Now that the NFL playoffs’ divisional rounds are over, it’s time for the Conference Championships.

For the American Football Conference (AFC), it was a matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, and in the National Football Conference (NFC) it was a matchup of the Philadelphia Eagles against the San Francisco 49ers. 

The first game was played on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 2 pm between the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. During the regular season, the 49ers had a record of 13 wins and 4 losses. The team’s last Superbowl appearance was in 2019 against the Chiefs, where they lost 31-10. Since then, they’ve improved their offensive load; signing Running back Christian McCaffrey and extending the contract for the team’s star wideout Deebo Samuel. 

On the other side of the matchup, the Eagles entered the game with a regular season record of 14 wins and 3 losses. The Eagles, led by second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts, had cruised their way through the season and playoffs. The game looked to be a defensive battle, as both defenses seemed to be the focal points of the team.

“I think the 49ers will overcome the Eagles. I think that the 49ers have more playoff experience, and I think the 49ers have enough weapons to spread the Eagles’ defense. In addition, Brock Purdy’s mobility will be a threat that will allow them to score,” Senior Matthew Abraham said

The game would end up being a relatively simple win for the Eagles, as Brock Purdy went out injured for part of the game. With the Eagles’ prolific offense scoring over and over, the 49ers never got a chance to catch back up once Purdy returned. The Eagles would end up winning 31 to 7 in a dominant showing, putting the team on their way to their fourth Super Bowl appearance. 

In the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals prepared to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on the road. Both teams have a lot of similarities in regard to their achievements since both teams were able to find success behind their young quarterbacks.

The Bengals came into the game riding in on a record of 12 wins and 4 losses, while the Chiefs had a record of 14 wins and 3 losses; the extra game difference came from the canceled game between the Bills and Bengals due to the Damar Hamlin incident.

The game was also a huge mental hurdle for the Chiefs, as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had a record of three wins and no losses against the Chiefs. Mahomes was also dealing with an ankle injury that he sustained in his win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

 “In the AFC, I see the Bengals beating the Chiefs again, since they are undefeated against them and Patrick isn’t 100%,” Junior Aiden Stanciu said. 

Despite all of this, the Chiefs would end up winning the game on a last-minute field goal, beating the Bengals 23 to 20 and moving on to a Super Bowl clash against the Eagles. 

With both championships having been played, it’s now time to set the stage for the Super Bowl. On Feb. 12 the Philadelphia Eagles will play the Kansas City Chiefs in the biggest football game of the year, where anything could happen.