About 18 weeks ago, 32 teams in the
National Football League started their season in hopes of holding on all the way to the start of the Playoffs. Cut those teams in half, and 14 teams between the National and American Football Conferences are ready for this weekend’s Wild Card Round.
Starting Saturday, January 13, six games, 12 teams played for a chance to advance to the next round…and ultimately, play in Super Bowl LVIII on February 11.
That weekend, there will be 12 teams playing: the Cleveland Browns, the Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Buffalo Bills, the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Rams, the Detroit Lions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
That meant that two of the teams, the Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers behind quarterback Brock Purdy, had bye weeks because they won their respective conferences.
What Were The Results of The 2024 Divisional Round?
This past weekend held the
Divisional Round of playoffs, where the Ravens met the Texans in a 34-10 Ravens victory. Quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for over 100 yards, solidifying him as a dual threat in both passing and running games. The Texans went into the second half tied at 10-10 but were held scoreless throughout the final quarters.
In a thriller game, the 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21, where star running back Christian McCaffrey scored the winning touchdown with a minute left in the fourth quarter. With three touchdowns in the third quarter alone, the game wasn’t without drama, and the 49ers will see the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game.
The Detroit Lions, led by veteran Jared Goff, are riddled with young talent like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Aidan Hutchinson. Led by head coach Dan Campbell, they’re one of the league’s most exciting success stories this season, and they held on by defeating Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-23.
And in the final game of the weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs once again went head-to-head with the Buffalo Bills in freezing weather. While the Bills may have won earlier in the season, the Chiefs were the ultimate winners of the game, 27-24.
When Are the NFL Conference Championships?
On Sunday, January 28, the final four remaining teams will compete for a chance to play in the coveted Super Bowl. For the AFC title, the Baltimore Ravens will host the Kansas City Chiefs. For the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers will host the Detroit Lions.
This week will show the Chiefs’ true colors, as they go visit the borderline flawless Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens seem to have it all – a quarterback with a high football IQ, who can both run and pass and find openings that most couldn’t…but the Chiefs are known for breaking flawless teams down and the Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce connection is stronger than their weak wide receiver core.
The 49ers have also been a league powerhouse this year, with an unstoppable defense led by Nick Bosa and a strong offense backed by George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and of course, Christian McCaffrey…but don’t discount the Lions. I’ve mentioned their young talent is led by a vet, so perhaps the underdog mentality wins?!?
We’ll come back and report on how the matchups are looking. While you never know what to expect from playoff football, we’ll give a recap of the games and keep you up to date…so keep checking back for everything NFL right here!
