And then there were four. And what an unexpected quartet it is.
After a wild and wacky divisional round, only the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Minnesota Vikings remain in contention for the Lombardi Trophy.
There are four possible Super Bowl matchups left. Which will be the most memorable?
Patriots vs. Eagles
A matchup between the top seeds in the NFL's two conferences remains a possibility.
Since the league started determining home-field advantage by winning percentages in 1975, only 12 Super Bowls have featured the No. 1 seed from both the AFC and NFC. The last such matchup was Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.
A best-on-best meeting between the Patriots and Eagles would feature the league's most potent offense (New England) against its fourth-ranked defense (Philadelphia).
Of course, the matchup would be somewhat lacking without injured Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, but it would feature four All-Pros (Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Lane Johnson, and Jason Kelce).
It would also offer the Eagles an opportunity at retribution. The Pats topped the Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX, a game that featured Terrell Owens' superhuman effort on one leg and Donovan McNabb vomiting on the field in crunch time. It was also the last time the Patriots went back-to-back.
Jaguars vs. Vikings
One of two potential matchups between franchises currently without a trophy.
If defense wins championships, one of either the Jaguars or Vikings is sure to prevail. They finished one and two in total defense with Minnesota earning a slight edge in fewest yards allowed per game. They also own the league's best two pass defenses. Jacksonville took the top spot in that category.
From front to back, the Vikings and Jaguars might own the two most talented defensive units. Minny's front is led by Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter, fortified in the middle by Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, and protected on the back end by star corner Xavier Rhodes and All-Pro safety Harrison Smith.
The Jags are led up front by the disruptive duo of Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue, who are supported by athletic backers Myles Jack and Telvin Smith, and the Pro Bowl tandem of Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye in the secondary.
If Super Bowl LI features these two, it could be the lowest-scoring affair in the history of the game.
Patriots vs. Vikings
The best offense versus the best defense.
If New England meets Minnesota in the Super Bowl, it could represent the greatest defensive challenge Brady has faced in the big game.
In Brady's only two Super Bowl losses, he was harassed by the New York Giants' relentless pass rush. Both in 2007 and 2011, the game plan was to hit Brady and make him uncomfortable. The Giants accomplished that feat despite entering the game with the league's seventh-ranked defense in 2007 and the 27th-best defense in 2011.
The Vikings racked up 37 sacks in the 2017 season. The Patriots allowed 84 quarterback hits and 35 sacks during the campaign.
Should the two teams meet up, Minnesota would also own home-field advantage as the first team to ever play a Super Bowl in their own stadium. Pack your earplugs, Patriots.
Jaguars vs. Eagles
A Jaguars-Eagles Super Bowl would also feature a best-on-best matchup.
Jacksonville boasts the top running game in the NFL, while Philadelphia owns the league's premier run defense. The championship game presents an opportunity to determine which unit is superior.
Imagine Leonard Fournette, a man born to play in the NFL, on the league's grandest stage in his rookie season. The running back gashed the Pittsburgh Steelers for 109 yards and three touchdowns in the divisional round and appears to be gaining steam.
The Eagles would be as prepared as anyone for such a scenario as they held the Atlanta Falcons' duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman to 86 yards in their divisional matchup.
In a league dominated by the passing game, Jacksonville and Philly would much rather battle in the trenches. Super Bowl LII could take on an old-school feel.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
