Kansas City won a playoff game for the ages in knocking off the Buffalo Bills in overtime, becoming the only home team to win in the second round. And the 49ers ended Aaron Rogers’ season. The NFL will have a hard time matching the quality and closeness of last week’s games, but it should be fun.
Cincinnati (12-7) at Kansas City (14-5)
Time: Sunday, 3:05 p.m. EST
TV: CBS
The upstart Bengals upset the Chiefs in Cincinnati a few weeks ago to clinch the AFC North and help establish Joe Burrow as a fast-rising star in the NFL.
Burrow withstood nine sacks by the Titans defense to guide the Bengals to an upset win in Nashville. The Bengals know they can beat the Chiefs, but to do it in Arrowhead on such a big stage with a Super Bowl appearance on the line would certainly be next level.
They also had better do a better job of preventing him from taking hits.
The Chiefs are coming off one of the best postseason games in history, besting the Bills in overtime, 42-36, in a shootout between Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
This game could certainly be a high-scoring affair with two of the league’s better passers going against each other.
Both teams have weapons, as KC features Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, while Cincy counters with JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins.
In the end, it should be entertaining, but the Chiefs are likely headed to a third straight Super Bowl. Prediction: Chiefs 38, Bengals 30.
San Francisco (12-7) at Los Angeles Rams (14-5)
Time: Sunday, 6:40 p.m. EST
TV: Fox
Both teams won on the road with walk-off field goals, the 49ers stunning the Packers thanks to their special teams units, blocking a field goal and blocking a punt for a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Lambeau.
Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t always spectacular, but if he doesn’t turn the football over, the Niners have enough weapons like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle to get the job done. Of late, they have had the Rams’ number, and Los Angeles comes into the game after having blown a 27-3 lead only to win on field goal as time expired following Matthew Stafford’s long pass to Cooper Kupp.
The Rams have a chance to actually host a Super Bowl since Super Bowl LVI will be played in SoFi Stadium.
The thing is, though, when San Fran knocked off the Rams in OT at the end of the regular season, the crowd in the stadium was almost a home-away-from-home advantage for the 49ers.
It won’t be as high scoring as the AFC tilt, but it should be an interesting game. The 49ers seem to have the right mojo, and sometimes that can be hard to stop, even with all the talent the Rams possess. Prediction: 49ers 23, Rams 21.