Getty There are no NFL games on TV for Saturday, January 28.
There are no more NFL playoff football games on Saturdays this season with the AFC and NFC Championship games both taking place on Sunday, January 29, 2023. Just three games remain on the NFL slate beginning with the Eagles hosting the 49ers on January 29 at 3 p.m. Eastern on Fox for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The NFL will conclude with a quarterback showdown as Joe Burrow’s Bengals battle Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium at 6:30 p.m. with an AFC title on the line.
The NFL will then take a week off before the two winning teams square off in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Vegas expects a Sunday of close games with the Eagles and Chiefs both favored by less than a field goal. Both the Chiefs and Bengals have been favorites at different points in the week largely due to Mahomes’ injured ankle.
Kansas City is now a 1.5-point favorite over Cincinnati, while Philadelphia is favored by 2.5 points against San Francisco, per FanDuel. The Chiefs have once again emerged as the favorites with Mahomes practicing throughout the week.
As for the Super Bowl odds, the Eagles are a slight favorite to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at +230. The Chiefs (+240), Bengals (+290) and Niners (+340) round out the field of the four remaining teams.
Patrick Mahomes on Ankle Injury: ‘I Felt Better Than I Thought I Was Going to Be After the Game’
All eyes are on Mahomes’ high-ankle sprain that the quarterback sustained in the first half during Kansas City’s victory over Jacksonville in the Divisional Round. The star quarterback was initially sidelined after the injury but was able to play the entire second half. Mahomes attempted to downplay fan’s concerns admitting he felt better after the game than he initially expected.
“I felt better than I thought I was going to be after the game,” Mahomes explained during a January 25 press conference. “Moving on it during the game definitely hurt, but after the game I was able to rest it and kind of ice it up and do different stuff like that. I felt in a little bit better position and obviously the next morning, felt a little bit better. And then, I’ve continued to get better throughout the week.”
Rihanna Headlines the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Behind the scenes, all four teams have begun making preparations for the Super Bowl as is an NFL tradition for the franchises participating in championship weekend. Only two teams will be able to follow through with their Super Bowl itinerary, but the stage is set for the country’s unofficial holiday.
Musician Rihanna will headline the Super Bowl halftime show, and it will be interesting to see if the singer is joined by any surprise guests. Country signer Chris Stapleton will sing the national anthem to get the festivities started.
“Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” Jay-Z said of Rihanna’s upcoming performance in a statement released by the NFL. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”