The first of two conference championships is set with five teams remaining in the hunt to win the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LVII. In the AFC, it’s the Cincinnati Bengals against the Kansas City Chiefs, while the NFC championship will feature the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the winner of the Dallas Cowboys–San Francisco 49ers matchup.
Here are the opening lines and nuggets for the AFC.
AFC Championship
Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs (-1, 47.5) (opened KC -2.5)
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Betting Nuggets:
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If Kansas City remains the favorite, the team and Patrick Mahomes will extend their Super Bowl era records of consecutive playoff games favored in.
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It will be 15 straight for KC and 13 straight for Mahomes. If Kansas City advances to the title game and is favored again, that would give Mahomes a postseason streak twice as long as any other QB to start their career in the Super Bowl Era.
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Joe Burrow has covered nine straight games as an underdog, including going 5-0 ATS as a playoff underdog.
Trends:
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Seventh conference champ rematch from prior season
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Kansas City: Fifth straight year hosting conference champ (longest streak in NFL history)
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Joe Burrow: 3-0 vs. Patrick Mahomes, including playoffs (only QB to beat him three straight times, seeking to pass Brady for most overall wins vs. Mahomes)
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Cincinnati: Seeking to become the second team to beat same opponent on the road in two consecutive postseasons (Washington, 1986-87, won at Chicago both years)
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