worst record at 2-13-1 just two seasons ago. Campbell won over fans with an emotional introductory press conference when he was hired, and now has the team on the brink of the Super Bowl through leadership and culture change.
Quarterback Jared Goff has had an underrated season, cutting down on turnovers and excelling at running Campbell’s offense. With playmakers like Swift and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown stepping up alongside a hard-nosed defense, the Lions have gone from worst to playoff phenoms. They’ll have their hands full against the 49ers next week, but clearly can’t be counted out.
| 2023 Week | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs Eagles | L 38-35 |
| 2 | vs Commanders | W 36-27 |
| 3 | at Vikings | L 28-24 |
49ers Overcome Early Deficit, Rout Seahawks
The 49ers fell into a 10-0 first quarter hole against the Seahawks on Sunday, prompting fears of another early playoff exit. But quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey ignited an explosive offensive performance as San Francisco rolled to a 41-23 victory.
Purdy threw for over 300 yards and added a rushing touchdown, showing impressive poise for a rookie making just his second career playoff start. Meanwhile, McCaffrey gashed Seattle for 119 yards on just 15 carries while also catching a touchdown pass.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle each topped 90 receiving yards as the 49ers racked up 505 yards of total offense. Rookie QB sensation Purdy has San Francisco’s offense operating on another level since taking over midseason for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
The defense has also been lights out, holding opponents under 20 points for eight straight games now. They swarmed Seahawks QB Geno Smith all game, sacking him three times and forcing a pivotal fourth quarter fumble that Samuel returned for a touchdown. This well-rounded roster is gelling at the perfect time.
| home/away | opponent | result |
|---|---|---|
| home | vs Seahawks | W 41-23 |
| home | vs Cowboys | W 19-12 |
| away | at Eagles | L 25-20 |
The Niners will host the championship game after earning the NFC’s #2 seed behind Philadelphia, who were upset by the Giants on Saturday. Ironically, this is a rematch of the 1993 NFC title game the last time the Lions made it this far. But this year’s 49ers team will be a much tougher out on their home turf.
Mahomes Leads Chiefs Back to AFC Championship
Patrick Mahomes reminded everyone why he is the NFL’s best quarterback, leading the Chiefs back from a 27-0 first half deficit to stun the Jacksonville Jaguars 41-31. The Chiefs defense was shredded early on by Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, prompting doubts if Kansas City’s porous unit would doom their Super Bowl hopes.
But Mahomes put together a signature second half performance, throwing four touchdown passes to bring the Chiefs all the way back and advance to their fifth straight AFC Championship game. Tight end Travis Kelce also had a monster game, catching 14 passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Few tandems in NFL history can match Mahomes and Kelce’s playoff excellence.
Despite the heroics, the defense remains a major concern entering next week’s showdown with Baltimore. The unit surrendered over 500 total yards to the Jaguars and will have their hands full against Lamar Jackson. But with Mahomes running the offense, the Chiefs have a chance to outscore anyone.
| Week | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | vs Bills | W 34-27 |
| 10 | at Chargers | L 30-27 |
| 13 | at Bengals | W 27-24 |
Ravens Soar Past Bills Behind Jackson’s 5 TD Performance
Lamar Jackson delivered an all-time playoff performance to lead the Ravens past Buffalo 38-26 in one of the greatest quarterback duels ever witnessed. Jackson threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores, while Bills QB Josh Allen countered with four TD tosses of his own. These two former MVPs traded blows all night, but Jackson proved too much in the end.
The Ravens quarterback showed he can win big playoff games with his arm, shredding Buffalo’s top-ranked defense for over 280 passing yards. But his unique scrambling ability remains Baltimore’s secret weapon, as Jackson repeatedly burned the Bills defense by improvising for first downs and finding the end zone twice on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Ravens continued their defensive resurgence by forcing two Josh Allen interceptions plus a late fourth down stop to seal the franchise’s third-ever AFC Championship game berth. First year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has this unit back playing at an elite level, which could be the difference against Kansas City’s explosive offense next Sunday. Behind Jackson’s brilliance and an attacking defense, just one more win stands between the Ravens and the Super Bowl.
| Week | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | vs Patriots | W 31-23 |
| 8 | at Bucs | W 27-22 |
| 12 | at Jaguars | L 28-27 |
The AFC’s two winningest teams over the past five seasons will now face off for a spot in the Super Bowl. Mahomes and the Chiefs will seek their third Super Bowl appearance in four years, but Jackson and the Ravens seem to have all the ingredients to dethrone the AFC kings on their home turf.
Conference Championship Weekend Lines and Predictions
Despite being on the road, both the Chiefs and 49ers have opened as early betting favorites in the conference championship games. This sets up a potential Super Bowl LVIII matchup featuring the league’s most exciting young quarterbacks in Mahomes and Purdy. However, don’t expect the battle-tested Lions and Ravens to go down without a fight next Sunday.
Chiefs vs Ravens
Spread: Chiefs -2.5
Over/Under: 55
Prediction: Chiefs 34, Ravens 31
This should be an instant classic quarterback duel for the ages between Mahomes and Jackson. The Ravens defense presents a tough challenge, but Mahomes seems destined to add another conference championship to his sparkling resume.
Lions vs 49ers
Spread: 49ers -4
Over/Under: 44
Prediction: 49ers 27, Lions 23
Purdy and the 49ers have been rolling, but Dan Campbell’s Lions are the NFL’s hottest team after winning nine of ten games. Count on a close, hard-fought game that comes down to the final possession. But San Francisco’s defense should ultimately rise to the occasion on their home turf.
No matter who survives championship weekend, the Super Bowl matchup will be one for the ages. Buckle up for two Sunday thrillers!
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
