With just four teams remaining in the NFL playoffs, we’re just days away from knowing what matchup awaits us in Super Bowl LVIII on February 11.
This weekend will see the Baltimore Ravens take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship while the San Francisco 49ers take on the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship.
The four intriguing possible options have been ranked below from worst to best.
4. Detroit Lions vs. Baltimore Ravens
While the Lions have been one of the best stories in the NFL in quite some time and it would be fun to see them make the Super Bowl, this is the “worst” matchup of the bunch. Although the narratives are certainly there, the Lions would likely struggle to contain Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense. Big plays have been a problem for Detroit’s defense, and Jackson is perhaps the NFL’s premier big-play guy at this point.
3. Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs present a much more intriguing opponent for Detroit. For starters, it’s virtually certain that all non-Chiefs fans would be supporting the Lions in this one. The Chiefs have won two Super Bowls in the past four years and the Lions would be making their first appearance in franchise history.
The Lions would be aided by the fact that they already beat Kansas City in the past year. Detroit started the regular season with a bang and ruined Kansas City’s Super Bowl celebration by picking up a 21-20 win in the season opener. Detroit managed to play turnover-free and control time of possession, something they’d have to do in a potential rematch against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
2. San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The first of two Super Bowl rematches remaining on this list, the 49ers would be out for revenge on Mahomes and the Chiefs for Kansas City’s 31-20 victory in Super Bowl LIV. Niners running back Christian McCaffrey is one of the league’s most dynamic players, with 23 total touchdowns between the regular season and postseason. As we saw in their narrow victory against the Green Bay Packers, though, San Francisco is only as good as quarterback Brock Purdy allows them to be.
The Niners’ defense against Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, and the rest of the Chiefs’ offense could present a tremendous showdown. The only reason this game doesn’t top the list is because the one remaining matchup is just slightly better.
1. San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens
One Seed vs. One Seed. A matchup between Jackson and the rest of the high-powered Ravens offense and Nick Bosa and the stingy 49ers defense could be one for the ages. It’s also a rematch of XLVII where the Ravens took down the Niners, 34-31.
It would also be a rematch of the Christmas Night showdown where the Ravens went to San Francisco and came away with a 33-19 win over the Niners. Kyle Shanahan is one of the league’s most brilliant coaching minds, and seeing him get a second chance at a team that beat his six weeks ago would also make for a great time.
