The National Football League (NFL) Divisional Round did not disappoint over this past weekend as four teams were eliminated from the playoffs in their chase for the Lombardi Trophy. I am here to once again bring you my updated playoff predictions as some of my picks last week did not come to fruition. Not to worry though as this is the week I get every prediction correct for the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) championships. 

Last week, I got one out of my four predictions right, which I must say, is quite embarrassing. However, all the games remained relatively close and could have gone either way. I am happy to admit I was wrong, but will also be here to defend my picks as well. 

Not many people would have predicted the Washington Commanders to take down the Detroit Lions on the road with such a young team. Instead, it was a shootout with a final score of 45-31 in the Commanders season. 

I picked the Los Angeles Rams as my upset pick over the Philadelphia Eagles in their snowy game which almost came true. Key word in that last sentence is “almost”. The Rams season ended after a 22-28 loss. 

Then the Baltimore Ravens were one crucial dropped pass away from possibly sending the game to overtime. An absolute game changing play that had ended the Ravens season in a 25-27 loss. Which I must say was an insane drop that I’ve made nine times out of ten in my grandma’s backyard during Thanksgiving.

So what I am getting at is the only correct team I picked was the Kansas City Chiefs over the Houston Texans, showing you why you should never bet against the Chiefs and their devil magic. Final score was 23-14 in Chiefs favor. 

Onto the fun stuff which is my predictions, which I will once again clarify will absolutely be correct, strictly because I said so. In all seriousness let’s get into the AFC and NFC Championship picks to see who will be representing each side in Super Bowl LIX hosted in New Orleans, LA.

AFC Championship

Looking forward to the AFC Championship game, we have a battle between Quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills traveling to take on the face of the NFL in Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. 

The Chiefs have won two straight Super Bowls in hope of completing three straight seasons as Super Bowl champs. This season while the Chiefs are undoubtedly talented as usual, many fans are frustrated with the league’s referees catering to the side of their “golden child” in Mahomes and the chiefs with weak penalty calls that could be looked at as game changing in some instances. With their defense as talented as ever, Mahomes with the ball in his hands and Head Coach Andy Reid calling plays, it’s hard to count out the back to back champions. 

Meanwhile the Bills are looking to make it to the big game for the first time since the early ‘90s where they went to three straight Super Bowls but lost every one they took apart in. The critique for the Bills is that they don’t have any good targets for their MVP caliber quarterback to throw too, that has not been an issue for Allen as he has made NFL defense pay with his legs as well as his bazooka for an arm.  

I know I previously mentioned never bet against the Chiefs, but I’m going to do it anyway as I have the Bills righting their wrongs of the past here with them taking down the villains of the NFL to stop their insane run of terror across the league.

NFC Championship

This NFC Championship is one that I can confidently say has a team taking part in it that not many of us NFL fans would have expected. It will see the Washington Commanders led by rookie sensation Quarterback Jayden Daniels taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Commanders finished last season with an overall record of 4-13 last season which gave them the opportunity to draft Louisiana State University Product Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the draft. He has been a vital asset in bringing the Commanders from the second worst team in the league, to one game away from a chance at the Super Bowl. He is easily the Rookie of the Year and debatably the best rookie quarterback to step onto an NFL field. 

As for the Eagles, they are filled with talent all throughout their roster and have found themselves in this game just two years ago where they advanced to the Super Bowl but lost to the Chiefs in their first of their back to back Super Bowl victories. 

Something they didn’t have last season, or the year before, is Running Back Saquon Barkley. An absolute game changer in the offensive backfield with absurd speed, change of direction and the ability to make defenders miss. He is going to be a problem for this young Commanders team who has yet to play in a game this big since 1992. 

Unfortunately, for me the Commanders storybook season will come to an end seeing the Eagles advancing to the Super Bowl against the Bills.