The road to Las Vegas: How each NFC team can reach Super Bowl
The foundation for the first-ever Las Vegas Super Bowl was laid when a Bay Area team moved to southern Nevada.
It’s only fitting that any NFC team hoping to play at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11 will probably have to do it by beating the club the Raiders left behind.
The San Francisco 49ers are a prohibitive favorite to reach Super Bowl 58. But there are several teams capable of playing spoiler on the path to the title game.
Here is the first of our series of weekly looks at what each of the NFC teams has to do to be the one to make that trip:
1. San Francisco 49ers (12-5 record, -140 odds to win the NFC at Caesars Sportsbook): It’s wild that in an age of extreme parity in the NFL, bettors have to pay juice to bet a team to win the conference. It also seems justified. The 49ers are a juggernaut. The only true loss on their schedule with their full roster was against the Ravens, the AFC favorite. Quarterback Brock Purdy is perfect for coach Kyle Shanahan’s system and the weapons around him are unmatched. The 49ers will just have to win a pair of home games to get to Las Vegas, the first of which will come against the lowest-seeded team to survive opening weekend.
2. Dallas Cowboys (12-5, +300): The Cowboys will be at home for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs. That’s good news for them, because they’ve won 16 straight at AT&T Stadium. Dallas will play Green Bay and then possibly Detroit. Quarterback Dak Prescott has silenced doubters by leading the league in touchdown passes. Now he has a chance to take his team to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1996.
3. Detroit Lions (12-5,+950): Coach Dan Campbell has his team playing angry. A controversial call at the end of a 20-19 loss to the Cowboys on Dec. 30 appeared to galvanize a Lions club with plenty of talent. Campbell played to win in Week 18 even though there was little reason to do so. The message is clear. The Lions are trying to disperse the losing stink around their franchise and prove they are now an organization that fights to win every day. Detroit may be more fired up than any other playoff market, especially to watch its team play at home against former quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8, 40-1): Tampa Bay limped across the finish line and squeaked into the playoffs in a mediocre NFC South. But winning any division entitles a team to a home playoff game and the Buccaneers will look to take advantage when the Eagles visit Monday. It’s a game Tampa Bay can win, but quarterback Baker Mayfield’s group doesn’t seem long for this tournament. The Buccaneers didn’t score a touchdown in a must-win Week 18 game against Carolina and lost 23-13 to the Saints in Week 17.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, +800): The defending NFC champions are one of the most intriguing teams in the field. The Eagles were cruising with a 10-1 record until everything changed. They finished on a 1-5 skid that started with an ugly 42-19 home loss to the 49ers on Dec. 3. Philadelphia lost its offensive and defensive coordinators from last year’s team and it felt like that impacted the Eagles more and more as time went on. They could still figure it out, however. They’re are 8-to-1 to win the NFC despite all the negatives. Philadelphia has talent. If the switch somehow does get flipped, look out.
6. Los Angeles Rams (10-7, 22-1): Sean McVay has done it again. The highly-respected coach has his team in the postseason in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. McVay has done it with a mix of star veterans and unheralded young players. It’s a disciplined and tough team that isn’t going to back down. The Rams have also proven to be a difficult matchup for the 49ers, who could be their opponent if they pull off a first-round upset in Detroit.
7. Green Bay Packers (9-8, 45-1): It wasn’t always smooth, but Jordan Love found a way to lead his team to the playoffs in his first year as a starting quarterback. Aaron Jones is a dynamic running back and the Packers do have some playmakers on offense. There is just a lot of inconsistency in this group and Love may still be a year away. The Packers aren’t likely to be a factor in the championship game. Even if they can somehow end the Cowboys’ home winning streak, their reward would be a trip to San Francisco.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
