We usually reserve the phrase "Final Four" for the NCAA Basketball championship in March, but being one of the final four teams in the NFL really does lift teams to a new stratosphere. This year's group of teams who have advanced all have some new flavor to the mix, which is refreshing for NFL fans and adds a nuance for football bettors.
The Baltimore Ravens have been here before under John Harbaugh, but the likely MVP, Lamar Jackson certainly adds a new element to this Ravens team. Baltimore will host the game this week and the city of Baltimore does have some familiarity with the Ravens style of play this season compared to years past. They were a top ranked defense, allowing just over 300 yards per game and less TDs than anyone, but we have never watched anyone run as effectively as Jackson. He already has two 1,000 yard rushing seasons as a QB and this year fell just short of the century mark. Baltimore was the best team in the NFL all season long and they opened up the AFC Championship game as -3 point favorites.
They will face a team that is certainly not new to this big championship game, this will be the 6th straight season they have gone, but the Chiefs are the new look Chiefs. They are now led by a top notch defense and stellar running attack. Sure, Patrick Mahomes won his first ever road playoff game, and has never missed an AFC Championship game in his career as a starter, but the defense led the way all season. They did not allow a single team to score 30 points all year long and ranked inside the top 5 in most categories. Pacheco gives them an explosive rushing attack to now compliment Mahomes and Kelce, who had his best game of the season against Buffalo last week.
On the NFC side of things playoff games, and even NFC Championship games are nothing new to the city of San Francisco. We don't even have to go as far back as Joe Montana and Steve Young, because Jimmy G brought them to the big game just a few years ago. This team however, does have a whole new look to it. Christian McCaffrey is the star of the offense, but Brock Purdy is the story of the NFL. Mr. Irrelevant has now become a household name and despite an MVP like campaign of his own, there are many Niners fans and those around NFL circles who are still questioning if he can get it done when it matters most. Purdy ended the year with the 3rd most TD passes, 5th most yards and top passer rating in the league, but he looked human for most of the divisional round game. The Niners were the NFC favorites before the year began and did little to shake that title all year. They opened up as a near TD favorite as soon as the lines were released on Sunday.
The Lions are at a whole new level for their franchise so everything is new for them. The Lions had one playoff win in most of their fans lifetime's and now are sitting one win away from the almost unthinkable for Detroit fans ... a Super Bowl appearance. The Lions have shown incredible growth over the past few seasons under their new head coach and they have a QB who has been here before in Jared Goff. Now they must go on the road to take on the mighty Niners, but it is a 49ers squad that allowed Aaron Jones and the Packers to run all over them last week, and now comes in a one two punch in Montgomery and Gibbs who led the Lions rushing attack that ranked 6th in the league, that ground game and head coach Dan "Gamble" gives every Lions fan hope.
Sure, there are some of the same names and faces this weekend that we might see in the big game, but overall this season has had a different feel and that newness only adds intrigue for what we will see in a couple of weeks.