With the divisional round in the NFL wrapped up, fans can look back but also begin considering what’s to come in the AFC and NFC conference championships next weekend.
In the AFC, the Ravens handily defeated a young Texans team, though the future looks bright in Houston. Fans also witnessed Bills kicker Tyler Bass seal the fate of Buffalo, as they lost again to the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes.
The NFC saw the Green Bay Packers give the 49ers a wakeup call as one play provided the margin of victory for San Francisco. The Lions, meanwhile, showed that their time has come for the bright lights with a win over the Buccaneers.
So the matchups for the conference championship games will be Chiefs vs. Ravens and Lions vs. 49ers.
While the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson have proven to the NFL world that Baltimore is the real deal, they still have to play the Chiefs. Mahomes has reached his sixth AFC Championship in a row, and he knows how to win those games. The Ravens and Lamar have a chance to make history, but this is his biggest challenge so far, while this just will be just another day in the office for Mahomes.
The 49ers, after squeezing out a win against the Packers, have a couple issues to address. Deebo Samuel got hurt and there is a chance he could be ruled out against this rolling Lions team. With the Lions riding high and Samuel potentially being out, the 49ers are going to have to adjust.
All of these teams are good in their own individual ways, and they have made the case why they belong in the conference championship games. They are one game away from the Super Bowl, so fans should expect the best play from all four teams still striving.
