By CNN
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The divisional round of the NFL playoffs is in the rearview mirror and only four teams remain in the hunt for the coveted Lombardi Trophy.
The Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers are all just one step away from Super Bowl LVIII, but only two teams will make it to the NFL’s biggest stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about the conference championships.
How to watch
The conference championships take place on Sunday, beginning with the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs traveling to face the AFC’s No. 1 seeded Ravens.
The action concludes with NFC’s best 49ers hosting the No. 3 seed Lions.
Here’s the weekend’s full schedule:
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens – Sunday, January 28, 3:00 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+, NFL+, YouTubeTV, Fubo)
Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers – Sunday, January 28, 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX, NFL+, YouTubeTV, Fubo)
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Chiefs @ Ravens
The afternoon slate features a quarterback battle for the ages, with Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs taking on Lamar Jackson’s Ravens.
The Chiefs are in familiar territory, making their sixth straight AFC title game appearance with Mahomes at the helm. Across that stretch, he’s racked up two Super Bowls titles, two Super Bowl MVP awards, and two league MVP awards. Needless to say, the Mahomes era has been defined by winning when it matters most.
The same cannot be said for Jackson. His skill on the field is undeniable. He’s one of the best rushing quarterbacks of recent memory, with excellent mobility and field vision. But despite a laundry list of personal accolades and a record-setting MVP campaign as a rookie, Jackson has never played in – let alone won – a Super Bowl.
To Jackson’s credit, the issue for Baltimore has never been a lack of an elite quarterback. The Ravens haven’t been able to put together a complete roster that performs at a high level on both sides of the ball – until now.
With an MVP-frontrunner at quarterback and a lockdown defensive unit, this Ravens squad has all the makings of a title-winning team.
However, the Chiefs could be the perfect team to spoil their Super Bowl dreams.
Kansas City has “been there.” They have a demonstrated ability to compete and excel under pressure. Mahomes’ offense seems to be hitting their stride at the right time, with strong performances from both tight end Travis Kelce and receiver Rashee Rice during last week’s win over the Buffalo Bills. To top it all off, this Chiefs team boasts the best defense they’ve ever had in the Mahomes era.
The high-stakes matchup marks the first time two NFL MVP quarterbacks under the age of 30 will face off in the playoffs, as well as the first time Mahomes and Jackson will meet on the postseason stage.
“I know we’re going to play in a lot of games like this as our careers go on,” Mahomes remarked, “and I’m sure this will be the first of many.”
“I’ve admired watching him from afar. It’s going to be a great challenge for us every time we go against him. … He’s going to be the league MVP for a reason… it’s going to take a full team effort if we’re going to find a way to win.”
And how does Jackson feel about facing the defending Super Bowl champion?
“I don’t like competing against [Mahomes] at all,” Jackson told reporters, with a laugh.
“He’s a great quarterback. [He’s] definitely a Hall of Famer. It’s a no-brainer,” Jackson said. “I believe [it’s] just two greats – up-and-coming greats – just going toe-to-toe, like a heavyweight fight.”
Lions @ 49ers
Detroit’s storybook season has at least one more chapter as the Lions travel to Santa Clara to take on the top-ranked San Francisco 49ers.
This season will not be soon forgotten by the Ford Field faithful. After years of missing the postseason entirely, the Lions have found themselves in the conference championship for the first time since 1991.
They already made history by becoming the first Lions team to win two postseason matchups since 1957, and now have the opportunity to become the franchise’s first team to ever make it to the Super Bowl.
“This will be an outstanding test for us, but it’s one we’re ready for,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters. “We’re built to handle this. This is going to be an outstanding game on the road. Our guys are going to be ready to roll. “
How did the Lions get to this point? They’re led by resurgent quarterback Jared Goff.
The former No. 1 overall pick was traded to Detroit just two years after leading the Los Angeles Rams to Super Bowl LIII. Despite inheriting a team with a long-standing losing pedigree, Goff – along with head coach Dan Campbell who also joined the team in 2021 – has propelled the Lions to success in his third season. But while Detroit’s accomplishments up to this point are worth commending, its greatest challenge lies ahead.
“These are the times you dream of as a kid,” Goff told reporters earlier this week. “You grow up hoping to be in these final games. We’re one win away from our ultimate goal of getting to the Super Bowl and winning that game as well.”
The 49ers are making their third-straight appearance in the NFC title game and their second-straight led by former ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ Brock Purdy. As the NFC’s top seed, they made their postseason debut in the divisional round with a come-from-behind victory over the Green Bay Packers.
The 24-21 win seemed a bit close for comfort for the 49ers, who defeated their opponents by double-digits in eleven of their twelve victories this regular season.
Purdy underperformed for the majority of the game, going 23 for 39 for 252 yards, but managed to string together the game-winning drive late in the second half. Sunday’s matchup against Detroit will be a sort of moment of truth for the 24-year-old quarterback who has been widely scrutinized since taking over the role as starter.
“For this NFC Championship Game, I want to keep it simple, not blow it out of proportion in my mind, but at the same time have some juice because, man, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Purdy said. “You have to be excited about that more than anything.”
