NFC title game
Packers (13-4) at Seahawks (13-4), 3:05 p.m. FOX
Seattle beat Green Bay 36-16 in Seattle during the first game of the NFL season. It was a slow blowout. The score was still 17-10 Seattle at the half and 22-10 going into the fourth quarter. I think the Packers will certainly play better this time around but Seattle is just playing too well right now. Aaron Rodgers is hobbled, though he should be better than last week against Dallas when he had to rely on his line to keep him safe for several seconds. He finally started moving more in the second half and it helped Green Bay's offense, but in Seattle, the Packers will be seeing a defense that is much better than Dallas.' In the first meeting, Rodgers did not throw to the side of the field where Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman roamed. Rodgers will have to go his way some. It is hard enough playing against Seattle's defense and even harder if you are a hobbled QB only using half the field. Ironically, Dallas is the only team to win at Seattle this season and it probably would have been better prepared to win at Seattle again but the Packers can take a page out of the Cowboys' playbook in trying to snag the victory. Lots of Eddie Lacy. I think the Packers running back is good enough to control the game if Green Bay lets him. Green Bay's defense, which I think is underrated, will need to do a good job on containing Russell Wilson, too. In the end, the Seahawks defense has been just too good recently, and an injured Rodgers will just be too limited to overcome it. The Packers defense will do its best, but not hold down the Seahawks enough.
Seahawks 28, Packers 20
AFC title game
Colts (13-5) at Patriots (13-4), 6:40 p.m. CBS
This game is also a rematch and the first contest was probably even uglier than the first Packers-Seahawks meeting. In that game, the Patriots won, 42-20, and running back Jonas Gray came out of nowhere to rush for 201 yards and four touchdowns. Last week, New England rushed for just 14 yards against Baltimore's stingy run defense. The Patriots instead took advantage of Baltimore's porous secondary as Tom Brady passed for 367 yards and three touchdowns. Julian Edelman also threw for a touchdown on a trick play. This week, New England will probably try to go back to the run more. Gray hasn't seen a lot of carries since that victory against the Colts, but New England has a lot of options in the backfield if it doesn't have explosiveness. Besides Gray, there's Brandon Bolden, Shane Vereen, and LeGarrette Blount. Indianapolis will have to stop the run better this time around to have any chance. The Colts also need to find a run game to help out QB Andrew Luck but that seems unlikely to happen. Tailback Trent Richardson won't even make the trip for the Colts because of personal reasons. Daniel "Boom" Herron has done a nice job in recent weeks in the backfield but I doubt it will be enough. Luck will give a valiant effort but I think the Colts come up short and Brady and the Pats win to earn a trip to face the defending champion Seahawks in Phoenix.
Patriots 38, Colts 28
Packers (13-4) at Seahawks (13-4), 3:05 p.m. FOX
Seattle beat Green Bay 36-16 in Seattle during the first game of the NFL season. It was a slow blowout. The score was still 17-10 Seattle at the half and 22-10 going into the fourth quarter. I think the Packers will certainly play better this time around but Seattle is just playing too well right now. Aaron Rodgers is hobbled, though he should be better than last week against Dallas when he had to rely on his line to keep him safe for several seconds. He finally started moving more in the second half and it helped Green Bay's offense, but in Seattle, the Packers will be seeing a defense that is much better than Dallas.' In the first meeting, Rodgers did not throw to the side of the field where Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman roamed. Rodgers will have to go his way some. It is hard enough playing against Seattle's defense and even harder if you are a hobbled QB only using half the field. Ironically, Dallas is the only team to win at Seattle this season and it probably would have been better prepared to win at Seattle again but the Packers can take a page out of the Cowboys' playbook in trying to snag the victory. Lots of Eddie Lacy. I think the Packers running back is good enough to control the game if Green Bay lets him. Green Bay's defense, which I think is underrated, will need to do a good job on containing Russell Wilson, too. In the end, the Seahawks defense has been just too good recently, and an injured Rodgers will just be too limited to overcome it. The Packers defense will do its best, but not hold down the Seahawks enough.
Seahawks 28, Packers 20
AFC title game
Colts (13-5) at Patriots (13-4), 6:40 p.m. CBS
This game is also a rematch and the first contest was probably even uglier than the first Packers-Seahawks meeting. In that game, the Patriots won, 42-20, and running back Jonas Gray came out of nowhere to rush for 201 yards and four touchdowns. Last week, New England rushed for just 14 yards against Baltimore's stingy run defense. The Patriots instead took advantage of Baltimore's porous secondary as Tom Brady passed for 367 yards and three touchdowns. Julian Edelman also threw for a touchdown on a trick play. This week, New England will probably try to go back to the run more. Gray hasn't seen a lot of carries since that victory against the Colts, but New England has a lot of options in the backfield if it doesn't have explosiveness. Besides Gray, there's Brandon Bolden, Shane Vereen, and LeGarrette Blount. Indianapolis will have to stop the run better this time around to have any chance. The Colts also need to find a run game to help out QB Andrew Luck but that seems unlikely to happen. Tailback Trent Richardson won't even make the trip for the Colts because of personal reasons. Daniel "Boom" Herron has done a nice job in recent weeks in the backfield but I doubt it will be enough. Luck will give a valiant effort but I think the Colts come up short and Brady and the Pats win to earn a trip to face the defending champion Seahawks in Phoenix.
Patriots 38, Colts 28
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