And then there were 4! Only 3 games remain in the 2023-24 NFL season, and after the two on Sunday have finished we will officially know the teams participating in Super Bowl LVIII. All 4 teams have been dreaming of reaching the Super Bowl since training camp began back in August, and after all the blood, sweat, and tears between then and now, each of them is a single victory away. Per usual, let's take a closer look at the 4 teams still standing.
The Baltimore Ravens are back in the conference championship game for the first time since 2012, which also marks the last time they won the Super Bowl. The Ravens were the most dominant team of the regular season, finishing with a record of 13-4, and now only the defending champs stand in their way of returning to the Super Bowl.
The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs are back in the conference championship game for a 6th straight season and are looking to make their 4th Super Bowl game in 6 years. The road here wasn't always pretty, but this group consistently displays championship pedigree and elevates their level of play in the playoffs when the games matter most.
The San Francisco 49ers return to the conference championship game where their season ended last year to the Philadelphia Eagles, a game that got out of hand after Brock Purdy was knocked out of the game with an elbow injury. With Purdy now healthy, the Niners hope this time around to claim the conference championship and reach the Super Bowl.
And finally the Detroit Lions are here, on the precipice of their first Super Bowl appearance ever. The Lions and its fans have suffered year after year but perhaps their time has finally come and their faith will finally be rewarded.
Lastly, now that we're this close, just wanted to provide a list of how many times each team remaining has won the Super Bowl.
Baltimore: 2 (2001, 2012)
Kansas City: 3 (1970, 2020, 2023)
San Francisco: 5 (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995)
Detroit: 0
Four teams, two games, one Super Bowl match up. Let's dive into it!
2 Confidence Points - #1 San Francisco over #3 Detroit
Detroit has been one of the best stories of the season, and this has been a special journey for them. But I am going with the 49ers, who have been knocking on the championship door for a few years now. Neither team lacks motivation, Detroit wants to do something it has never done, while San Francisco wants to right the ship after their QB was knocked out of the game last season. Some people may be lower on the 49ers after watching the 7 seed Packers nearly take them out last weekend, but the Packers were playing their best football of the season, having completely dismantled Dallas the week before, yet the 49ers found a way, and that's what championship teams do. Purdy is the player everyone wants to talk about, but the pieces around him are equally responsible for the 49ers being as good as they are and making his life easier. Christian McCaffrey is probably the best running back in the league, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are one of the best wide receiver duos in the league, George Kittle has been the second best tight end over the past several seasons behind only Travis Kelce, and the defense is loaded with elite talent from front to back. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if the Lions pulled the upset, they feel like a "Team of Destiny". But the 49ers have the more complete team, the homefield advantage, and the experience, to win the game and reach the Super Bowl.
Score Prediction: 49ers 24: Lions 20
1 Confidence Point - #1 Baltimore over #3 Kansas City
This to me is the bigger toss up of the two games, largely due to the Chiefs' championship degree and how they thrive as underdogs. Some doubt was cast on if they were still a championship caliber team this year, but the fact that they marched into Buffalo and knocked off one of the league's hottest teams in a hostile environment shows that they are still capable. At a certain point, we have to ask ourselves if it's wise to ever bet against Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Travis Kelce in the playoffs, because these guys just consistently win games and make deep playoff runs, and the Chiefs also have the best defense they've had in years. But...we will bet against them at least once more. Baltimore has been the most complete team all season long, and nobody is more equipped to dethrone the king than they are. Lamar Jackson is going to win MVP and is playing the best football of his career and the Ravens haven't lost a game where all the starters played since November 16. What's scary is the Ravens defense might be even more dominant than the offense. The Ravens became the first defense ever to lead the league in fewest points allowed (16.5 per game), sacks (60), and turnovers (31). The Texans were unable to get a single offensive touchdown against them last week (the lone touchdown came off of a punt return) after being one of the more explosive offenses all season and hanging 45 points on the Browns the week prior. This has the chance to be an instant classic, with the quarterbacks going punch for punch, much like Mahomes v Allen was last weekend. But I do feel like someone is going to prevent the Chiefs from repeating, and Baltimore truly has been the most complete and consistent team all season long, so I'm putting my trust in them to pull this one out.
Score Prediction: Ravens 26 Chiefs 24
Super Bowl Prediction: Baltimore Ravens vs San Francisco 49ers
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