The 2023 NFL playoffs are already in full swing, with their conclusion almost upon us as we begin to learn which two teams will be set to play in this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
The Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs will contest the AFC Championship Game, whereas the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions will do battle in the NFC Championship Game.
These are not necessarily the games that many would have been predicting would take place ahead of the playoffs, especially those who may have been wagering on the sport and using the NFL playoff predictor for all of their betting needs, but this is what can make the NFL so great and why so many are looking forward to an interesting experience come Championship Sunday.
Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs
If the Super Bowl could have two teams from the same conference competing in it, then the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs would arguably be the two picks that fans would make. Both teams have been among the best all season, although there have been some inconsistencies with both franchises.
The Ravens look set to make history as Lamar Jackson continues to guide the franchise with his talented abilities on the gridiron. Baltimore last made it to the Super Bowl in 2012 (where they beat the 49ers) when they defeated the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Game as the quarterback overcame his apparent troubles in the postseason.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes stand in their way. The Chiefs managed to continue their winning rivalry over the Buffalo Bills in the postseason despite going on the road for the first time in Mahomes’ career by edging them out 27-24 in a tight contest. It is their sixth visit to the AFC Championship Game in six years and were winners of the Super Bowl last season (their second in three years). It is a game with all the ingredients, so it has become one of the most interesting in recent years.
San Francisco 49ers vs Detroit Lions
Neutral football fans might feel that the NFC Championship Game is more interesting than ever this year, as it features a team that has been in it just once in its history prior to the NFL merger in 1970.
The Detriot Lions will feature for just the second time when they face the 49ers after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23. They are one of four teams yet to play in the Super Bowl game since its formation, which has added instant appeal to the NFL’s slate of upcoming games.
Of course, the 49ers are an interesting proposition and a team that has had their fair share of success and heartbreak, too. As mentioned, the team was beaten by the Ravens in 2012, and they were also losers in their last showing in 2020 when the Chiefs were winners. They have won it five times in their history, but their last win was in 1994.