The participants of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas will be determined this weekend as the NFL holds its conference championships on Sunday.
Four teams remain alive in the hunt for a championship and will try to claim spots in football’s ultimate contest on Sunday, February 11. Here are the matchups:
AFC Championship
Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) at Baltimore Ravens (13-4), 2 p.m. CT, CBS
The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs return to the AFC Championship Game after surviving a trip to Buffalo thanks to a missed field goal late in the fourth quarter. Kansas City has become the class of the AFC but has taken some steps back this season as some units, particularly wide receivers, have been weaker than in years past. Still, the Chiefs have some of the league’s best playmakers and one of the all-time great coaches in Andy Reid.
The Baltimore Ravens stand between Kansas City and a return trip to the Super Bowl. The Ravens had the best record in the NFL this season and have dominated on both sides of the ball with their elite defense and a remodeled offense that has quarterback Lamar Jackson in the MVP conversation. Baltimore also gets tight end Mark Andrews back from injury this week, adding another weapon for what is sure to be a classic conference championship game.
***
NFC Championship
Detroit Lions (12-5) at San Francisco 49ers (12-5), 5:30 p.m. CT, CBS
The Detroit Lions are in the NFC Championship for the first time since 1991-1992 and looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time. Former Dallas Cowboy Dan Campbell has quickly turned around a franchise with a track record of embarrassing moments, making it a competitive team for which players want to play. They’ve taken on the mentality of their head coach, playing with grit and physicality, and it’s gotten the franchise to its highest point in decades.
The physicality and grit will be much needed as Detroit travels to San Francisco. The 49ers are one of the most well-run organizations in the league and boast a plethora of elite players on both sides of the ball, including two MVP candidates on offense in Brock Purdy and Christain McCaffrey. They enter the game as the clear favorite but have struggled against physical teams this season. Purdy has also been prone to some questionable decisions at times, but head coach Kyle Shanahan believes those concerns are overblown.