Can the Bengals pull off another road upset?
The NFL’s final four is set, and if the opening odds are any indication, conference championship weekend is going to be one to remember.
We will know the Super LVII combatants by late Sunday night, with the NFC title being settled between the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles before the AFC crown is handed out at Kansas City where the Chiefs host the Cincinnati Bengals in the nightcap.
The week’s biggest storyline should be the health of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The 2018 MVP missed a chunk of Saturday’s divisional-round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars after suffering an ankle injury. He eventually returned to help lead KC to its win, but he reportedly has a high ankle sprain. It’s an ailment that can keep players out for weeks, but it’s probably going to take a lot more than that to keep Mahomes on the sideline.
The 49ers also have an injury issue worth monitoring, as Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a calf issue, but that’s not expected to be a major hindrance. They’ll need all hands on deck in their toughest test of the Brock Purdy era, going on the road to face an Eagles defense that just stifled the New York Giants.
Here’s the opening look at the odds for the NFL championship weekend.
SUNDAY, JAN. 29
San Francisco 49ers at (-2.5) Philadelphia Eagles, 45.5
Cincinnati Bengals at (-1.5) Kansas City Chiefs, 47.5