NFL Playoffs

Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts after a conference victory, Photo Courtesy of The New York Times

Walt Brunson, Head Editor

The NFL Playoffs are winding down as the sports world gears up for the SuperBowl. The traditional excitement of the playoff season did not disappoint, and the lineup for the biggest game of the year has been set through a season of tough trials.

Heading to the Superbowl after competitive playoff games are the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Both the number one seeded teams in their divisions, the Chiefs and the Eagles have yet to cross paths in the regular season, and fans expect intense Superbowl competition.

Leading up to the conference championships, wild card and divisional rounds also held some significant clashes. In the AFC, in addition to the Bengals, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills were runner ups for a conference title spot. In the NFC, the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys trailed behind in the race for the conference title spot.

The Eagles swept the San Francisco 49’ers in the NFC conference Championship. With a strong passing and rushing game, quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Eagles to a 31-7 win. The 49’ers have had struggles with their quarterbacks, having three players attempt at least one pass during the game. Both 49’ers quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson left the game with an injury.

The AFC conference championship saw close competition between the Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, the Chiefs edging ahead by only three points. Both teams struggled to get a run game going, focusing heavily on the passing game. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow attempted 41 passes and Chiefs quarterback attempted 43. Perhaps the deciding factor in the game, Burrows took five sacks.

Notably, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes played through two playoff games with a questionable upper ankle injury, which he suffered halfway through the divisional round against the Jaguars.

Heading to the Superbowl, both teams hold a strong 14-3 record, and betting lines keep shifting. There is no clear favorite, so the Superbowl stands to be the clash of the year.