NFL Conference Championship Predictions: Can Joe Burrow and the Bengals stop the Chiefs?

We’re back for more predictions, odds & matchups for the NFL Playoffs, this time for the Conference Championships. Only four teams are still alive and there’s only three games remaining: two on Sunday to define the Super Bowl participants, and the final contest on February 13, as both conference champions will gather in Los Angeles for the Super Bowl LVI

Two fantastic games will be coming our way. The Kansas City Chiefs will seek revenge against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship, while the Los Angeles Rams hope to avoid a 3-0 sweep against the San Francisco 49ers in the final NFC contest. Our predictions are based on year-long analysis of all the 32 teams through the regular season, but what matters now is only the remaining franchises.

Enough with this introduction – let’s dive right into our Conference Championship Predictions for the playoffs of the 2021 NFL season.

NFL Predictions for the Conference Championships:

Sunday

#4 Cincinnati Bengals @ #2 Kansas City Chiefs, 3:00 PM: These two teams met earlier this month and the Bengals won a fantastic game to clinch the AFC North. Even though the Chiefs found a way to blow a two-touchdown lead that day, we’re not really expecting Kansas City to suffer during this game.

Listen, Burrow is great, Chase is great, Cincinnati’s offense is great. But the thing is, the Buffalo Bills had the best defense in the league, and Patrick Mahomes absolutely shredded them, dropping 42 points in what was one of the best NFL games ever, let alone the postseason. How can the Bengals stop this while they’re on fire? It’ll come down to this, basically. While Burrow and co. will put up a good fight, they just don’t have enough firepower yet.

Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs

#6 San Francisco 49ers @ #4 Los Angeles Rams, 6:30 PM: Well, well, well, how the turntables. Sean McVay must look at Kyle Shanahan and reminisce Michael Scott because of how annoying the 49ers coach is when these two teams are playing each other. San Francisco has won the last six encounters against Los Angeles, and while they won’t be the favorites for this game, it’s not a given that the Rams will go to the Super Bowl, especially after how their last game ended.

The key to the 49ers here is very simple: attack Stafford, but don’t blitz. Don’t fall into the trap of sending five or more rushers against the Rams’ quarterback, who has been the best in the league against the blitz all season. DeMeco Ryans has done a great job scheming pressures all season long and he’s gonna have to deliver again to give his team a fighting chance.

We’re going with the upset here. San Francisco have run the ball well against Los Angeles during this season and they’re built defensively to stop Stafford. It won’t be easy, but they’re going to meet the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Again.

Prediction: San Francisco 49ers