Just three games are left in the NFL season. The Divisional Round saw three favourites progress, and the Chiefs extend their run of AFC Championship Game appearances with yet another win over Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Baltimore and San Francisco host the respective Championship Games this weekend. The two top seeds have been tipped to meet in the Super Bowl for the last month or so, and top NFL bookmakers are sticking by that prediction with both teams favoured on their home fields.
Let’s take a look ahead to this weekend’s games…
After a nervy first half, the Ravens blew out the Texans on Saturday. Lamar Jackson was at his brilliant best, and the Baltimore defence was stifling. A relentless pass rush is combined with an excellent secondary, which will be a real problem even for Patrick Mahomes.
Playing his first road Playoff game, Mahomes put in another gem in Buffalo. His receivers held onto catches better than they have for much of the season, but this Ravens defence is a different challenge altogether.
Kansas City’s defence did just enough to get the better of Allen on Sunday. The way the Bills’ quarterback ran the ball will be a focus for Jackson here, however. The Chiefs will need to stop Jackson escaping the pass rush and scrambling downfield – Zay Flowers has a big role to play as a release valve for the Ravens. We expect him to hit his receptions over.
This should be another cracker. The Ravens deserve to be favoured, but we fancy the Chiefs to at least stay competitive. Take them to keep it within a field goal.
The San Francisco 49ers survived a scare to see off the Green Bay Packers. The Lions made more history by beating the Buccaneers, but they are now heading on the road without their sizeable home advantage.
As seven-point dogs, the Lions have their work cut out. It didn’t seem like much more than a blip for the Niners in the Divisional Round, and they still managed to get past Green Bay. The Lions have conceded 23 points in each of their Playoff games – how can they slow down San Francisco?
Deebo Samuel’s shoulder injury made it easier for the Packers. There seems to optimism he will be healthy for this game, though surely won’t be at 100%. With the Lions excelling against the run, we could see Kyle Shanahan utilise the passing game to get Christian McCaffrey on the move. Detroit is a poor pass defence – some screens might be used to get McCaffrey in space.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel, who left Saturday night’s game with a shoulder injury, told some members of the organization that he was “OK”, per sources.
Kyle Shanahan compared Samuel’s injury to the one suffered at Cleveland earlier this season, when the WR missed the next two games. pic.twitter.com/sF6g7gaqMq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 21, 2024
In general, there should be plenty of offence from both teams. Jahmyr Gibbs had another big game against the Buccaneers, and will have a big role to play here if the Niners pass rush can pressure Jared Goff.
Detroit has been a great story, but this is too big an ask. San Francisco’s offence will put up too many points, and this risks being a damp squib for the neutrals.
The Conference Championship serves as a prime opportunity for NFL betting enthusiasts. With a primary focus on players performances, its wagering options also add excitement and fun to the overall football experience.
