We’re now down to the final four of the 2024 NFL Playoffs as the Conference Championships decide who will be crowned winners of the AFC and NFC divisions respectively.
We’ve had plenty of drama, but not too many shocks, to date in the 2024 Playoffs. A lot of the games have played out true to form as the first and third seeds from each division now face each other for the Championship game.
First up on Sunday, it’s the Baltimore Ravens, who welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to the M&T Bank Stadium for the AFC Divisional Championship match up. Then later the same day, the San Francisco 49ers host the Detroit Lions for the NFC Divisional Championship game at the Levi’s Stadium.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at these fascinating clashes that will determine who will compete for the 2024 Super Bowl.
End of the road for Chiefs
We had the Chiefs going out of the Playoffs in the previous round, when they faced the Buffalo Bills, but they scraped through with a 24-27 victory in New York to get to this stage. It was a close encounter throughout and was only decided thanks to a fourth quarter touchdown and additional point. It’s also worth noting that the Bills dramatically missed a last minute field goal, which would have taken the game into overtime, so there was some luck involved also.
That luck might just be about to run out as they face a Ravens side that entered the Playoffs in the second round, having finished top of the AFC and receiving a bye in the first round. They hosted the Houston Texans, but were far from accommodating as they ran out 34-10 winners following a second half shutout which saw them score 24 unanswered points. That will have done their confidence the world of good and the fresher legs might just be what edges it for the home side here.
Niners to tame Lions
Like the Ravens, the San Francisco 49ers enjoyed a rest as they got a bye for the first round of the Playoffs, after finishing top of the NFC division in the regular season. Their first match up of this year’s Playoffs came against four-time Super Bowl winners the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco just about got through after falling behind in the first half of the game. They got their act together in the final quarter to edge ahead, but were only a missed field goal away from heading into overtime.
The Lions did Niners fans a favour in the first round of the Playoffs, sending their California rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, packing. Next up was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and, after being level throughout the first three quarters of the game, the Lions put their foot down and raced away to an eventual 31-23 win in the final quarter. It will be competitive, but the hosts should prevail.
So, for us, it’s a Ravens v 49ers showdown at SuperBowl LVIII.
