Then there are four. From the way the divisional play has unfolded, you get the sense that the best four teams are still competing in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
The Chiefs, Bengals and 49ers were all in this arena last year, but only Cincinnati advanced. The Eagles are a rising star, playing in the National League Championship Game for the first time since the 2017 season.
Read on to get ready for the conference tournament.
In today’s Winners Club you’ll find:
Philadelphia and Cincinnati expected to meet in Super Bowl LVII
Like Wild Card Weekend, there were some blowouts and some close games in the divisional round.
The Eagles beat the Giants 38-7, beating their division rival for the third time this season, with a dominant ground game and defensive effort. The Bengals beat the Bills 27-10 on the road in the snow, and despite a bruised offensive line, they managed the ball well. The Chiefs beat the Jaguars 27-20, but Patrick Mahomes suffered a sprained ankle. The 49ers beat the Cowboys 19-12 and the final game is for the books.
So the conference championship matchups are set to see the Bengals travel to Kansas City to play the Chiefs, while the 49ers travel across the country to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.
The Chiefs were initially favored in the AFC title game, but the line flipped in favor of Cincinnati.
Below you’ll find an overview of both games, including odds and some game notes, as well as Super Bowl odds via SI Sportsbook. Come back to si.com/betting and read the Friday newsletter for a more detailed breakdown and betting selection from our staff.
NFC Championship Game
3 p.m. ET (fox): 49ers Compared eagles (-2.5) | Total: 45.5
- San Francisco and Philadelphia last met in Week 2 of the 2021 season. The 49ers won 17-11.
- Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts played each other in college, the former at Iowa and the latter at Oklahoma. The Hurts’ Sooners won 42-41 in the thriller.
- San Francisco has won 12 in a row heading to Philadelphia.
Bill Streicher USA TODAY Sports
AFC Championship Game
6:30 p.m. ET (CBS): Bengal tiger (-1.5) vs. chiefs | Total: 46.5
- Cincinnati has beaten Kansas City in its past three games, and Joe Burrow has never lost to Mahomes in his career.
- The Chiefs host the AFC Championship Game for the fifth straight time. They have won two of their last four games.
- The Bengals are on a 10-game winning streak at Arrowhead Stadium, where they have won their last two games.
Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer/USA TODAY Network
Super Bowl Odds Change
Chieftain: +275 → +250
Eagle: +500 → +250
Bengal Tiger: +750 → +250
49ers: +400 → +300
Super Bowl Odds
Bengals vs. Eagles: +200
Chiefs vs. Hawks: +250
Bengals vs. 49ers: +300
Chiefs vs. 49ers: +350
Super Bowl Result Odds
Eagles beat Bengals: +500
Bengals beat Eagles: +550
Chiefs beat Eagles: +600
Eagles beat Chiefs: +600
49ers beat Bengals: +750
Bengals beat 49ers: +800
Chiefs beat 49ers: +800
49ers beat Chiefs: +900
Fantasy playoff picks and top landing spots
That’s a paltry pick for a fantasy football player with only four teams playing this weekend. That means you have less room for error than ever before.
Fortunately, Michael Fabiano and Shawn Childs offer advice, rankings and predictions to help craft the best lineup.
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
PPR ranking
statistical forecasting
Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
If you’re already looking ahead to next season, Fabiano has the best landing spots for four attractive players: Aaron Rodgers, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard. Craig Ellenport provided the best landing spot for Daniel Jones.
Matt De Lima reacts to Kevin Hanson’s latest NFL mock draft and assesses what some of the potential selections for first-round skill position players could mean for fantasy football.
in other news
NCAA Men’s National Championship Future Odds: No. 3 Houston (+600) is the favorite to win the title in 2023. It is followed by No. 9 Kansas (+800), No. 9 University of Connecticut (+900), No. 1 Purdue (+1000) and No. 2 Alabama (+1100). As February approaches, March Madness is fast approaching.
Sixers soar in NBA Power Rankings: Philadelphia has won five straight and is among the top five. Boston maintained its top spot after beating the defending champions last week. See how the other 28 teams in the association rank in the upcoming All-Star Game.
NFL Announces MVP Award Finalists: Quarterbacks Mahomes, Hurts, Burrow and Josh Allen and receiver Justin Jefferson are finalists for the AP NFL MVP. Mahomes is the favorite to win the award, which will be announced on February 9.
The latest NFL coaching carousel news: The league has five head coaching openings, find out what Albert Breer is hearing about those top jobs, as well as vacant offensive and defensive coordinator positions.
Thanks for reading Winners Club! I’ll be back in your inbox on Friday morning.
