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The drama of the NFL’s divisional playoffs — punctuated by three knockout goals and an extra time goal — will be impossible to live through this weekend simply because there are fewer games to play.
But fans needn’t worry: the rich stories in both conference championships must divide the audience and present stylistic clashes on the pitch.
In the AFC championship game, the first of which will be held on Sunday, the rising Cincinnati Bengals, who entered the postseason as the number 4 seed, will try to block the Kansas City Chiefs from progressing to the team’s third Super Bowl in a row.
Then, in the next game, the star-studded Los Angeles Rams will be tested by the dogged San Francisco 49ers, who have traded most of the team’s draft capital to create a squad that can compete in a Super Bowl at their home stadium. lowest remaining seed and an NFC West division rival.
Here’s a look at Conference Championship Weekend, where all the elections were against the spread.
Last week’s record: 1-3
East all time
#4 Cincinnati Bengals at #2 Kansas City, 3 pm CBS
Line: Kansas City -7 | Total: 54.5
In just his second season, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow led a bottom-fed franchise to its first conference championship game since the 1988 season. Much of that success has been fueled by his affiliation with rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase as well as players in a range of skill positions. That group includes Joe Mixon, who set career records for yards (1,205), goals (13) and carries (292) in his fifth season at Cincinnati to help take some of Burrow’s offensive load. Most sacked point guard in the league in 2021.
There’s a reason the Bengals’ feel-good run could end at Arrowhead Stadium, where Kansas City has hosted four consecutive AFC championship games. The team’s dominance and home crowd make the venue a tough place to play, and as Mahomes demonstrated against the visiting Bills last week, it’s a place to finish the game in just 13 seconds.
But the Bengals have been successful this season by keeping games close – Cincinnati lost just one game by more than 7 points – and then either Burrow finds a quarterback or gets a timely interception or smackdown from his defense. Burrow, like Josh Allen, is capable of cross-shooting with Mahomes, and a shootout would make the takeover a safer bet, especially as it’s unclear whether Kansas City’s Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu will play after his last departure on Sunday. Match of the week against the Bills with a concussion. To collect: bengals +7
No.6 San Francisco 49ers, No.3 Los Angeles Rams, 18:30, Fox
Line: Aries -3 | Total: 46.5
For all the talk about the Matthew Stafford swap and the Rams making headlines for title race Jalen Ramsey, defender Von Miller and receiver Odell Beckham Jr., the team’s success on Sunday will depend on whether Coach Sean McVay can do it. Assign these players to do something they haven’t been able to do in the previous six tries: defeat Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.
McVay and Kyle Shanahan were Mike Shanahan’s assistants (along with Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur) on Washington’s 2013 squad, and as division rivals, they are deeply familiar with each other’s game plans. But Kyle Shanahan took the lead because his 49s plan combines physical running games to perfectly counter the Rams’ Aaron Donald-led pass attack. detailed pre-shot movementseffectively plays hide and seek with defense. Short shots in the middle keep the lurking Ramsey at bay.
Shanahan expects all-round receiver Deebo Samuel, a key cog in making this whole offensive strategy work, to train and play this week after wearing a helmet on his right leg in his win over the Packers last week. Less certain is whether Trent Williams’ (sprained ankle) left foot will be available, and his absence could be a significant blow to the 49ers’ efforts to fend off Donald and Miller.
Los Angeles hopes to bring back the first left kicker, Andrew Whitworth (knee, ankle) and safety Taylor Rapp (concussion) – and has the added motivation of wanting to avenge his 14-point lead in the first half against San Francisco. The final regular season game was a meltdown that allowed the 49ers to move into the postseason. Still, Shanahan has the Rams trick. To collect: 49ers +3
How Betting Lines Work
A quick start for those unfamiliar with bet lines: Favorites are listed next to a negative number indicating how many points they need to score to close the spread. Raiders -5.5, for example, means that Las Vegas’ supporters must beat Chicago by at least 6 points to win the bet. Gamblers can also bet on the total points or whether the teams’ total points in the game are above or below a predetermined number.
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