The NFL Conference Championships are officially set
The GIST: Another week of postseason football is in the books after this weekend’s Divisional Round action. Only four squads remain, with just one win separating them from a trip to Super Bowl LVIII. Kelly, can you handle this?
American Football Conference (AFC)
No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs upend No. 2 Buffalo Bills 27–24: The third playoff edition of the quarterback (QB) battle between KC’s Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen was another instant classic. But it was Mahomes and tight end Mr. Swift Travis Kelce’s NFL record 16th postseason touchdown (TD) that made the whole place shimmer.
- After Buffalo’s game-tying missed field goal went wide right (again), Mahomes is now undefeated against Allen in the playoffs and has reached the AFC Championship for the sixth straight year. Dominant doesn’t even begin to cover it.
No. 1 Baltimore Ravens crush No. 4 Houston Texans 34–10: When Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson talks, he backs it up with two rushing and two passing TDs. Meanwhile, the defense held Houston QB C.J. Stroud and his upstart Texans to zero (!!!) points in the second half. Even though Stroud couldn’t drop it like it’s hot on Saturday, Snoop’s still proud.
National Football Conference (NFC)
No. 1 San Francisco 49ers sneak by No. 7 Green Bay Packers 24–21: National Cheese Lover’s Day didn’t go as planned for cheeseheads, as a final-minute interception from Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw sealed the dub for top-seeded SF. Missed opportunities will haunt the green and gold this offseason, especially kicker Anders Carlson’s missed field goal in the fourth quarter.
- The W came at a cost for the Niners though: Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel missed the entire second half with a shoulder injury, and his status is unknown for Sunday’s conference championship. Not gouda.
No. 3 Detroit Lions down No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31–23: Consider their kneecaps bitten off. Powered by two touchdowns and 287 yards from QB Jared Goff, the Lions booked their first conference championship ticket since the 1991 season yesterday. A squad that truly started from the bottom, winning just three games two seasons ago, the Honolulu blue has had the glow up of all glow ups.
