Conference Championship Weekend Predictions: Who Goes to the Super Bowl?
Just four teams remain. After one of the most unpredictable and wild NFL seasons we've ever seen, an unlikely set of 4 teams remain. Everyone expected the Chiefs to be here as they've been one of the best teams in football for the past few seasons. Some expected the Rams to be here, they have a great roster but who knew how well it would mesh. Few predicted the Niners to be here after their horrendous 2021 season. I can safely say no one saw the Bengals to be here. Their rapid growth into an elite team was quite unexpected but is also a true testament to the skill of Joe Burrow. So here we are, four teams remain, and on Sunday night, by about 7 pm Eastern, we will finally know which two clubs will be meeting in the heavily anticipated Super Bowl 56. Today, we will try and predict who those two teams will be.
4 Cincinnati Bengals at 2 Kansas City Chiefs
Well, give me some props here. I had the Bengals making it here in my initial playoff predictions. I did not have the Chiefs however. If it's anything like the last time these two teams met, late in the regular season, we are set for an amazing game. In a shootout, the Bengals won 34-31, completing a multi-score comeback behind the arm of Joe Burrow and the hands/legs of Ja'Marr Chase who had one of the best games of his ROY worthy rookie season.
The Chiefs offense is what we always have known it is. Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs is simply unmatched. Joe Burrow is icy, but Mahomes just turns it up to another level that no one can seemingly match. With just 13 seconds to go and about 50 yards to move, Mahomes got his offense until 45-yard field goal range in just 2 plays and 9 seconds to set up the FG to send the game to OT. He then marched right down the field on that first possession and sent the Chiefs onto the title game once again with his TD pass in the corner to Travis Kelce. The Bengals will not have an easy time trying to contain him, if at all. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are obviously the other two main worries for the defense, and while the Bengals D has been really good over the course of this playoff run so far, they haven't faced a beast like this offense and these two playmakers. Just like with Mahomes, this defense will have to embrace the idea of bend but do not break. If they try and do too much, they will fall apart, and that is what very well could happen.
Both teams are here because of their elite, high-flying offenses that have given opposing teams fits all year long. Joe Burrow continues to just surpass all expectations and perform when you least expect it. Last week, he was sacked an NFL playoff record NINE times. NINE! And they WON! The grit and determination of this kid is just wild. Even when they going got tough, he found ways to deliver the ball to his favorite target Ja'Marr Chase. The Bengals also have an elite run game with Joe Mixon but they haven't been utilizing him as much this post-season. The offensive line has to be the main concern for them. Obviously, they let up the 9 sacks on Burrow this past weekend and it almost cost them their season. If they want a chance to even compete with these Chiefs, they are going to have to hold up even a little better. This might be tough, they aren't great there.
Both defenses have been really good so far in the post-season. The Bengals have held both of their opponents to pretty low scores while the Chiefs have let up points, but been able to come out on top anyway. The Bengals have the low yardage allowing defense while the Chiefs have the more opportunistic defense. Both teams feature elite rushers. Chris Jones on the Chiefs and Trey Hendrickson on the Bengals. DJ Reader is an underrated run stuffer for Cinncy while Nick Bolton fills that role for KC. I would give the Chiefs the edge on O but the Bengals the edge on D.
Playing at the loud Arrowhead stadium, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, it is going to be nearly impossible for the Bengals to steal a win. With that being said, they've been making the impossible possible all year long. As much as I think the Chiefs may be the better team and quite honestly maybe the hotter team right now, I'm going to take the Bengals. I had them winning the SB in my initial playoff predictions and am not going to stop riding them now. There is just something about Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase that makes them impossible to bet against. I think this is going to be a shootout with fireworks from both sides, but I'm doubling down on the Bengals to make a return to the Super Bowl and stun the NFL world once again. These Bengals have become America's team.
Final Score Prediction: Bengals 37, Chiefs 35
6 San Francisco 49ers at 4 Los Angeles Rams
Going into the playoffs, I would have been shocked if someone had told me that this would be the NFC Championship game. Almost any other match-up wouldn't have shocked me. In my eyes, both teams had to pull off multiple upset wins to get here. Dallas was the favorites in round 1 vs the Niners and then obviously the Packers were too. I liked the Cards over the Rams in round 1 and thought they were also then big underdogs to the Bucs in round 2. Yet here both teams are, meeting at SoFi stadium for the second time in three weeks. We all remember the craziness that ensued from that last match in week 18.
On offense, the Rams have the obvious edge. Both teams are ran by two of the best young offensive minds in football in Sean McVay of the Rams and Kyle Shannahan of the Niners. It is so hard to figure out their creative and intricate offenses, and both coaches will be put to the test by facing one another. The Niners boast do-it-all threat Deebo Samuel who has carried them to the conference title game on his back. They also have George Kittle who is one of the best players in the NFL but has been quiet of late. He's due for a big game. Can't forget about deep threat Brandon Aiyuk or open field horse Jauan Jennings either. And RB Elijah Mitchell is that kind of big, bruising back that gets better as the game goes on. Obviously, they have Jimmy Garopollo at QB, who continues to be consistently inconsistent for SF. He is going to need to step up big time to get this team back to the big game.
The Rams offense features Matt Stafford who is rebounding beautifully from a late-season slump and playing elite football over the course if his first two playoff victories. His big arm has been impossible for opposing defenses to stop. Especially when throwing to Cooper Kupp. Kupp has picked right up where he left off from the regular season, he had over 170 yards receiving and a TD last week in Tampa. Cam Akers is still getting his legs underneath him, but feels like he is always rushing for 5 or more on every carry. Can't forget about OBJ either who is coming into form as well. He has been an excellent TD scorer and chain mover for the Rams. Both teams have stout offensive lines that will keep pressure to a minimum.
This is sure to be an awesome game. The Rams have the better overall team and are home, but the Niners have had their number of late. While the games always tend to be close, Shannahan and the Niners have won their last 6 games against the Rams (including the 2 this year). They are just a tough match-up for LA. Also, Niner fans took over SoFi stadium in the week 18 meeting between the teams and made it feel like a home game for the Niners. That could be magnified in a game with the ultimate meaning to it. This is sure to be a close game with probably more defense than offense, but I'm going with another upset as I think the Niners will once again knock off the Rams and head back to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. They've come this far, and now they face a team who they love to beat. I can't pick against them. This will set up an amazing Super Bowl of upset teams in the Niners vs the Bengals! Remember that OT game between the two teams earlier this year? We do!
Final Score Prediction: 49ers 28, Rams 24
Projected Super Bowl Match: Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers
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