NFL Playoff Schedule 2016: Predictions, Coverage Guide for Championship Bracket

Just four teams remain with a chance at Super Bowl 50. One matchup is potentially the final clash between football royalty, the other is between franchises with plenty of recent success but no gaudy championship rings to show for it.

In the AFC, you have the well-worn narrative of Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady, two of the best to ever play the quarterback position, but only the latter is in any kind of special form. Manning is 39 years old and fading fast, while Brady is 38 but with fewer signs of slowing down. It will be up to the Broncos defense to stifle the Patriots attack enough so that Manning and Co. might win the game.

The NFC Championship Game consists of two Super Bowl-starved teams in the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. The latter does have two NFL championships, but those came way back in 1925 and 1947. It's a game that should feature plenty of offensive fireworks. Carolina boasts presumptive MVP Cam Newton, while Carson Palmer leads a talented group that finished the regular season with the league's No. 1 offense. 

Here's the schedule and coverage info for the conference championships, followed by quick-hit predictions for each contest.

Sunday, January 24
Time (ET)	Conference	Away	Home	TV	Live Stream
3:05 p.m.	AFC	New England Patriots (13-4)	Denver Broncos (13-4)	CBS	CBSSports.com
6:40 p.m.	NFC	Arizona Cardinals (14-3)	Carolina Panthers (16-1)	Fox	FoxSportsGo

Predictions for Conference Championships

New England Patriots (13-4) vs. Denver Broncos (13-4)

Despite playing at home, the Broncos are a three-point underdog to New England, per Odds Shark.

However, Mile High Report's Kyle Montgomery provided this hopeful tidbit for Broncos fans: 

"

It's often reported that Tom Brady has dominated the rivalry, with a heads-up edge of 11-5. This is true. There's no denying it.

Less cited is this nugget: the home QB is also 11-5.

In the playoffs, when Manning and Brady have faced off, the home quarterback is 4-0.

"

That certainly bodes well for the Broncos, but this isn't shaping up to be another titanic quarterback duel. Sure, that's the big narrative, but Manning just hasn't been himself all year long, even ceding several games to a mediocre Brock Osweiler while he rehabbed his various nagging injuries.

Manning managed to keep from turning the ball over in Denver's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round, but he didn't throw a touchdown and had only 222 yards against a middling Steelers secondary. He has just nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions on the year. There's no guarantee he'll be able to put in another clean performance, to say nothing of picking apart New England's secondary.

The Broncos' rushing tandem of C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman will likely do the heavy lifting on offense. Anderson had 113 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime in Denver's 30-24 win over New England on November 29. Hillman added 59 yards and another score. 

There is a chance the Broncos run game proves to be even more effective this time around, as several players from New England's front seven are struggling with injuries. Jerod Mayo, key to the team's depth at linebacker, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury against the Kansas City Chiefs, per ESPN.com's Field Yates.

Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal noted two other linebackers are dealing with injuries:

Jamie Collins was absent from New England's loss to Denver earlier this year. If he's out or limited, the team could struggle to control the clock. Fortunately, the Patriots have the offensive firepower to score in short order.

The triumphant return of wide receiver Julian Edelman to the lineup was perhaps the biggest factor in New England's win over Kansas City in the divisional round. Edelman picked up 10 receptions for 100 yards and appeared to free up space for tight end Rob Gronkowski, who had two touchdown receptions.

The Broncos' best cover guys are cornerbacks Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib, neither of whom can expect to be matched up with Gronk. They may not stick on Edelman much either, as coach Bill Belichick can move him all over the field, including the slot and perhaps even the backfield in some formations. 

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

With the Patriots lacking any semblance of an effective running game, the Broncos pass rush becomes the key to the contest. New England's offensive line held Kansas City and its myriad pass-rushers without a sack in the divisional round, and the Broncos managed just three sacks of Brady in November.

Linebacker Von Miller and Co. will have to really harass Brady for Denver to have a chance in this one, but the Patriots line should hold up well for another week. Kansas City's defense isn't too far off from Denver's elite unit, and the Pats still managed to perform well.

Barring a vintage Manning performance, New England's passing game should be enough to outpoint Denver's underwhelming attack. 

Prediction: New England 23, Denver 19

Arizona Cardinals (14-3) vs. Carolina Panthers (16-1)

Uncredited/Associated Press

The Cardinals and Panthers were certainly the two best teams in the NFC this year. You might put Arizona ahead of any team in the AFC as well, while the Panthers are of course the top team in the NFL, as their record speaks for itself.

Even if you're not tired of Brady vs. Manning, this is the game to watch. Carolina beat Arizona 27-16 in last year's Wild Card Round, but both teams have since transformed, and the contest should be much more competitive this time around.

Carolina raced to a 31-0 halftime lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round, only to sleepwalk in the second half and hold on for a 31-24 win. Little was asked of Newton in the passing game, but he's certain to be called upon more against Arizona, especially if the Cardinals can achieve their goal of stopping the run.

“If we don’t take care of their running game, it’s going to be a very big problem,” safety Rashad Johnson said, per the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell.“They are so physical and we’ve got to be physical, too.”

Arizona hasn't fared too well in that department as of late. The Green Bay Packers' Eddie Lacy managed 89 yards on 12 carries in the divisional round, and Seattle's Christine Michael racked up 102 yards in his side's Week 17 beatdown of the Cardinals.

Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart was excellent against the Seahawks in his return from injury, rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Newton is a powerful runner in his own right, and Mike Tolbert can mash for a few tough yards as well. 

Arizona might be able to give Newton fits when he drops back to pass—seriously, Greg Olsen might be Newton's only target capable of getting open consistently against this tough secondary—but the run game should be in fine working order. 

Carson Palmer will then have to be much sharper than he was against Green Bay in order for his team to win. While he threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns in that game, he did toss two interceptions and made several other near-disastrous throws. 

It's a good thing, then, that Arizona's talented trio of wide receivers in Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown can give the Panthers defense fits. Floyd had two touchdowns against Green Bay and has been mostly excellent in the latter half of the season.

Panthers corner Josh Norman should have his hands full with Floyd on the flank, leaving Fitzgerald to run amok in the slot, much like he did against Green Bay (176 yards and the game-winning touchdown). Brown is just a nuisance and had 82 yards on five receptions against the Packers.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Rookie running back David Johnson is also an effective pass-catcher and will occupy the attention of linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. However, for his team to win this game, he'll likely need to be more effective on the ground. Johnson has just 60 rushing yards on 26 carries in his past two games, though coach Bruce Arians pinned the failures on the offensive line.

“Getting their (butts) kicked up front,” Arians said, per Bonnell. “It’s not anything David is doing. There’s just not a lot of holes there and we have to do a better job. It’s a tough challenge this week.”

Carolina boasts the league's fourth-ranked rushing defense and held Marshawn Lynch to 20 yards on six carries. Seattle, of course, had to abandon the run game early, something Arizona presumably won't be doing Sunday.

Johnson was one of the more electrifying backs over the regular season's home stretch. Expect him to regain some of that form while Fitzgerald and Palmer inspire their team to a slim victory.

Prediction: Arizona 27, Carolina 26