This Sunday will mark the NFL Conference Championship for both conferences featuring two familiar matchups. The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Washington Commanders for the third time this season, while the Buffalo Bills will travel back to Kansas City and face the Chiefs. What will this look like? Let’s dive into it.
The first matchup features former LSU quarterback and Heisman winner Jayden Daniels as his Washington Commanders visit Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Commanders have went a lot farther than many expected this postseason, traveling to Tampa Bay and beating the Buccaneers before traveling to Detroit and upsetting the Lions. Daniels has been proving why he should be the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by lighting up defenses in the postseason, throwing 46 complete passes out of 66 incomplete passes, 567 yards, and four touchdowns while adding 87 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley has been on a complete tear this entire season, rushing for a league-leading 2,005 yards and getting his team 15 total touchdowns while adding on 324 rushing yards and two more scores in two playoff games. In the previous two meetings this season, Barkley rushed for 296 yards and four touchdowns. Both the Eagles and the Commanders have played rough and complete football to beat their opponents so far in the postseason, but one team will come short of advancing to the Super Bowl.
The Philadelphia Eagles head into the game as the favorites to win like in both of their last games, but that shouldn’t stop the Commanders. Washington went into both of their previous games as underdogs, yet came out on top in each. What I believe is the deciding factor for the entire game is stopping the run. The Commanders have a tough task in stopping the leading rusher in Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley, but their defense is committed to it. They have been saying all week that they know they have to “try and contain him” in order to come out victorious. Similarly, the Eagles have to defend the versatile Jayden Daniels, as he can punish a defense for committing to him as a runner or a passer. If the Eagles’ edge rushers can contain Daniels, that will allow the secondary to play more freely.
Overall, I would be surprised if this game did not go back and forth. “Scary” Terry McLaurin will make an impact as he always does, and the Eagles receivers will need to step up and provide duality in their offense. The regular season series was split between the two rivals, but this writer believes that the Philadelphia Eagles will end Jayden Daniels’ stellar rookie campaign in a similar shootout to the Commanders 36-33 victory in Week 16.
Looking at the AFC Championship game and the second matchup, Josh Allen will face Patrick Mahomes for the fourth time in the last five playoffs. Mahomes and the Chiefs have gotten the best of Allen’s Bills the last three playoff meetings, but the only team this season to beat the Chiefs starters was the Bills. Josh Allen has been having an incredible season, propelling an offense many thought was lackluster to start the season. He led his team to impressive and dominant victories over Kansas City and Detroit in the regular season while stepping up at the biggest times of the season. Allen is an MVP contender and could get his first, but the other team has an MVP and Super Bowl winning QB on their side in Patrick Mahomes. Their offense has been a little underwhelming this season as compared to the past, but their dominant defense has been the big factor to their success so far.
The Buffalo Bills are going into the game as underdogs, despite their victory over the team in week eleven. The biggest factor for the Bills will be their star quarterback, Josh Allen. Allen has been stepping up in every crucial situation, and the spotlight is being shown even brighter. For the Bills to win against this fantastic Kansas City defense and go to the Super Bowl, they’ll need a great performance from the man in charge of the offense. For the Chiefs, their biggest factor will be how often they utilize Xavier Worthy. The Bill’s secondary is great, but the one thing they lack happens to be speed. If the Chiefs can exploit this, either through their fastest player in Worthy or elsewhere, they can do real damage.
This game is going to be tight. Both teams are led by men who would do anything to get to the Super Bowl, even if it’s not their first time. Travis Kelce will connect with Mahomes on multiple occasions, and James Cook will carry the Buffalo ground game. But in the end, only one team will come out victoriously. And basing on their ability to always overcome their opponents, especially in the last two seasons, this writer is taking the Kansas City Chiefs to win the game.
The Washington Commanders face the Philadelphia Eagles at 3:00PM EST on Sunday, January 26 on FOX. The Buffalo Bills face the Kansas City Chiefs at 6:30PM EST on Sunday, January 26 on CBS.