NFL’s final 4 playoff teams, ranked by their chances of winning Super Bowl 58

Only four teams remain.

After a thrilling weekend of football, the NFL Playoffs Conference Championship games begin. On the NFC side, san francisco 49ersAfter surviving the threat of an upset from green bay packerswill serve as the host. detroit lions.

At AFC, baltimore ravens It will host the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history. Standing in the way of Super Bowl 58? Here are the full schedules for the NFC Championship and AFC Championship:

So which team has the best chance of winning the Lombardi Trophy in the coming weeks? Below are the final four teams in the NFL. SB Nation staff.

4. Detroit Lions

If we win last week's game, Los Angeles Rams As my dear friend JP said in last week's episode, this was a “proof of concept game.” monday football monday, Important touchdown for Sunday vs. Detroit Lions tampa bay buccaneers It was a “proof of concept play.”

The Lions were tied 17-17 with just over 13 minutes left in the game, facing two outs and second base at the Tampa Bay 31-yard line, when Jared Goff was replaced by rookie running back Jahmil Gibbs. In the blink of an eye, the rookie was in the secondary, staring straight at Antwon Winfield Jr., one of the NFL's best safeties.

And in the next second, Gibbs flew around Winfield and into the end zone, scoring a touchdown and giving Detroit a 24-17 lead.

There was a lot of talk about the Lions' draft class last spring, as Detroit selected running back Gibbs with the 12th overall pick. They then added a linebacker, tight end and safety with their next three picks, all within the first 45 picks. No, the calendar at that time was not wrong. This was him in the 2023 draft.

But it paid off in a big way. That tight end? Sam LaPorta, Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Is it safe? Brian Branch was in Detroit's starting lineup and had seven tackles in the win over the Rams. Linebacker? Jack Campbell was also in the Lions' starting lineup and had 95 tackles during the regular season.

And not only did Gibbs score a key touchdown for the Lions on Sunday, he also gave Ben Johnson, Jared Goff, and the rest of the Lions' offense new explosiveness.

Now, the Lions are in the NFC Championship Game playing a proof of concept against the best team in the conference, the San Francisco 49ers.

Will it work? Considering what we've seen this season and how the 49ers looked on Saturday night, that might be possible.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Somehow, somehow, it's the worst kansas city chiefs Mahomes' team will be in the AFC title game, a game Mahomes has never missed in his career. The Chiefs head to Baltimore, but one thing is for sure: they have the best QB in the NFL on their side. Mahomes once again performed well in the playoffs, posting a combined 33.6 EPA over two games. He will truly be at his best in the playoffs and be Kansas City's ace in a hole. They know they have the best QB in the NFL and can go into any game.

The Chiefs' defense has also been healthy at the right times, which is a big plus for Kansas City. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo also had his best performance in the playoffs, saving his biggest plan changes for big moments. DT Chris Jones was once again great, and the Chiefs defense did enough to hold off a charging Bills team for much of the game.

Now, the Chiefs face what is essentially the final boss of the 2023 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens and their stifling defense. Will Mahomes be able to pull off another magical performance? Can the defense get enough stops to get Mahomes the ball? Let's see on Sunday.

2. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers played in a rainy monsoon, but they did what they do best and relied on their star power when the going got tough. San Francisco came through with a 24-21 victory against a highly skilled Green Bay team, but the result was not the same. Niners star WR Deebo Samuel was out with a shoulder injury and did not return, but the 49ers announced he was OK and would play in the NFC Championship Game. The 49ers were playing the game offensively when Samuel was ejected, but got help from their star players when they needed it most. Christian McCaffrey's long TD run. A chain mover by Brandon Aiyuk, a good throw from Brock Purdy to Chris Conley (in what was a back-and-forth game), and a TD by McCaffrey put the Niners ahead. Defensively, big plays by star linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw and a tenacious pass rush kept Packers QB Jordan Love out of his spot.

Now they welcome the Lions to Levi's Stadium in a battle between two powers. The 49ers' defensive line will match up with Detroit's offensive line, and the outside corners will be tested by Detroit's receivers. Warner and Greenlaw will have to play their best games against teams attacking in the middle of the field. All eyes will be on Purdy, but if Samuel's win rate falls below 100%, this feels like a Christian McCaffrey fight. But it's good they have a guy like that!

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

1. Baltimore Ravens

Heading into Saturday's match houston texans, there was a lot of pressure on the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Indeed, Jackson was on the verge of winning his second league MVP award, and the Ravens clinched the AFC's top seed thanks to an impressive stretch run that saw them play some of the league's best football. But the Ravens have been there before, in 2019, when Jackson won his first MVP, and the Ravens were also the top seed, only to be eliminated in the regional round. tennessee titans.

But Baltimore erased those concerns against the Texans, led by both Jackson and the offense, and a fast, swarming defense led by defensive coordinator Mike McDonald. That defense was a disaster for C.J. Stroud and Houston's offense, as the Texans couldn't do anything on the ground and the rookie passer was under pressure all night. The game was tied at the half, but Baltimore's offense broke the game in the second half, with Jackson scoring from 15 yards out and connecting with Isaiah Riley for his second touchdown pass of the night, giving the Ravens a 14 gave them a point lead.

From there, the team relied on its rushing attack to win, with Jackson scoring his second rushing touchdown of the night and the Ravens taking a 31-10 lead en route to a 34-10 final.

The second half of this game was perhaps the best illustration of how dangerous the Ravens were. Their ability to beat teams in a variety of ways gives them so many ways to win games, not just what they can do on offense, but also how to slow down both the opponent's rushing and passing game.

It has remained at the top of these rankings for three consecutive weeks.