And then there were four. After yet another intense and exciting regular season, the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions are the last teams standing battling for the right to play in Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024. Each team has a decent chance of winning it all, as there is a strong case to be made that these were the four best teams of the regular season. However, only one gets to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, so who will it be?
Super Bowl 2024: Who Gets There, And Who Wins It?
AFC Championship Game: Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens
Two of the three or four best quarterbacks in the world face off for the right to go to the 2024 Super Bowl. Ever since he took over for Alex Smith in 2018, Patrick Mahomes has been widely considered to be the best quarterback in the NFL, and it’s easy to see why. The former first-round pick has an unmatched combination of arm strength, athleticism, and consistency, and putting him in Andy Reid’s scheme is simply unfair to other defenses. While the offense hasn’t been quite as consistent this year, the defense has easily held up their end of the bargain. Additionally, Mahomes and Kelce looked like their old selves against Buffalo, and if they bring that same energy to Baltimore, they’re going to be a tough team to beat.
The Chiefs won’t go down easily, but the Ravens deserve to be the favorites to represent the AFC in the 2024 Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson finally got the monkey off his back, dominating the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs. Jackson is the presumptive MVP for a reason, as the quarterback has been simply unstoppable now that he has a reliable cast of wide receivers. Pair his unmatched playmaking ability with a talented offense and perhaps the best defense and football and you’re left staring at a juggernaut. Baltimore dominated every playoff team they faced in the regular season, and that should continue in the AFC Championship Game.
NFC Championship Game: Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
Everyone outside of California is rooting for the Detroit Lions to pull off the upset and advance to the 2024 Super Bowl. However, the San Francisco 49ers are the superior team. Detroit’s defense is nothing special, and they’ll have a hard time doing anything to slow down Brock Purdy and his absurd collection of offensive talent, especially with Kyle Shanahan calling the plays. Ben Johnson is a great playcaller, but he’ll have a tough time getting Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown to keep up with this offense. Detroit’s future is bright, but they’re not on the same level as San Francisco quite yet.
Super Bowl 2024: Baltimore Ravens vs San Francisco 49ers (Projected)
The last time these two teams met, Baltimore blew the doors off the 49ers in a 33-19 slaughter that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score suggested. While the 2024 Super Bowl will probably be more competitive, it should have the same outcome. If you take away the quarterback position, these teams are evenly matched. Both units possess great playmakers, an above-average offensive scheme, and a defense loaded with talent at every level. However, the quarterback is the most important position, and the talent disparity between Purdy and Jackson will be the difference here.
This isn’t a shot against Purdy – the former seventh-round pick has played well this year and should be viewed as a franchise quarterback. However, he’s not Lamar Jackson. Purdy is merely good, while Jackson is elite. Even if he doesn’t throw four interceptions again, he won’t be able to go blow for blow with the presumptive two-time NFL MVP. Lamar Jackson struggled early in his playoff career, but he should end any narratives about his big-game ability when he wins the 2024 Super Bowl.
Main Photo: Mitch Stringer – USA Today Sports
