NFL Playoffs: Chiefs, Patriots, Saints, Rams Have Major Edge For 2019 Super Bowl Run

The four teams that survived their games on Wild-Card Weekend all have a real chance to reach Super Bowl LIII, but it would be stunning for two of them to win their respective conferences. It’s almost certain that at least one of the teams that had a bye in the 2019 NFL playoffs will compete in the title game on Feb. 3 in Atlanta.

Don’t expect to watch Super Bowl LIII without seeing the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints or Los Angeles Rams. In every year since the current postseason format was introduced before the 1991 playoffs, a top-two seed in the AFC or NFC has played in the Super Bowl.

Recent history suggests that both Super Bowl teams will come from the top tier of the two conferences. Over the last five postseasons, no team has played in the Super Bowl after competing in a wild-card game.

No team has even played one road game on their way to making the Super Bowl since the Baltimore Ravens did it in the 2013 playoffs. The New York Giants were the last NFC team to win the conference without a bye in the 2012 playoffs.

All four teams are pretty significant favorites after their bye week. No road team is even getting fewer than four points in the divisional round.

Kansas City and New England were virtually unbeatable at home in the regular season. The Chiefs went 7-1 at Arrowhead Stadium, only losing to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Patriots went undefeated at Gillette Stadium.

The Rams went 7-1 in Los Angeles during the regular season, including wins at home over the Chiefs and L.A. Chargers. They’ll host a Dallas Cowboys’ team that had a 3-5 road record.

After losing the season opener at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans won six straight games at the Superdome. That included victories over the Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, whom the Saints will host in the second round. New Orleans lost at home in Week 17 when Drew Brees didn’t play.

A No.1 seed has won the Super Bowl in each of the last five seasons.