NFL conference championship weekend is set with the field cut in half from eight to four teams vying for a spot in Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.
The divisional round started off with the Chiefs advancing to an astounding seventh consecutive AFC championship appearance under QB Patrick Mahomes in a 23-14 win over the Texans.
Up next was the upset of the weekend when No. 2 overall pick QB Jayden Daniels and the Commanders went to Detroit and scored at will, taking down the top-seeded Lions, 45-31, at Ford Field.
Appearing in its first NFC Championship since 1991, Washington gets to face the Eagles for a third and final time this season after Philly held on for a 28-22 victory over the Rams in the snow behind another massive performance from Saquon Barkley (207 rushing yards and two touchdowns).
The final game on the slate didn’t disappoint, as the Bills escaped with a 27-25 victory over the Ravens after Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews dropped Lamar Jackson’s game-tying two-point conversion pass with 1:33 remaining in regulation.
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Our prognosticators throughout the season are: Art Stapleton (Giants/NFL writer, NorthJersey.com), Bert Bainbridge (sports betting analyst/columnist, NorthJersey.com), Steve Edelson (columnist, APP.com), Vince Mercogliano (Rangers/NHL columnist, lohud.com), Brian Marron (digital producer, NorthJersey.com), Chris Iseman (Rutgers writer, NorthJersey.com), Bob Jordan (sports editor, Asbury Park Press/APP.com), and Dave Rivera (sports editor, USA TODAY Northeast/NorthJersey.com).
Staff standings: NFL playoffs
Bert Bainbridge, Bob Jordan and Chris Iseman: 7-3
Art Stapleton and Steve Edelson: 6-4
Dave Rivera and Brian Marron: 4-6
Here are our staff predictions for the highly anticipated championship weekend and which teams will move on to Super Bowl 59:
Bert Bainbridge
NFC Championship: Commanders 34, Eagles 30
AFC Championship: Bills 24, Chiefs 21
Art Stapleton
NFC Championship: Eagles 35, Commanders 31
AFC Championship: Bills 23, Chiefs 21
Bob Jordan
NFC Championship: Commanders 24, Eagles 14
AFC Championship: Chiefs 31, Bills 14
Dave Rivera
NFC Championship: Commanders 23, Eagles 17
AFC Championship: Chiefs 27, Bills 23
Brian Marron
NFC Championship: Commanders 31, Eagles 28
AFC Championship: Bills 24, Chiefs 22
Chris Iseman
NFC championship: Commanders 27, Eagles 24
AFC championship: Bills 34, Chiefs 31
Steve Edelson
NFC championship: Eagles 21, Commanders 17
AFC championship: Chiefs 35, Bills 31
