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NFL Conference Championships Graphic. Left to Right, Denver WR #14 Courtland Sutton, Patriots QB #10 Drake Maye, Seahawks QB #14 Sam Darnold, Rams QB #9 Matthew Stafford. (Creative Commons)

After last weekend’s sensational matchups, the NFL playoffs refuse to slow down. Championship Sunday has arrived, and only four teams remain in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy: the Patriots, Broncos, Rams, and Seahawks. It’s going to be hard to top what we witnessed last week, but knowing how these playoffs have unfolded so far, buckle your seatbelts, another rollercoaster ride awaits.

Let’s dive right into my preview and predictions for each conference championship matchup.

Conference Championship Round

Patriots at Broncos (NE @ DEN)

AFC Championship – 1:00 PM MST on CBS

This is going to be fun.

The top two seeds in the AFC collide as the New England Patriots head to Denver to take on the Broncos, with New England entering as a 5.5-point road favorite. History suggests an uphill battle for the Patriots, as Denver is 4–0 all-time at home against New England in the postseason.

However, everything changed last weekend.

Broncos’ 2nd year quarterback Bo Nix devastatingly fractured his ankle in the Divisional Round and will miss the remainder of the season. That injury drastically alters the course of this matchup, especially against a Patriots defense that has been downright hostile over the past two weeks.

Former Patriots backup quarterback Jared Stidham will get the start for Denver, and the biggest question looms large: can he rise to the occasion on the biggest stage of his career?

On the offensive side for New England, 2nd year quarterback and potential MVP Drake Maye looks to lead the Patriots to their first AFC title since 2019. He’ll be supported by an impressive group of weapons, including Stefon Diggs, Rhamondre Stevenson, Kayshon Boutte, and Hunter Henry.

Here’s what Maye said on the road ahead during last Sunday’s postgame.

Defensively, one matchup to keep an eye on will be Christian Gonzalez against Courtland Sutton. However, that battle may be neutralized by Stidham’s ability (or lack thereof) to consistently move the ball through the air.

Denver’s defense has been a problem for opposing offenses all season, but the loss of Bo Nix is simply too much to overcome. It’s only a matter of time before Drake Maye puts points on the board, and when that happens, Denver won’t have the offensive answers to respond.

Prediction: Patriots 24, Broncos 13

Conference Championship Round

Rams at Seahawks (LAR @ SEA)

NFC Championship – 4:30 PM MST on FOX

What a way to end the weekend.

The Los Angeles Rams continue their playoff road trip with their third stop being in Seattle, where they’ll face the No. 1-seeded Seahawks. What Seattle displayed last week was pure dominance, something rarely seen this deep into the postseason. They enter this matchup favored by 2.5 points.

These two did match up twice in the regular season splitting the season series 1-1.

For the Rams last Sunday Night, it was a grind. Los Angeles survived a back-and-forth battle with Chicago, pulling out an overtime win to advance to its first NFC Championship Game since 2022.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (likely the league MVP) has not played up to his usual standard so far this postseason, raising a serious question: can he deliver in arguably the toughest environment in football?

Seattle, meanwhile, arguably boasts the most complete team left in the playoffs. Marquee matchups include Rams Receivers, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams lining up against Seattle DB’s Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, along with Seattle’s unanimous all pro first team selected wideout, Jaxon Smith-Njigba facing off against Cobie Durant who posted 2 interceptions last weekend. However, the key to this game may lie with Sam Darnold.

Here’s what Darnold had to say on Wednesday about his current status and how he’s feeling for Sunday.

Can Darnold silence the doubters and win the biggest game of his career?

I believe the answer is yes.

The Seahawks are a different animal right now, and it’s hard to envision the Rams stealing this one in Seattle. Give me the No. 1 seed to punch its ticket to the Super Bowl for the first time in 11 years.

Prediction: Seahawks 31, Rams 17

Final Thoughts

These matchups have me buzzing with excitement, and I hope they’re doing the same for everyone else. When it’s all said and done, these playoffs may go down as the best in recent history, but Sunday plays a massive role in determining that.

Make sure to tune in for all the action, and we’ll be back to break it all down and look ahead to Super Bowl 60.

Only on The Rocky Roar Newspaper.