Baltimore Sun employees writers choose each sport of the NFL season. Here’s who they’ve profitable within the convention championship video games:
NFC: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 3 p.m., Fox)
Hayes Gardner (15-9 general, 3-1 final week): 49ers 23, Eagles 20: In a matchup of two very full groups, I’ll take the 49ers, who’ve received 12 straight video games and haven’t proven many indicators of stopping. The final time these quarterbacks confronted one another, Jalen Hurts and Oklahoma beat Brock Purdy and Iowa State, 42-41, in 2019. Hurts handed and rushed for 5 touchdowns and Purdy totaled six (together with the sport’s remaining rating to now-Ravens tight finish Charlie Kolar). I don’t count on it’ll be fairly so high-scoring, however I do count on it to be determined by a couple of factors.
Childs Walker (188-90-2 general, 3-1 final week): 49ers 27, Eagles 24: Beware a crew that regarded too good the earlier week, and that was the Eagles of their blowout of the Giants. This can be a collision of loaded, balanced rosters. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is healthier than Brock Purdy, however the 49ers have so many seems they’ll throw on the Eagles, and their protection is the perfect remaining.
Ryan McFadden (170-108-2 general, 2-2 final week): 49ers 23, Eagles 21: San Francisco’s protection has been the perfect in soccer and that can be a key issue towards the Eagles. The 49ers can be ready maintain off Philadelphia lengthy sufficient for rookie quarterback Brock Purdy to make some massive performs in clutch conditions.
Mike Preston (169-110-2 general, 3-1 final week): Eagles 21, 49ers 17: Philadelphia is probably the most full and balanced crew within the NFL. The Eagles have proved that every one season and can once more versus San Francisco. The 49ers have an ideal protection and run to the ball extraordinarily effectively, and they’re simply as aggressive within the secondary. Per week in the past, the Cowboys didn’t take the center of the sector away from 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, however the Eagles received’t make the identical mistake. Quarterbacks show themselves within the postseason and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts is on a mission.
AFC: Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., CBS)
Hayes Gardner: Chiefs 30, Bengals 24: If the Bengals win, the Ravens may have, maybe, come one goal-line play in need of beating the AFC champions within the playoffs. But I don’t assume that can occur. Patrick Mahomes can be wholesome sufficient and the Chiefs will avenge final 12 months’s loss.
Childs Walker: Bengals 30, Chiefs 24: The Bengals don’t have any worry of going to Kansas City after they received the AFC championship there final season and adopted up with one other victory over the Chiefs final month. Their dominant win in Buffalo wiped away any doubts lingering from their shut brush with the Ravens. This choose may be totally different had Patrick Mahomes not harm his ankle, however Joe Burrow is the more healthy quarterback, and he has superior offensive weapons to play with.
Ryan McFadden: Chiefs 27, Bengals 24: This sport has all of the makings of a back-and-forth contest between two of the highest quarterbacks within the league. In the tip, the Chiefs will avenge final 12 months’s postseason loss to the Bengals and get again to the Super Bowl. Expect a giant sport from quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight finish Travis Kelce.
Mike Preston: Bengals 27, Chiefs 24: Under regular circumstances, I might take Patrick Mahomes towards any quarterback as a result of he’s the perfect within the NFL. But it’s exhausting to rebound from a excessive ankle sprain, so his motion will possible be restricted. If that’s certainly the case, Cincinnati ought to prevail as a result of quarterback Joe Burrow is a notch under Mahomes and the harm would be the nice neutralizer. Another factor to keep watch over is whether or not the Bengals can get the operating sport going with halfback Joe Mixon as a result of the Chiefs have struggled defending the run this 12 months. On the flip aspect, Kansas City has some go rushers who could make life depressing for Burrow, particularly if Cincinnati is lacking two or three starters on the offensive line prefer it was towards the Ravens.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com