Saints News Network

AFC and NFC Championships' Predictions

The SNN crew is almost evenly split on our AFC and NFC Championship predictions.  Here are our picks for who will advance to Super Bowl LVI.

Bob Rose

In this story:

The 2021-22 NFL season is down to its final four. Today’s conference championship games will determine who advances to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles on February 13.

In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs host the upstart Cincinnati Bengals. The Chiefs have played in the past two Super Bowls and are appearing in their fourth straight conference title game. They have an explosive offense led by QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce, and WR Tyreek Hill.

Cincinnati appears in their first conference championship since 1989. The Bengals were surprise champions of the AFC North and won their first playoff game in 31 years. Second-year QB Joe Burrow and spectacular rookie WR Ja'Marr Chase pace an offense full of weapons, just like the Chiefs. The Bengals also have an underrated defense capable of bringing heavy pressure on quarterbacks.

This is a rematch of a Week 17 contest between these teams in Cincinnati. The Bengals won that matchup 34-31 behind 11 receptions for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns from Chase and 446 yards passing from Burrow.

The NFC Championship is an NFC West showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. Los Angeles won the division thanks to a diverse passing game behind QB Matthew Stafford and superstar WR Cooper Kupp with a fearsome pass rush led by DT Aaron Donald and edge rushers Vonn Miller and Leonard Floyd.

The 49ers snuck into the playoffs by beating the Rams in the regular season finale. San Francisco has one of the league's most physical defenses with DE Nick Bosa and LB Fred Warner.

The 49ers have a pedestrian passing game with QB Jimmy Garoppolo. However, they pound opponents with their running attack and WR Deebo Samuel is one of the league's most versatile offensive threats.

San Francisco swept the Rams this season. In fact, the 49ers have won six consecutive games against the Rams and five of six meetings between these teams in Los Angeles.

The Saints News Network crew gives you our predictions for today's NFL conference championship showdowns.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

Bengals at Chiefs

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws against the Kansas City Chiefs. Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Carla Antoine

The AFC will be a great game and will not disappoint. The record-breaking Bengals led by Quarterback Joe Burrow will enter a realm not traveled for over 30 years. This final showdown for the top AFC spot will end in an upset for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals have not had a conference Championship in 33 years and Cincinnati is poised to change that this Sunday.

Brendan Boylan

It is fair to say majority of the Saints fan base is pulling for the LSU star studded Bengals in the AFC title game. Joe Burrow and company have battled a gauntlet of difficult opponents but none as mighty as the Chiefs, who find themselves in the middle of a “mini dynasty”.

Arrowhead is one of the most difficult places to play in the NFL and, with Patrick Mahomes at his best, KC is nearly unbeatable there. However, the Bengals enter with a swagger that none of the remaining 4 teams have.

It will be a close one between two of the best young QBs in the league, but experience in the playoffs are so valuable… I’ll take the Chiefs 34-27 over the Bengals.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) completes a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals. Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

John Hendrix

It’s hard to imagine things getting any better after last weekend’s Bills-Chiefs game. That could have easily been the end of the season and everyone would have been happy. While the overtime format will again come to light in the offseason, we still have three more NFL playoff games ahead of us.

In the AFC, we get treated to a real entertaining rematch from Week 17. The venue has shifted to Arrowhead, which is undoubtedly a tough place to play. The biggest question is who is going to stop who?

There’s a real chance this becomes a shootout, as the Chiefs are going to have to figure out how to stop the Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase connection. We saw even sacking Burrow 9 times didn’t phase them in an upset over the Titans. For me, the Bengals remind me a ton of the 2006 Saints. This may not be their year ultimately, but they have been super fun to watch and really need to step up defensively to limit Patrick Mahomes and their attack.

My heart says Cincy, but my head says Kansas City takes this one in a 37-34 squeaker. Mahomes and that offense just erupt at times, and if they can even field a competent defense and shut the Bengals down early, then they can control things.

Kyle T. Mosley

Joe Cool Burrrrrow versus Patrick "My Home Boy" Mahomes!  Both have ice in their veins.  Unfortunately, there can only be one.   The Bengals offensive line concerns me.  Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones could wreck havoc against Jeffery Simmons and provide constant pressure on Burrow.  On the flipside, the Bengals defensive backfield with cornerback Eli Apple could be picked-on by Mahomes.  Both defenses have much of a resistance versus good offenses.  The final drive is the key.  Will it Mahomes or Burrow in the end?

I rarely go with the upset, outside of the Saints, but this one gives me reason to believe the Bengals will win 38-34 over the Chiefs. 

Bob Rose

To me, the Bengals have been the most impressive combination on both sides of the ball in these playoffs. Joe Burrow has been tough and productive, but also has plenty of weapons to exploit defenses.

Mahomes and his crew of pass catchers can light up anyone. However, the Chiefs had the worst defense of the playoff field. As loud as the Arrowhead crowd can be, the Kansas City home-field advantage has historically been overrated in the postseason.

The Bengals need to keep from falling behind early so they can maintain a balanced attack. Their pass protection has been beyond horrible. I expect this to be a shootout, but Cincinnati has risen to the challenge of the big stage all season.

Bengals 34 Chiefs 30

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

49ers at Rams

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass against the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Carla Antoine

The NFC Championship will host a couple of California teams as the 49ers and Rams go head to head with a home state Super Bowl LIV trip on the line. San Francisco is a well-traveled team and will have fans dominating the stadium. The 49ers has a 6 game winning streak over the Rams. This game will be a fierce battle but will end with a San Francisco 49ers victory.

Carla's Super Bowl pick:

Cincinnati vs. San Francisco

Brendan Boylan

An NFC West showdown for a berth to the SuperBowl. These two teams have completely different scripts for their respective seasons. The Rams went all in from the start, trading for Matt Stafford and making headlines with acquisitions during the regular season.

The 49ers found themselves in headlines for the opposite reasons. They struggled out of the gate and had fans and media alike calling for a change at QB. They righted the ship however due in larger part to their defense and one of the leagues most versatile weapons Debo Samuel.

Saints fans would prefer not to see either of these teams for various reasons (I don’t need to bring up those playoff losses right?). However this should be a thrilling matchup. I see the Rams winning by the score of 28-17.

Brendan's Super Bowl pick:

Kansas City vs. Los Angeles

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) in the open field against the Los Angeles Rams. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

John Hendrix

Meanwhile, out west in the NFC, we see a rematch of Week 18 that could have put the Saints in the playoffs. The road team has had the advantage in this 49ers-Rams matchup, and it’s hilarious that Los Angeles was trying to limit a ‘takeover’ from the visiting team.

San Francisco’s grit has carried them in the postseason, and they’ve been pretty impressive. The Rams had a little easier road to get here, dominating the Cardinals and then besting the Bucs. It was crazy to see them almost give that game away.

This matchup boils down to which defense can stop the other, and the Rams would figure to have that advantage given their superstar roster of talent. Matthew Stafford is in the spotlight here, and Cooper Kupp is going to help carry the offense to points.

As cliché as it sounds, this has to come down to the final possession. Kyle Shanahan's team is playing the better football right now, despite some offensive struggles last week against the Packers. This smells upset, but then again, the Rams have an opportunity to be the second team in NFL history to play in their own stadium for the Super Bowl.

Let's just hope we get a clean game, but the pick is a 28-24 49ers win.

John's Super Bowl pick:

Kansas City vs. San Francisco

Kyle T. Mosley

This another game that my heart is working against good reason.   Well, Coach Madden would say start with the offensive and defensive lines.   I re-watched San Francisco's comeback win over the Rams in Week 18.  The 49ers offensive line wore down the Rams defensive line.  Regardless the presence of edge rusher Vonn Miller and the dominant defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams were getting pushed around.  Nothing will change today.  Advantage Niners.

Stafford, Kupp, and OBJ are easy quick strikes away on each Rams offensive plays.  Could the 49ers secondary hold-up and hold-on to a lead?  The recent fading defensive effort by the Rams is a concern.

Could this be seven-straight victories by Kyle Shanahan's team against Sean McVay's guys?  Yes.

Count me in for another upset. Niners 34, Rams 31.

Kyle's Super Bowl Pick:

A repeat of Super Bowl XXIII - Bengals vs. 49ers in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

Bob Rose

A younger Saints fan hates the Rams for plenty of obvious reasons. An older Saints fan hates both of these former NFC West foes for decades of nightmares.

San Francisco is the more battle tested of the two squads and have dominated the soft Rams recently. However, the 49ers are a battered team and cannot expect to win if they're forced to rely on Garoppolo.

The Rams did their best to give away last week's game at Tampa Bay despite dominating for the first three quarters. Los Angeles has wilted against physical teams most of the year, but have loads of championship talent on both sides of the ball.

I like the 49ers chances and wouldn't be surprised at all if they bully LA for another win. It just feels like San Francisco is a little too beaten up. The Rams were my preseason Super Bowl pick out of the NFC. I see Matthew Stafford coming up big and their defensive stars to make just enough plays to pull this out.

Rams 24, 49ers 19

Bob's Super Bowl pick:

Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles 

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Bob Rose
BOB ROSE

Covers the New Orleans Saints as a senior writer for the Saints News Network.  Co-Host of the Bayou Blitz Podcast.