Early Look at All Four Potential Super Bowl Matchups
Mon, Jan 29, 2024
by
CapperTek
Ahead of championship weekend, the NFL is down to four teams. That means that there are four potential Super Bowl matchups possible depending on the outcome of the AFC and NFC Championship Games this weekend. Even before the Championship Games are played, some Super Bowl betting sites are setting up betting markets for the biggest sporting event of the year.
We’d also like to look ahead to the Super Bowl a little early, specifically at the potential matchups. With four teams left, there are four possible combinations for what teams will be facing one another. Let’s look at an early preview of the potential narratives and subplots of each possible matchup and what team might have the upper hand in Super Bowl LVIII.
Chiefs vs Lions
If you remember the first week of the regular season, you’ll know that these two teams kicked off the regular season by playing one another. As the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Chiefs were favored at home. But the Lions scored a pick-six in the third quarter and a 76-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to score a 21-20 win in Kansas City. It would certainly be a unique situation to see those same two teams end the season by playing in the Super Bowl.
The serendipity of this rematch aside, the Chiefs and Lions are also coming from different places. If they win the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs would be playing in their fourth Super Bowl in the last five years. On the other hand, the Lions have never played in a Super Bowl and are just two years removed from being 3-13-1, making this one of the more surprising matchups in Super Bowl history.
Chiefs vs 49ers
Few people would be surprised to see these teams square off in Super Bowl LVIII. These have arguably been the two best teams in the NFL over the last handful of years. As mentioned, Kansas City is on the verge of getting to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years. Similarly, the 49ers are playing in the NFC Championship Game for the fourth time in five years.
Of course, the Chiefs and 49ers squared off in Super Bowl LIV just four years ago. In that game, the 49ers let a 20-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter slip away with the Chiefs scoring 21 straight points to win 31-20. San Francisco would love a shot at redemption in what would be the eighth time the same two teams played each other in the Super Bowl on multiple occasions.
Ravens vs Lions
On the surface, this may not seem like the most compelling Super Bowl matchup. But any Super Bowl matchup that involves the Lions would be filled with narrative. Detroit’s rise from just three wins two years ago to the Super Bowl would be an amazing fairy tale story. The same could be said of quarterback Jared Goff, who previously led the Rams to the Super Bowl and was soon traded away. He’s found a second life in Detroit and would have an amazing story to tell if he could lead the Lions to a win.
On the other side, the Ravens have Lamar Jackson, who is the presumptive MVP this season. Jackson could become the second consecutive MVP to also win the Super Bowl. Before the season, many questioned Jackson’s ability to stay healthy and win playoff games. Obviously, winning a second MVP and a Super Bowl would forever change how people view Jackson. It would also give John Harbaugh a chance to win the Super Bowl a few weeks after his brother won the college football national championship with Michigan, which would be a unique set of circumstances.
Ravens vs 49ers
Much like the Chiefs and 49ers, this would be a repeat of a previous Super Bowl. It was 11 years ago that John Harbaugh’s Ravens beat Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers in a Super Bowl dubbed “The Harbaugh Bowl.” While only one Harbaugh brother is still coaching the same team, a rematch of a previous Super Bowl would be an interesting subplot.
Perhaps more importantly, this Super Bowl matchup would bring together the top seed in both conferences. While the same thing happened last year with the Chiefs and Eagles being the top seeds, this isn’t as common as you might think. Of course, few could argue against the Ravens and 49ers being the two best teams and giving fans an entertaining Super Bowl. At the same time, the Ravens dominated the 49ers 33-19 late in the regular season, giving the 49ers something to prove on top of trying to win a Super Bowl for the first time since the 1994 season.
