NFL Conference Championship Rundown

The NFL playoff bracket was down to four teams with just two weeks left in the entire season. On Sunday, January 29th, the championship games for both the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC) took place. The winner of these two games will face off in the ultimate championship: The Super Bowl.

Facing off for the National Football Conference title are the visiting San Francisco 49ners and the hosting Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams come into the game with powerful offenses and top-tier defenses in the league. The 49ers have playoff wins against the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys while the number 1 seed Eagles have beaten the New York Giants.

For San Francisco, the offense is led by rookie quarterback Brock Purdy who has stepped into the starting role after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was injured in week 13. Purdy who was drafted last overall in the NFL draft and nicknamed, “Mr. Irrelevant,” has since proven the league wrong and has been 7-0 since his rookie debut. 

Philadelphia, the top team in the league, has been dominant on offense with quarterback Jalen Hurts leading the charge. Receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith were key components in the Eagles’ dominant 38-7 win against the Giants and were expected as key targets in Sunday’s game.

On the other side facing off for the American Football Conference title are the visiting Cincinnati Bengals and the hosting Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams have been on a roll in the past few weeks with the Chiefs defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars at home and the Bengals dominating the Bills in Buffalo.

For the Chiefs, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain in the win against the Jaguars; however, he is still expected to play in Sunday’s game. The strong offensive performances by tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster are expected to be key offensive weapons for the Chiefs’ offense.

For the Bengals, a powerful offense is led by quarterback Joe Burrow who threw for nearly 250 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills last week. Burrow has top-tier receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins who are projected to be key offensive threats in Sunday’s game. 

Sunday’s games resulted in the entertainment-packed action that provided NFL fans with satisfaction. With 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy injured in the first quarter, San Francisco’s offense struggled as it depended on the run game. Philadelphia’s offense found its rhythm as the Eagles cruised to a 31-7 victory and a ticket to Super Bowl LVII.

The AFC championship came down to the wire as both offenses thrived throughout the game. A last-second field goal by Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave the Chiefs a 23-20 victory and a chance at a Super Bowl title.

Excitement is in store for NFL fans across the country as the NFL prepares for the biggest game of the season. Super Bowl LVII is set for kickoff at 6:30 pm on Sunday, February 12th.