NFL Playoffs Preview: Everything You Need to Know for Conference Championships
The NFL's conference championship games are officially here, folks, and they're likely to provide one incredible day of football.
Sunday's early game is the much-heralded matchup between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. Not only will this contest determine which team represents the AFC in Super Bowl 50, but it will decide which quarterback goes out on top in the 17th—and likely final—duel between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
The second matchup features the two powerhouses of the NFC: the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers. This game features a pair of pretty good quarterbacks, as well, in Carson Palmer and Cam Newton.
With four talented teams competing to represent their respective conferences in this year's Big Game, there's a promise of physical, furious and fun football. Here's everything you need to know about the conference title tilts.
The Teams
1 of 8
Denver Broncos (AFC's No. 1 seed)
The Denver Broncos have been the AFC's most consistent team throughout the season.
Their defense is ranked first in yards allowed (283.1 per game) and is rated first overall by Pro Football Focus. They produced 52 sacks and 14 interceptions in the regular season. The offense in Denver has been average (ranked 16th with 355.5 yards per game) but good enough to deliver wins in all but four games.
The biggest question mark resides at quarterback, where Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler have each taken turns. Both have had their ups and downs, though it was Manning who entered the postseason as the starter.
Manning was good enough, though certainly not spectacular, in the divisional round against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished the game 21-of-37 for 222 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. A similar performance Sunday might result in another postseason win, but only if the Broncos defense lives up to its billing as a top-tier unit.
New England Patriots (AFC's No. 2 seed)
Denver's opponent is a familiar one. The New England Patriots were the other dominant team in the conference, although the homestanding Broncos beat them during the regular season.
Oh yeah, and the Patriots are the defending Super Bowl champions.
New England has a bit more balance than Denver, thanks primarily to the presence of quarterback Tom Brady. Despite having a nearly nonexistent rushing attack (ranked 30th with just 87.8 yards per game), the Patriots have the league's third-best scoring offense (29.1 points per game).
The New England defense is also solid, though not quite as imposing as the Broncos'. The Patriots are ranked ninth in yards allowed (339.4 per game) and second overall by Pro Football Focus.
This will be a difficult team to stop because Brady's two favorite targets, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, are relatively healthy. They helped make the passing game look downright lethal last weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady finished 28-of-42 for 302 yards and two touchdowns with no picks.
Carolina Panthers (NFC's No. 1 seed)
No team in the NFL dominated quite like the Carolina Panthers did this season. They lost only a single game in the regular season and earned most of their victories in convincing fashion.
The Panthers are dangerous on both sides of the football. They average a league-best 31.3 points per game while allowing the sixth-fewest points per game (just 19.3). Pro Football Focus rated Carolina first overall offensively and sixth overall defensively.
Quarterback Cam Newton finished the regular season as the MVP favorite. Though the team lost top receiver Kelvin Benjamin before the season even began, Newton has kept the offense humming without him.
The Panthers defense, which produced four Pro Bowlers, racked up 44 sacks and a league-best 24 interceptions in the regular season.
This is a team that leaped to a 31-0 halftime lead over the two-time defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks before coasting to a seven-point victory in the divisional round. If Carolina plays an entire four quarters at full throttle, it's going to be difficult to beat.
Arizona Cardinals (NFC's No. 2 seed)
The Arizona Cardinals might not have ruled the conference the way the Panthers did during the regular season, but there should be little question that the team is a formidable one.
Arizona is second behind Carolina in points scored (30.6 per game) and is second to none in terms of offensive yards (408.3 per game). The defense in the desert is no slouch, either. The Cardinals rank tied for seventh in points allowed (19.6 per game).
Pro Football Focus rated Arizona second overall offensively and 14th overall defensively.
The Cardinals needed overtime to best the Green Bay Packers last weekend, but they did enough to get past a tough opponent and into the conference championship game. Future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald did much of the damage in that game (176 receiving yards and the game-winning touchdown). Expect him to be a major factor Sunday night.
If the defense can stay on point and quarterback Carson Palmer can limit his mistakes (he tossed two interceptions against Green Bay), then the Panthers will have their hands full with Arizona.
The Games
2 of 8
What: New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
When: 3:05 p.m. ET
Where: CBS
The major storyline in this game is the matchup of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. It rightfully should be, as their rivalry over the years has been a special one.
These guys have already played the equivalent of a full season against each other and will have their 17th and most likely final battle Sunday.
Of course, this game isn't just about the quarterbacks. There will be two talented defenses on the field, plenty of individual playmakers and a berth in the Super Bowl on the line.
Manning, for one, is staying focused on the task at hand, per Jarrett Bell of USA Today:
"I guess I've learned that when you're getting ready to play the Patriots in the championship game, it's hard to get too reflective on the entire season. It has been a unique season, there's no question about it. But the one thing I have tried to do is sort of stay in the moment and kind of keep it one week at a time.
That has, I think, served our whole team well. It served me well during some of these injuries. That's the best approach for this week, playing this game.
"
This game could be one of the most memorable in recent NFL history.
What: Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
When: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where: Fox
The Cardinals-Panthers tilt almost feels like an undercard because of the hype surrounding Brady-Manning XVII. This game isn't any less important, however, and it definitely won't be any less intense.
Cam Newton and Co. are rightfully favored, thanks not only to Carolina's performance throughout the season but also its home-field advantage. Arizona, on the other hand, has the goods to come out on top once the proverbial dust has settled.
The trick for the Cardinals will be to slow the league's top scoring unit. Considering Arizona possesses a pass-coverage unit that is rated third overall by Pro Football Focus, the challenge may come down to stopping the Panthers run game.
"They're a physical team, and they're going to try to impose their will running it," Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson said, per Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated. "We've got to make sure that we stop the run and tackle well."
If Arizona can contain Carolina on the ground, it will have a chance at a road upset. If, however, the Panthers establish the run early, open up the passing game and play opportunistic defense, this one could get ugly early, just like last week's game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Biggest Questions
3 of 8
Does Manning Have Enough Left for One Last Run?
This is probably a question Broncos fans have been asking ever since head coach Gary Kubiak named Peyton Manning the starter for the postseason. The 39-year-old signal-caller's age was apparent during the regular season, as were his lack of arm strength and questionable decision-making.
Manning was decent in Denver's preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he wasn't anything spectacular. He did seem to have a bit more zip on his passes than he did in the regular season, and he completed more than 56 percent of them.
He rarely seemed capable, however, of taking advantage of Pittsburgh's 30th-ranked pass defense by throwing the ball downfield. It's true that drops hurt the Broncos (Pro Football Focus charted six drops in the game), but Manning will still have to show improvement in both accuracy and ball velocity to win Sunday.
The Manning we saw a week ago isn't going to win a head-to-head shootout with Tom Brady. Denver is going to have to rely on its vaunted defense and hope Manning finds some of his inner youth along the way. Manning playing just OK probably isn't going to be enough.
Can the Denver Defense Get Pressure on Brady?
The return of a vintage Manning would boost the Broncos, but they're still going to have to find an answer for the signal-caller on the other side of the line. The best way for Denver to slow Brady is to pressure him and force mistakes, but that could prove a most difficult challenge.
There is an opportunity here for the Broncos to exploit New England's subpar offensive line—which was rated second-worst in the league in terms of pass protection by Pro Football Focus. The key is getting to Brady while he is still holding the football. He is notorious for beating blitzes with his quick release, and having a healthy Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman on the field will only make him more dangerous.
On a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth explained that with both Gronkowski and Edelman, Brady's release is an average of 0.3 to 0.4 seconds quicker than when they are not both on the field.
Not only will Denver need to bring its pass rush against Brady, but it'll need to ensure that once it reaches the quarterback, he isn't simply holding air.
Can Palmer Return to His Regular-Season Form?
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer recorded his first career playoff victory last weekend against the Green Bay Packers, but he didn't make it look easy.
In fact, Palmer appeared downright nervous at times, and he too frequently tried to force passes that he had no business throwing. A couple of times, he fit those passes through tight windows for completions, but they also yielded a pair of interceptions.
Both of Palmer's picks came in Packers territory, and one came in the end zone. As much as he helped Arizona get to the postseason (4,671 passing yards, 35 touchdowns), he hurt it in the playoff opener.
Pro Football Focus rated Palmer as the worst quarterback of the divisional round.
The Panthers possess a much more threatening defense than the one Palmer faced last weekend. If he makes similar mistakes, the Cardinals are likely to have a much more difficult time overcoming them.
Arizona will need to play nearly perfect football in order to come away with a road victory Sunday, and Palmer will have to play more like his regular-season self than the guy he was a week ago.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Stats to Know
4 of 8
Times that either Tom Brady or Peyton Manning has represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. No matter who wins Sunday, it will mark the 10th time in 15 Super Bowl that one of the two legendary signal-callers will play in the Big Game.
Previous times Brady and Manning have met in the AFC title game. Sunday's contest will be their fourth battle with an appearance in the Super Bowl on the line.
Fewer interceptions thrown this season by Brady than Manning. This is significant because Brady appeared in six more games than his Denver counterpart. In a contest that could well come down to mistakes, New England has to like its chances.
Combined points scored by the Cardinals and Panthers on a per-game basis. Though defense will likely play a big role in Sunday's tilt, the Arizona-Carolina matchup still has shootout potential.
Combined touchdown passes thrown by Cam Newton and Carson Palmer in the regular season. Sure, the Brady-Manning matchup is getting the attention, but this quarterback duel is going to be exciting as well.
Quarterbacks starting Sunday who were drafted first overall. Brady, selected 199th overall back in 2000, is the lone exception.
Quarterbacks in the NFC Championship Game who won the Heisman Trophy in college. This is the first time two Heisman-winning quarterbacks have faced off in a playoff game in the Super Bowl era.
Who's Favored?
5 of 8
Here are the odds for Sunday's games, via Odds Shark:
| Game Time (ET) | Away Team | Home Team | Favorite |
| 3:05 p.m. ET | New England | Denver | New England -3 |
| 6:40 p.m. ET | Arizona | Carolina | Carolina -3 |
Matchups to Watch
6 of 8
Larry Fitzgerald vs. Josh Norman
How can this not top the list of matchups to watch? On one side, we have a future Hall of Famer in Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. On the other side, we have one of the league's rising stars in Panthers cornerback Josh Norman.
Fitzgerald's resume speaks for itself, but we'll go ahead and mention that he was basically the key to beating the Green Bay Packers last week. He produced 176 yards receiving and the game's walk-off touchdown in overtime.
Stopping him has to be one of Carolina's priorities.
Much of the task is likely to fall on Norman, who is good but perhaps not yet elite. He finished the regular season rated tied for sixth overall among cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus, but he struggled against top-tier receivers down the stretch.
Pro Football Focus rated Norman 170th overall in the final month of the regular season. And, according to PFF, he was targeted four times against the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round and gave up four completions for 35 yards and a touchdown.
Norman is going to have to play better if he hopes to contain Fitz.
Arizona Run Defense vs. Cam Newton
Yes, we know Newton has shed any perception of being a run-first quarterback. He is deadly as a passer, and the Panthers ground game is primarily the responsibility of running back Jonathan Stewart.
Newton's ability to do damage on the ground, however, is what makes him such a dangerous quarterback. He has the quickness to hit the edge and turn upfield and the size (6'5", 245 lbs) to run through traffic up the middle. He is also an accurate thrower while scrambling.
Pro Football Focus rated Newton No. 1 overall among quarterbacks in rushing.
If the Cardinals hope to limit him to a single dimension Sunday, they're going to have to start by stopping him from striking in the run game.
This could wind up being rather difficult, as the Arizona run defense is good but not great. The team allowed an average of 91.3 rushing yards per game (sixth fewest in the NFL) but was rated just 17th in overall run defense by Pro Football Focus.
If the Cardinals cannot prevent Newton from doing damage on the ground, they're going to have virtually no chance of stopping the Carolina offense. Nearly everything the Panthers do offensively stems from Newton and his dual-threat ability.
Tom Brady vs. Broncos Pass Rush
We mentioned before that Denver is going to have an opportunity to pressure Brady because New England's offensive line is a liability. (It has been for much of the season because starting left tackle Nate Solder is on injured reserve.)
This is why it will be up to Brady to beat the Broncos pass rush. Expecting the Patriots' patchwork line to hold against a defense that Pro Football Focus rated second overall in pass rush would be a mistake.
It was Brady, not the offensive line, who bested the pass rush of the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The veteran signal-caller used pre-snap recognition and his fast release to transform a unit that produced 47 regular-season sacks into a non-factor.
According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, Brady averaged just 2.16 seconds from snap to pass against Kansas City.
"When we're out there going fast and Tom is getting the ball out of his hand pretty quick, it's hard for those guys to get into their pass rush," Patriots receiver Brandon LaFell said, per Howe. "If they make their second move off that first move and the ball is gone, a lot of guys get real frustrated about that."
It will be up to Brady to recognize his go-to target and deliver an accurate ball before Denver can get to him. If he fails to do so with any sort of regularity, the Broncos defense could take over.
Injury Report
7 of 8
Here are the most significant injuries for Sunday's games.
Denver Broncos
Denver doesn't appear to have any major injuries. Its injury report lists a total of 12 players as probable. Among them are quarterback Peyton Manning (foot), tight end Owen Daniels (knees), linebacker DeMarcus Ware (knee) and safety T.J. Ward (ankle).
New England Patriots
New England's injury report doesn't list any players as doubtful, but offensive linemen Tre' Jackson (knee) and LaAdrian Waddle (shoulder) are out. Fourteen players, including receiver Julian Edelman (foot) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (knee/back) are questionable.
Offensive lineman Josh Kline (shoulder), quarterback Tom Brady (ankle), receiver Brandon LaFell (foot), safety Patrick Chung (foot) and safety Devin McCourty (ankle) are all probable.
Carolina Panthers
Carolina has officially ruled out defensive end Jared Allen with a foot injury. Defensive tackle Dwan Edwards (foot), defensive end Charles Johnson (non-injury) and running backs Jonathan Stewart (ankle) and Fozzy Whittaker (ankle) are all probable.
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona's injury report lists seven players. All of them, including linebacker Markus Golden (knee),cornerback Justin Bethel (ankle), quarterback Carson Palmer (right finger) and running back David Johnson (toe), are probable.
Bleacher Report's Expert Picks and Predictions
8 of 8
Here are this weekend's picks and predictions from Bleacher Report's panel of NFL experts.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
