Casual Spectator previews this weekend’s NFC and AFC Championship games: what you need to know.
_____
This college football preview is brought to you by Casual Spectator a super-simple sports newsletter for busy people.
_____
NFL Conference Championships
NFC
Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, 3:05 p.m. ET on FOX
The narrative
A one-versus-two matchup to decide the NFC. Top-ranked Seattle got here by predictably disposing of the Carolina Panthers 31-17 last weekend. Green Bay, the No. 2 seed, won a hard-fought battle 26-21 over the Dallas Cowboys.
What Vegas thinks
That the Seattle Seahawks win by a touchdown to make the Super Bowl.
What we say
Aaron Rodgers is clearly not healthy and that has to scare Green Bay fans. The Packers’ MVP-candidate quarterback was nothing short of heroic in the second half of last week’s comeback win, but he was clearly hobbled because of a calf injury. The Seahawks defense is much better than the one he faced last week, and Rodgers could be in trouble if they can force him to move around.
Seattle, meanwhile, is firing on all cylinders and has now won seven straight.
QB Russell Wilson is playing some of the best football of his career and is coming off a game in which he threw for 268 yards, three TDs and no interceptions.
AFC
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots
Sunday, 6:40 p.m. ET on CBS
The narrative
The best team in the AFC, the New England Patriots, host the surprise of this year’s playoffs, the fourth-seeded Indianapolis Colts. New England needed two 14-point comebacks to beat Baltimore last weekend, while the Colts took advantage of an injured Peyton Manning to win in Denver.
What Vegas thinks
They have the line at New England by 7 points.
What we say
Is this Colts team for real? Sure, they’ve won two playoff games, but they’ve beaten two teams that had major injury issues. The Cincinnati Bengals had no passing game without star WR AJ Green, while it has been revealed that Peyton Manning tried to play through a torn quad muscle last weekend.
The New England Patriots don’t have such problems. They’re healthy, especially at quarterback and tight end, where the Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski connection is as good as it’s ever been. They hooked up for 108 yards and a score last weekend.
___
For more from Casual Spectator, visit us or find us on Twitter or Facebook.
Cover Photo Credit: AP Photo/John Froschauer
___
Join our Good Men Project Sports Facebook Page!
And, if you like that, you might want a daily dose of Good Men Project awesomeness delivered straight to your inbox. Once a day or once a week for Good Men Project, or sign up for our once a week GMP Best of Sports email newsletter, your choice. Join the mailing list here.