Bets Dressed - Championship Sunday - Uniform Matchups, Picks, and Prop Plays

Championship Sunday. A day where dreams come true and nightmares become reality. From both a football and aesthetic perspective, this is an excellent final four. Best of the week was a true toss-up. And three out of four possible Super Bowl uniform matchups would be well dressed affairs.*

That's enough preamble. An MVP, a Heisman Winner, an All-Pro, and Mr. Irrelevant walk into a bar . . .

*The only bad Super Bowl uniform matchup remaining would be a Chiefs-49ers clash fest. And it's hard to blame either team because the individual uniforms for Kansas City and San Francisco are elite.

A quick note on (playoff) methodology.

I’m still analyzing every NFL uniform matchup and picking a winner against the spread based on who dresses best. And just because a team’s wardrobe is ranked higher in the Power Rankings doesn't mean that it will automatically win the uniform matchup. It's what you wear in the instant matchup that counts.

We're not about to shame teams that made the playoffs. So we're only crowning the best matchup of the weekend from here on out. And still betting the over.

Don’t forget the Triple Mismatch Club. I’m making three units plays whenever the best dressed team in the matchup is a member of the Club (different colored helmet, jersey, and pants). And nine units plays if both members of the week’s best matchup are members.

Divisional Round Recap.

1-3 last weekend. 3-7 in the playoffs. Only three games left in the 2022 season. Time to turn things around and end this year on a high note.

NFC Championship Uniform Matchup (and Best NFL Uniform Matchup of Championship Sunday).

Saving the best for first on Championship Sunday. While the Eagles are the worst dressed team remaining, the overall matchup is the sharpest of the day. The white, gold, and red of the 49ers pairs perfectly with the midnight green of the Eagles. San Francisco is the best dressed team remaining and was the Bets Dressed preseason pick to come out of the NFC. Can't wait to see this one in the afternoon sun of the City of Brotherly Love.

I can't remember the last time I was this excited for an offense-defense matchup. Jalen Hurts and the best offensive line in recent memory against Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and the baddest defensive front in football. Sign me up. For our purposes, it's all about the points. The Eagles and 49ers were second and sixth respectively in points scored this season. And as good as both defenses are, I think we're in for a back and forth affair. It may start slow with both offenses feeling the opposing defenses out, but good luck keeping Hurts, Sanders, Brown, Smith, Goedert, Purdy, McCaffrey, Samuel, Aiyuk, and Kittle from reaching pay dirt. Just get me to opening kick and let the fireworks commence.

The Pick: Over 45.5 (-110)

AFC Championship Uniform Matchup.

Bengals at Chiefs. An AFC Championship redux. Both Cincinnati and Kansas City are wearing fantastic uniforms, but the slight orange/red clash was enough to land this matchup slightly behind Niners-Eagles. This uniform matchup is a virtual tie in my book. But I'm giving the slightest of nods to the Bengals. Cincinnati rocks my favorite icy whites in the league because of that pop of helmet orange. And as sharp as the Chiefs look in their timeless red classics, I'm not as high on them as others.*

It's not too often the Top 2 quarterbacks in the league square off in a conference championship game (or a Super Bowl for that matter). Burrow-Mahomes** sure feels like the new Brady-Manning. Especially with how one-sided this rivalry has been to start. The Bengals with Burrow at the helm are 3-0 against Mahomes and his Chiefs. The most newsworthy aspect of this one is how Mahomes will perform coming off a high ankle sprain suffered only a week ago. His mobility may be limited, but he's every bit as dangerous of a thrower - bad ankle or not. If the greatnesses of Burrow and Mahomes cancel each other out, it'll come down to supporting cast. Enter Ja'Marr Chase, the Chief Killer himself. In three career games against the Chiefs, Ja'Marr has 24 catches, 417 yards, and 4 touchdowns. If he and Burrow do their thing, look for the Bengals to repeat as AFC Champs.

*As I've said before, there's something about a same-color helmet and jersey combo that leaves much to be desired on the contrast front.

**How about this for a stat: Burrow and Mahomes are numbers 1 and 2 respectively in playoff win percentage among active quarterbacks with at least three postseason starts.

The Pick: Bengals +2 (-110)

Club SDR - Championship Sunday Prop Plays.

From 2-0 on Wild Card Weekend to 0-3 in the Divisional Round. Running it back was a bad choice, so let's get some fresh blood in there for Championship Sunday.

Jerick McKinnon - Anytime TD (+140)

This is the first time McKinnon has appeared in Club SDR. And shame on me for that because he's been a revelation for the Chiefs in the backfield this season - especially in the passing game. McKinnon led all running backs with 9 receiving touchdowns this season and ended the regular season on a six game touchdown streak. He didn't find the endzone against the Jaguars last week, but I think that changes against the Bengals.

Joe Burrow - Over 17.5 Rushing Yards (-120)

We know what Burrow can do with his arm, but it's what he does with his legs that sets him apart. I'm talking about his pocket movement of course. But he can also run for a critical first down when he needs to. In three career games against the Chiefs, Burrow has averaged 27 rushing yards per game. And he's cleared the number in the last two (including last year's AFC Championship Game in Arrowhead). With Burrow's past performance and the Chiefs giving up 25 rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks (fifth most in the NFL), I would smash this play every day - and twice this Sunday.

DeVonta Smith - Over 5.5 Receptions (+120)

Smith has quietly established himself as one of the better receivers in the league. Since Week 10, he's averaging six catches per game and has cleared the number 60% of the time (never catching fewer than four passes). In other words, the dude is consistent. As good as the San Francisco defense is, they're Bottom 10 in receptions allowed to opposing receivers. The Slim Reaper is one win away from having an opportunity to be the only WR other than Desmond Howard to win the Heisman Trophy and be named Super Bowl MVP.* Win or lose, I think he gets his in this one.

*Players with a Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP: Roger Staubach, Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen, and Desmond Howard. Quite an exclusive club.

The Gridiron Uniform Database.

The uniform graphics you see here are courtesy of The Gridiron Uniform Database. If you’ve never paid their site a visit, stop what you’re doing right now and check it out. It is my favorite site on the Internet and an invaluable resource to uniform nerds and casual fans alike. This is especially the case during the season. I check the site multiple times a day to keep tabs on who’s wearing what.

Drop me a line.

You can always find me on Twitter at NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) or via email at [email protected]. Come talk uniforms and all things football, and let me know what you think of the newsletter.

Coming Attractions.

With the Super Bowl two weeks away, we need to fill the gap next weekend. So what better time to have our Bets Dressed uniform year in review. An awards special unlike any other. Best Uniform Matchup of the Year, Worst Uniform Matchup of the Year, and plenty more. Look out for this one next Sunday.

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And always remember: Look Good. Feel Good. Pay Good.