The Washington Commanders are in the final four.
Dan Quinn's astonishing first season as head coach continued at the Detroit Lions. Not many gave the Commanders a genuine chance of upsetting the NFC's No. 1 seed on the road. They felt this Cinderella story was going to end versus a leading favorite for the Super Bowl who'd won 15 games during the regular season.
How wrong they were.
The Commanders didn't just win, they dominated. They seized the advantage early and never relinquished it thanks to more exceptional offensive production and the defense's ability to create turnovers when opportunities arose. This was as comfortable a triumph as you're likely to see in the hostile Ford Field environment.
And now, the Commanders have one more hurdle to overcome before the Super Bowl. That is the next challenge facing Quinn's squad — one they are sure to relish.
Updated Commanders playoff picture after Divisional Round triumph
Commanders vs. Eagles - NFC Championship game
- Date: Sunday, January 26
- Time: 3.00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Lincoln Financial Field
- TV channel: FOX
The Commanders have a familiar foe standing between them and the Super Bowl. Their reward for beating the Lions was a trip to the Philadelphia Eagles, who disposed of the Los Angeles Rams on home soil in snowy conditions that made things difficult for both clubs.
This will be the third time these storied NFC East rivals have met this season. The Commanders lost at Lincoln Financial Field earlier in the campaign on Thursday Night Football. However, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was dealing with injured ribs that impacted his performance levels. That won't be the case this time around.
Washington came from behind to beat the Eagles and all but confirm its playoff place in the return fixture at Northwest Stadium. Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion in this one, so both teams have excuses for losing to the other so far this season.
The stakes are high and the atmosphere will be intimidating. Washington will be underdogs again, but that's never bothered this team before. It only inspires them further.
A fascinating clash awaits.
Bills vs. Chiefs - AFC Championship game
- Date: Sunday, January 26
- Time: 6.30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Arrowhead Stadium
- TV channel: CBS
This clash is a familiar one in the postseason. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs welcome the Buffalo Bills to Arrowhead Stadium. It promises to be another mouth-watering contest between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen for a place on the grandest stage of all.
Mahomes has got the better of this duel in recent years. But the Chiefs haven't been firing on all cylinders this season despite disposing of the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round. They are doing just enough, but more will be required to retain their AFC crown.
The Bills will see this as arguably their best opportunity to turn the tide, although they needed a stroke of good fortune to hold on versus the Baltimore Ravens. Mark Andrews' drop on a game-tying two-point conversion was immensely unfortunate, but nobody in Buffalo was complaining.
Buffalo is well-balanced, but the Chiefs are battle-hardened and know what it takes to win at this time of year. It could legitimately go either way.