If there’s one thing this season of NFL Football hasn’t been, it’s predictable.
Teams like the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers have catapulted themselves from the outside looking in during 2023 to present day championship contenders.
So, settle in, grab your favorite drink or snack, and the Kent Stater sports department has just one question to ask: Are you ready for some football?
John Hilber – Sports Editor
AFC Championship: (3) Baltimore Ravens def. (1) Kansas City Chiefs 27-19
The Ravens have a relatively easy start to the playoffs with a first round match up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who more or less limped into the playoffs. Frankly, the Steelers won’t be able to keep up. In the second round, the Ravens will face the Buffalo Bills. While Josh Allen is extremely talented and can lead the Bills, Lamar Jackson has just been flat-out ridiculous this season. The game will be a one-possession contest and most certainly high scoring, but Jackson will take the Ravens down the field with a last second score to give the Ravens the edge.
The Chiefs, who have the only bye week in the AFC, will have a much easier path to the championship game. The Chiefs will have a nice, long break before taking on the Chargers in the second round. The Chargers simply don’t have the same weapons and ability and will go down easily. Still, Justin Herbert turned out a great season with efficient numbers – definitely not something to sneeze at.
In the AFC Championship game, it will be more of the same for the Ravens. The game will be close for much of the time, but the Ravens pull away late in the game to give themselves an eight-point lead. The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league, and the unit pressures Patrick Mahomes just enough to get the win for Jackson’s first super bowl appearance, solidifying himself as the NFL MVP
NFC Championship Game: (1) Detroit Lions def. (5) Minnesota Vikings 38-21
In the wildcard round, the NFC will see all upsets by ranking. The Vikings will defeat the Rams, the Commanders will defeat the Buccaneers, and the Packers will defeat the Eagles. The Lions will put away the Packers like they have all season. The Packers have slid as of late, and the Lions just haven’t. The trend continues, and the Lions continue their incredible season – Lions take it by 14 or more points.
The Vikings and Sam Darnold will overpower the Rams and the inexperienced Commanders. The second round game against the Commanders will be exciting. Jayden Daniels will light up the scoreboard, but Darnold, Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones prove to be too much, propelling the Vikes to the Championship game.
The NFCCG will be a rematch of the week 18 game, and the Lions pulled away in a big way. The Vikings won’t find the key to success this time, and the story will remain the same. Jared Goff will push the Lions to have another ridiculously efficient offense game, and the team will have a high-scoring outing.
Super Bowl: (3) Baltimore Ravens def. (1) Detroit Lions 24-10
Goff and the Lions offense just won’t have it this time. The Ravens defense will overpower the high-octane offense, and Jackson will do just enough to push the Ravens over the edge. Jackson will be responsible for all three touchdowns, and the Ravens defense will force a couple big turnovers down the stretch that will make it out of reach. Lions coach Dan Campbell will also take a big, unnecessary gamble in the game that will prove to be fatal. It is a harsh ending to a historic Lions season, but it is unlikely the Lions reign of terror will be over any time soon.
Gage Wellman – Sports Reporter
AFC Championship: (2) Buffalo Bills def. (5) Los Angeles Chargers 20-17
The Buffalo Bills, who have suffered nearly 40 years of playoff misery, start their quest to New Orleans with wins against a greener-than-grass Denver Broncos team and a Baltimore Ravens team that just can’t seem to win the big game even after putting up a clinic against the lowly Pittsburgh Steelers. Josh Allen joins the likes of Tom Brady and his archrival Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a playoff overtime win against QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
On the other side of the bracket, the surprise team of the AFC, the Chargers, handle a Houston Texans team that is experiencing the last stage of a serious sophomore slump, even in Houston. Now, I know what you all thought as soon as you saw that I had the Chargers – not the Chiefs – playing for the AFC title. Hear me out for just a second – in the 100-plus year history of the NFL, there have only been two instances of a team winning three consecutive championships, and from watching this Chiefs team that has seriously struggled on offense, I’d have to side with history and L.A.
Although the Chargers make for a great story, I simply think this year belongs to the Buffalo Bills. Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter dials up a strong defense, as he has all season, but his unit still bends to eventual MVP winner Allen in the clutch. Bills kicker Tyler Bass redeems himself with a late field goal to send his team to the Super Bowl.
NFC Championship : (2) Philadelphia Eagles def. (5) Minnesota Vikings 24-10
The Philadelphia Eagles start their playoff journey quite easily against the Green Bay Packers who, at this moment, are not sure if their standout quarterback Jordan Love can properly throw the football due to an elbow injury sustained last week against Chicago. Philly then exacts vengeance over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who embarrassed them last season, in a game I expect running back Saquon Barkley to have 140 or more rushing yards.
Although they may have looked like a herd of deer in headlights last week on Sunday Night Football, I truly think the Minnesota Vikings have a shot at making it out of the NFC. They start out easy with a neutral site game against the Los Angeles Rams, who were really the benefactors of a lackluster division. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who throws for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns, avenges his poor performance against a Detroit Lions team who I personally think is in for a rude awakening.
It has always been a common superstition among fans that usually one of the championship weekend games ends in a dud, and unfortunately for Darnold and the Vikings, I believe they are primed for said dud. Jalen Hurts’ mobility ends up being too much for Minnesota’s defense, as Sam Darnold’s magical season comes to a close.
Super Bowl: (2) Philadelphia Eagles def. (2) Buffalo Bills 24-17
At the end of the day, championships are won by two factors: Can you run the ball, and can you stop the run? And who better to tackle this question than the Eagles, led by a white-hot Saquon Barkley and a defense who has allowed less rushing yards per game than the Bills?
I can see, on paper, arguments that Josh Allen may be a better passer than Hurts, but I just can’t see this iteration of the Bills defense handling both Hurts and Barkley on the run, which also leaves them vulnerable against RPO passes. Hurts and the Eagles put their prior Super Bowl loss in the rearview mirror and open the off-season with Philadelphia’s second ring in the last seven years.
Demetri Manousos – Sports Reporter
AFC Championship: (1) Kansas City Chiefs def. (2) Buffalo Bills 27-23
If we took the logos out of it, I would take the Bills. However, Buffalo simply can not beat Kansas City in the playoffs, and it has become psychological at this point. If the Bills were to be the home team, I would say this is the year, but they won’t be at home. I believe they have played better than Kansas City this season, and unlike the Chiefs, half of their wins aren’t off of some last-second medieval voodoo magic to win in ways we’ve never seen. I would love to see the Bills beat the Chiefs, but I just don’t think this is their time. Someday, though; someday, they will beat the Chiefs in the playoffs.
NFC Championship: (2) Philadelphia Eagles def. (1) Detroit Lions 34-24
The Lions are a very, very talented team, but I think they are still a bit inexperienced in these big playoff moments. After going up 24-7, we saw them collapse in last year’s NFC Championship Game against a more experienced San Francisco 49ers team. I think Detroit still has to pay its dues and eat another tough loss before they take the next step. Philadelphia has flown somewhat under the radar with Detroit and Minnesota eating up a lot of the attention in the NFC. They have had a few close calls against not especially impressive teams, but I think they will be able to make a run and take down the NFC’s top seed.
Super Bowl: (2) Philadelphia Eagles def. (1) Kansas City Chiefs 27-21
Though I don’t think this is the year for Buffalo to get its revenge on Kansas City, I do think the Eagles are poised to do so. Similar to the Bills, Philadelphia has played at a higher level than Kansas City. The difference between the Eagles and the Bills is they aren’t psyching themselves out on how to beat the Chiefs. Philadelphia has a multitude of options to go to on offense as well as what I would consider to be an overlooked defense. Philly will be able to utilize both the run and pass game, using Barkley on the ground and using weapons like Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown through the air. I believe Kansas City is not playing well enough to win the Super Bowl right now, but who knows, they very well could turn it on and get the three-peat.
John Engoglia – Sports Reporter
AFC Championship: (1) Kansas City Chiefs def. (2) Buffalo Bills 31-27
Yeah, I know this championship game pick will get a lot of eye rolls, but the Chiefs slept through most of the regular season and still won 15 games. Even with down years from star QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce, the Chiefs have, once again, positioned themselves to be the team to beat in the AFC. The defense still hovers over elite territory, and the offense does just enough to put themselves over the finish line. A popular trend for the team has been closing out close games, and fans have not missed a chance to call the defending champs out on it.
The Chiefs easily overcome a tough but inexperienced Chargers squad with help from a big game from Kelce. The Bills, on the other hand, have been a fantastic storyline all season despite a rough offseason where the group lost a lot of talent on both sides of the ball – the team seems rejuvenated. QB Josh Allen has been lights out as the MVP frontrunner, and RB James Cook has helped the Bills offense power through its opponents. The group’s biggest weakness thus far has been an injured defense, which has been extremely porous to the pass as of late. I do think it will hold just enough to defeat an overachieving Denver Broncos squad and Pittsburgh Steelers team that lacks an offensive identity. However, the defensive woes reignite against the Chiefs, as rookie WR Xavier Worthy has the biggest game of his life to push the Chiefs ahead. Allen turns it over on the final possession to seal a Chiefs trip to the Super Bowl.
NFC Championship (2) Philadelphia Eagles def. (1) Detroit Lions 30-28
Remember in the early stages of the regular season when the Eagles were 2-2 and struggling? Fans were calling for QB Jalen Hurts to be traded and for head coach Nick Sirianni to be fired. The expectation was the Eagles were finished. Oh how the times change. Since that loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Eagles have only lost one game, and it was because Hurts was knocked out early in a loss to the Washington Commanders. What I’m trying to say is, when this team clicks, it clicks. The offense features so many weapons and ways to beat you, it’s borderline unstoppable. Run it down the opponents throat with MVP candidate Saquan Barkley, beat them through the air deep with WR A.J. Brown or RPOs to always keep the defense guessing. The Eagles also boast a defense loaded with impact players across the board, especially within the defensive line. Look for the defense to overwhelm a Packers squad that lacks talented wide receivers. In the divisional round, expect a high scoring blitz against the Buccaneers, where the Eagles leave victorious.
As for the Lions, what is there to say? The team is arguably the most dominant in the league with its high-octane offense. RB duo Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have feasted on opposing defenses all season. QB Jared Goff surveys and scans the field to perfection. Most importantly, head coach Dan Campbell has this team motivated to a level we’ve never seen. Players would do anything for this guy, maybe even bite a kneecap off. In a rematch from last year’s wildcard round, the Lions take down the Los Angeles Rams with big plays from Gibbs down the stretch. In the NFCCG, both teams go blow-for-blow for all 60 minutes. Late in the fourth, the Lions have possession up one, and, with a chance to kick a field goal to extend the lead, Campbell goes for the win on fourth down. The decision backfires, and the Eagles march down the field to kick the game-winning field goal as time expires.
Super Bowl: (2) Philadelphia Eagles def. (1) Kansas City Chiefs 24-17
In a rematch of Super Bowl 57, the Eagles exact revenge on the Chiefs. Saquan Barkley has a career-defining performance, as he rushes for two TDs and 124 yards on 23 carries. The star running back takes home Super Bowl MVP honors after the showing. Hurts and Brown connect for a huge touchdown, and the Eagles defense gets home throughout the night, generating 4 sacks on Patrick Mahomes. After going down multiple scores, Mahomes tries to will the Chiefs back in with highlight-worthy throws and runs, but it isn’t enough. The Eagles capture the franchise’s second Super Bowl trophy, and ends the Chief’s chances of a three-peat.