And then there were four. The 2017 NFL Conference Championship Round is finally upon us, with the Green Bay Packers squaring off with the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots taking on the ever dangerous Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s take a quick look at both of those playoff matchups below, and make a bold prediction as to how each one will play out.
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Expect fireworks to erupt later today when the Atlanta Falcons host the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. All eyes will be on the quarterback battle between Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan who are both playing some fantastic football right now. Behind Ryan, Atlanta scored 71 more points than any other team in the NFL this season. Ryan threw for 4,944 yards with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions this campaign and his 117.1 passer rating was the fifth-best in NFL history.
Not to be outdone is the amazing Aaron Rodgers. During Green Bay’s eight-game winning streak, Rodgers has posted an incredible 117.9 passer rating with 298.0 yards per game, 68.9 percent accuracy, 21 touchdowns and just one pick. For the season, he has thrown for 4,428 yards with 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Packers have been outstanding in this year’s playoffs, averaging 36 points against the Giants and Cowboys, teams that finished in the top five in points allowed this season.
As if Rodgers vs. Ryan wasn’t enough, we have another mouth-watering quarterback matchup coming our way tonight when Big Ben and the Steelers lock horns with Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Brady has fared extremely well against the Steelers in the past, going 9-2 all-time with 26 touchdowns and three interceptions. The 39-year-old had another outstanding year for the Patriots, posting a 112.2 passer rating with 28 touchdowns and two interceptions in 12 regular-season games.
That being said, he’ll have his work cut out for him against a grizzled veteran like Roethlisberger who’s sixth all-time in the NFL with with 13 playoff victories. For the Steelers to grab the upset tonight, they will need to get another excellent performance from LeVeon Bell. He had 30 carries for 170 yards Sunday night in the win at Kansas City. Bell, who’s basically the centerpiece of Todd Haley’s offense, is averaging 168.5 rushing yards this postseason.
Writer’s Prediction
New England (-6) not only wins but also covers the spread against Pittsburgh.
