The NFL playoffs are still going strong, and we’re down to the final four teams that will compete in the title games. The Baltimore Ravens will host the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC title, while the Detroit Lions will travel to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC championship.
In the divisional round, the Kansas City Chiefs narrowly defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-24 in snowy conditions to advance to the AFC championship game for the sixth straight year. Patrick Mahomes acclimated to the weather and completed 17 of his 23 ball attempts for 215 yards, including two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce.
The Houston Texans, led by C.J. Stroud, were unable to overcome Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson completed 16 of 22 pass attempts for 152 yards, two touchdowns, and two rush scores. Jackson’s heroics helped the Ravens win 34-10 in the divisional round.
Now, the Chiefs and Ravens will compete for the AFC championship.
ESPN: The Ravens have a 64% chance of winning.
ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives the Baltimore Ravens a 63.6% chance of defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Conference Championship Game.
CBS Sports: Chiefs 24, Ravens 20.
Cody Benjamin says, “Plenty of people will be rooting for Baltimore merely to see someone other than the Chiefs compete for the Lombardi Trophy, and the Ravens defense surely has the weapons to keep things close. But even with Lamar Jackson, Baltimore was inconsistent with the ball in its opener against Houston, and Kansas City’s ‘D’ under Steve Spagnuolo has been far more stingy.
Erik Breaston says, “Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were on fire Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, and Isiah Pacheco is running as hard as ever. Perhaps it was just one game, and the offense, which struggled at times during the 2023 season, just took advantage of a depleted defense. Furthermore, the defense produced just enough plays to restrict Josh Allen, a running quarterback whose ability to escape and influence the field with his legs is as outstanding as his arm. That expertise will help against Lamar Jackson, the front-runner for the NFL MVP award and the most dynamic athlete on any field.
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