Four teams remain in the NFL postseason, but whoever are the last two are just as important.
The NFC Championship will see the sixth-seeded Washington Commanders battle the No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles for the third time this season. The regular-season series between the two NFC East sides went 1-1.
Washington got there after upsetting the No. 1 Detroit Lions on the road with rookie No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels outclassing veteran Jared Goff. Philadelphia held on late to beat the Los Angeles Rams in a back-and-forth snowy affair, with Saquon Barkley's individual dominance carrying the team.
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In the AFC, the No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs will face the No. 2 Buffalo Bills in another entry of the Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen battle. Buffalo beat Kansas City in their lone regular-season meeting this season.
Kansas City, albeit controversially, got past the Houston Texans at home while Buffalo staved off Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
So, among the four teams standing, which two would make for the best Super Bowl clash in New Orleans? Let's rank the different matchup outcomes from least to most desirable:
4. Chiefs vs. Commanders
There is definitely intrigue in a Kansas City-Washington meetup. Mahomes is still the present of the NFL but Daniels' quick start could elevate him into the dialogue sooner. Some aspects this would boil down to involve Daniels and the Washington offense against Steve Spagnuolo's setup.
The Chiefs' experience going up against a Washington side with a mix of veterans and rising youngsters feels like either Kansas City narrowly squeaks out a victory or wins by at least two scores.
3. Chiefs vs. Eagles
Recent Super Bowl matchups aren't always a bad thing. The Chiefs' overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers last season showcased some elite football with both teams being stacked in all units. But are this year's Eagles on the same level as last season's 49ers? Also, the Chiefs may have the better record this year but aren't necessarily as good offensively as last season.
The Eagles are being heavily anchored by Barkley, a piece they didn't have when Kansas City won 38-35 two years ago. A rematch feels like it would be a lower-scoring game that Kansas City pulls off, as Jalen Hurts isn't as explosive as his version that year.
2. Bills vs. Commanders
In terms of a completely fresh matchup, one could argue the Bills and Commanders would be the best possible outcome: Two new faces from recent years. New York vs. Washington. Two teams hoping to either end a long playoff drought or win it all for the first time. Allen vs. Daniels would also be an extremely fun display of dual-threat quarterbacks.
Additionally, Washington prevented Buffalo from winning its first Super Bowl in 1992 with a 37-24 victory, which was also the last time the D.C. franchise hoisted the trophy. Buffalo could get some long-waited revenge or Washington could inflict that pain once again.
1. Bills vs. Eagles
Where the Eagles edge the Commanders in this ranking is their star power. Hurts, Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Darius Slay Jr., Jalen Carter and more could likely give Buffalo a tougher time than Washington, as the Commanders feel a few pieces short of lifting the title this year. Allen vs. Hurts, James Cook vs. Barkley and more matchups could make this potential New York vs. Philadelphia matchup a thriller, whether it's high scoring or not.
But on the bad news side for Buffalo, all four of its Super Bowl losses have come against NFC East sides: the Giants and Washington once and the Dallas Cowboys twice. Allen, though, could further cement his Hall of Fame case with another curse broken.