NFL sets schedule for AFC, NFC Championship Games
The NFL is down to its final four.
The league announced the schedule for next week's conference finals following the conclusion of Sunday's divisional-round games.
AFC Championship Game
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals at Chiefs | Jan. 30 | 3:00 | CBS |
The AFC's Super Bowl representative will be decided first.
Everyone expected Patrick Mahomes and Co. to be here after three straight AFC title game appearances, including two wins. But few saw the Bengals, this year's Cinderella story, coming. Cincinnati took down both the Las Vegas Raiders and the No. 1-seeded Tennessee Titans in dramatic fashion to secure the team's first championship game appearance since 1988.
But the Chiefs were unrivaled in terms of drama during a wild divisional-round slate. Kansas City appeared to be down and out after the Buffalo Bills took the lead with 13 seconds to go. But Mahomes had more magic left in him, leading the Chiefs into field-goal range to force overtime and then engineering a game-winning touchdown drive to claim a fourth straight title game appearance for Kansas City.
NFC Championship Game
| Matchup | Date | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers at Rams | Jan. 30 | 6:30 | Fox |
The West rules the NFC.
The division rival San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will face off for a third time this season after securing upset wins over the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively, in the divisional round.
The Rams topped the division but lost twice to the 49ers - in overtime in Week 18 and by 21 points in Week 10. Kyle Shanahan appears to have the number of his friend and counterpart Sean McVay, but can San Francisco win when it counts to make its second Super Bowl in the last three seasons?
L.A. will be fighting for the right to become only the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium after the Bucs achieved the feat last season.