NFL
NFL Conference Championships preview: Super Bowl hopefuls to out to settle the score
It’s finally time, the NFL Conference Championships are here and the four best teams in the league will clash this Sunday.
For the NFC Conference title, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, while in the AFC Conference the Cincinnati Bengals challenge the Kansas City Chiefs.
We preview the best of the action below.
NFC Conference: San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Last weekend saw the Philadelphia Eagles steamroll the New York Giants 38-7, more than earning them their spot in the NFC Conference Championship. The Eagles looked the most dangerous we have seen them all season and set up their home game this weekend beautifully.
Nick Sirianni’s side are the 20/29 favourites given their dominant season ending with them as the top seed, and their home field advantage. With quarterback Jalen Hurts throwing for two touchdowns with no interceptions last weekend, the team’s offence looked as sharp as ever, again proving why they are ranked number one offensively for points and yards per game.
The last and only time these two sides have met in post-season was in 1996, before either of the teams’ current quarterbacks were born, and they will together mark the youngest quarterback clash in NFC Championship history.
The San Francisco 49ers survived a tense showdown with the Dallas Cowboys to make it to their eighteenth NFC Conference Championship, the most of any team in NFL history. Last weekend again displayed why they have the number one defence in the NFL and showcased their diversity in attack; from George Kittle to Christian McCaffrey, with both making huge plays.
The 49ers will kick off as the 5/4 underdogs despite their 12 game winning streak. This may be due to their rookie quarterback Brock Purdy lacking the mileage to win a game of this magnitude, however from what he’s given Kyle Shanahan so far, there have been no complaints.
The real question will be whether the 49ers can overcome their road disadvantage and shut down the Eagles red-hot offence, while for the Eagles it remains unseen whether they will be able to outclass not only the 49ers defence, but the mastermind tactician that is Shanahan.
This is set to be one of the showdowns of the year, with the age-old question of offence versus defence to be settled once and for all. The match is anticipated to be relatively high scoring with over 46 points combined priced at 10/11, although that will depend on how the game is played.
Check out the latest betting odds at William Hill
AFC Conference: Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs
This AFC Conference Championship game is set to send sparks flying, with the winner of this potentially lined up to win the Super Bowl as the AFC has been the stronger division all season. The Cincinnati Bengals come into this game with the slight edge in the books at 5/6.
The Bengals hammered the Buffalo Bills 27-10 last weekend on the road, with Joe Burrow showcasing his unrivalled ability against one of the top quarterbacks in the league, Josh Allen. Despite the snowy conditions, the Bengals timing was perfect, and they delivered a stunning performance all-round.
The Bengals offence is stacked, with running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase just the tip of the iceberg. During last weekend’s game Mixon made 105 yards and scored one touchdown, while Chase gained 61 yards for his side, also with a touchdown. Hayden Hurst also excelled, making 59 yards and one touchdown.
This is an opportunity for vengeance for the Kansas City Chiefs after last year’s AFC Championship game defeat against the Bengals which ended 27-24, where they blew a 21-10 second quarter lead. Head coach Andy Reid will be hell bent on not allowing the Bengals to repeat the feat.
Last weekend’s match saw the Chiefs better the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20, with Patrick Mahomes connecting with Travis Kelce for two touchdowns. The Chiefs will head into this matchup as the slight EVNS underdogs, but look to hold every chance here.
In the battle of the quarterbacks Mahomes is yet to better Burrow, going 0-3 against the Bengals while Burrow has started. Mahomes also suffered a high-ankle sprain during last weekend’s game so it doesn’t bode well for the Chiefs.
Overall, this looks to be the clash of the evening with both teams looking like potential Super Bowl winners. This should be a high scoring affair given last year’s 51-point game, with the odds of over 47 points combined priced at 10/11.
