Bleacher Report NFL analysts Brad Gagnon, Kris Knox, Gary Davenport, Brent Sobleski, and Maurice Moton — along with editors Wes O’Donnell, Ian Hanford, and Bryan Toporek — have released their 2024 NFL conference championship game expert picks and predictions.
Check out the Bleacher Report football staff’s 2024 NFL conference championship picks, predictions, and best bets below.
Bleacher Report 2024 NFL Conference Championship Expert Picks and Predictions
Bleacher Report’s NFL staff members have published their expert picks and predictions for the two conference championship games of the 2023 NFL season.
The NFL conference championship doubleheader is this Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens game is at 3 p.m. ET. The Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers matchup is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
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Ravens (-4)
Davenport, Hanford, and Sobleski are taking the Kansas City Chiefs to upset the Baltimore Ravens on the road in the 2024 AFC Championship.
“The Baltimore Ravens are the better, more balanced team. Lamar Jackson is all but certainly going to be named MVP. The pass rush is the league’s best,” Davenport wrote.
“Baltimore just jack-stomped an overmatched Houston Texans team in the divisional round. The Ravens will be playing at home. A great many things point toward a Baltimore victory.
“For all the Ravens have, there’s one thing they do not — a quarterback who was blasted with Omega Rays in a scientific experiment gone wrong and transformed into an unstoppable juggernaut on the football field.
“Patrick Mahomes is playing in his sixth consecutive AFC Championship Game. Mahomes stands on his head (again), and the Chiefs win the AFC (again).”
In the end, Davenport’s final score is 24-20, Chiefs. However, Moton has quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens stealing a win at home. “For the most part, Jackson hasn’t played well against Kansas City,” he wrote.
“He completed less than 55 percent of his passes in three out of four matchups with the Chiefs, but Kansas City will see a different version of him on Sunday.
“Baltimore’s No. 1-ranked rushing offense will wear down Kansas City’s 18th-ranked run defense in the second half to eke out a win by a field goal.”
Moton’s pick is Ravens, 24-21.
Other 2024 NFL conference championship expert picks are on the main page.
49ers (-7)
Moreover, the Bleacher Report NFL staff was more divided on the Lions-49ers game. Gagnon and Toporek have the 49ers winning but not covering, whereas Knox and Moton are predicting Detroit will win outright at Levi’s Stadium.
“While I do think Detroit’s magical run will end Sunday in the Bay Area, the Lions can keep this game close. We all saw an inferior Green Bay team do exactly that on Saturday night at this very site, and Detroit has lost by more than seven points just twice in its last 21 games,” Moton wrote.
“Meanwhile, the 49ers have been outscored while going 1-2 in their last three home games. That, of course, includes a meaningless Week 18 loss to the Rams, but the fact remains the team feels rusty. … I just don’t trust Brock Purdy and Co. to pull away here.”
Moton has the Niners winning 27-24.
Furthermore, Knox added his explanation below for picking the Lions.
“The 49ers struggled against the Packers run game, and Detroit has one of the league’s most versatile rushing attacks. The difference last week was that Purdy’s potential interceptions were dropped, while Jordan Love had two poor throws picked,” he wrote.
“I’m predicting a fate reversal this week and taking the Lions to earn the upset win that Green Bay probably should have gotten in the divisional round.”
Knox’s final score is 31-28, Lions.
For prop bets from the Bleacher Report NFL staff ahead of the 2024 NFL conference championship games, go to the site. More expert picks and predictions for the NFL conference title games are on the main page. Welcome bonuses are available right now for the best NFL betting apps.
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