NFL Conference Championship Sunday has been long regarded as the most exciting weekend in sports and that should continue with these two fantastic matchups with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line in both
games. As the road to the Super Bowl comes near its end, let’s take a look at the matchups ahead.
The NFL’s final four take the stage to determine who moves on to Super Bowl LX. The AFC title matchup features the two of the NFL’s best defenses, while the NFC title matchup features two of the NFL’s most exciting offenses and dominant defenses. These games should be quite entertaining!
Last week, I went 3-1
I told you so: Rams over Bears!
What do I know: 49ers over Seahawks?
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
#2 New England Patriots at #1 Denver Broncos
Sunday, January 25th – 2:00pm CST – CBS
From 2012-2019, the New England Patriots played in eight-consecutive AFC Championship Games, an unprecedented run that many believed couldn’t be duplicated, until the Kansas City Chiefs reached seven-consecutive AFC Championship Games, from 2019-2025. Kansas City saw their run come to an abrupt end a year short of New England’s mark, just in time for the Patriots to make their way back to their familiar spot atop the AFC mountain top.
Bo Nix’s successful second season came to a sudden crashing end in overtime in the Divisional round against Buffalo, and in the young quarterback’s place comes journeyman veteran quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, who has only started four-career hames in his seven-year career, with a 1-3 record in stints with Las Vegas and Denver, lat making a start in the 2023 regular season. Now, in the biggest game of his life, Stidham faces the team that drafted him back in 2019, to potentially follow Tom Brady, no pressure.
Denver gets a lot of credit for their defense, but New England’s defense has been the most dominant in the AFC field this year, and the Pats defense will have Jarred Stidham wishing he was holding a clipboard and gathering some Juicy Fruit gum for Sean Payton. Potential NFL MVP Drake Maye will lead his team to victory by avoiding mistakes in what is clearly the biggest game of his life as well. The Chiefs may be gone for now, but the Patriots are going back in the Super Bowl again. At least Tom Brady won’t be there.
Pick: Patriots
Final Score: 24-16
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#5 Los Angeles Rams at #1 Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, January 25th – 5:30pm CST – FOX
This is not just another NFC Championship game. This is not just a showdown of division rivals, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. This is a rematch of the Game of the Year this past regular season. A game that put this title match in Seattle instead of Los Angeles. The last time these bitter NFC West rivals faced each other, the Rams opened a huge lead, but the Seahawks proved a lot to the league as well as themselves by coming all the way back and ultimately defeating the Rams, albeit controversially, in overtime.
Sam Darnold has done a lot to prove his doubters wrong down the stretch to end the season, as well as his team’s performance in the Divisional round. To no one’s surprise, Matthew Stafford has risen to the occasion for the Rams in these playoffs, and the potential NFL MVP will need to be at his absolute best against the NFC’s top-rated defense. Seattle’s dominant defense reminded people who they are last week against San Francisco, but the Rams are a much different beast than the Niners.
Seattle has proven themselves to be the NFC’s best, but the Rams are the very last team they wanted to face. They beat the last time around, sure, but the Rams match up better with the Seahawks than any team in the league, and this will be another exciting, nail-biting showdown that may ultimately eclipse every game in these playoffs, including the Super Bowl itself. It takes overtime once again, but this time the Rams hit a 50-yard field goal to send Los Angeles to the Super Bowl.
Pick: Rams
Final Score: 29-26
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Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen, your potential conference champions. Even without the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, we definitely have some coaches, players and story lines to root for and against this weekend. Leave us your picks, insight, and comments below!
