NFL Weekly Recap Conference Championships
Conference Championship matchups
Sunday, Jan. 19
Denver Broncos 26 vs. New England Patriots 16 (3:00 p.m. on CBS) (AFC)
Both teams met in Foxboro for a frigid Sunday night encounter back in week 12, Denver jumped out to a commanding 24-0 lead. Behind Brady’s 344-yards passing and three touchdown strikes, the Patriots mounted a comeback and took the Broncos to overtime. Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 31-yard field goal and New England won the game, 34-31. This time around, Denver is looking for revenge and they have New England at Mile High for the big game.
Peyton Manning completed 32 of 43 passes for 400-yards and a pair of touchdown passes, including one to Demaryius Thomas, who made seven catches for 134-yards. Tom Brady completed 24 of 38 passes for 277-yards and a touchdown pass to Julian Edelman, who caught ten passes for 89-yards. Denver gained 507-yards of total offense and it was the most total yardage ever allowed by a Bill Belichick coached team.
Seattle Seahawks 23 vs. San Francisco 49ers 17 (6:30 p.m. on FOX) (NFC)
It is no surprise that the NFC Championship Game will feature possibly two of the best teams in the conference and they will face each other for a third time. The first time the Seahawks and 49ers met was back in week two. Seattle took over the show as their defense held San Francisco to 207-yards of total offense while committing five turnovers. Marshawn Lynch led the way on offense by gaining 135-yards while scoring three touchdowns in the 29-3 win. In the re-match, both teams traded punches. Seattle went on top when Stephen Hauschka kicked a field goal, but Phil Dawson retaliated with one of his own with 26 seconds remaining. The 49ers ended up winning the game, 19-17. The Seahawks ended up winning the division by one game, but San Francisco still heads into this meeting as the defending NFC Champions.
Seattle thwarted a late San Francisco drive when Colin Kaepernick’s pass was tipped by cornerback Richard Sherman and intercepted by linebacker Malcolm Smith with 22 seconds remaining. Colin Kaepernick completed 14 of 24 passes for 153-yards and a touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin; Kaepernick also rushed for 130-yards on 11 carries. Russell Wilson completed 16 of 25 passes for 215-yards and a touchdown pass to Jermaine Kearse. Wilson’s leading receiver was Doug Baldwin, who caught six passes for 106-yards and Marshawn Lynch gained 109-yards on 22 carries while scoring a touchdown from 40-yards out.
Super Bowl XLVIII matchup
Sunday, Feb. 2
MetLife Stadium-East Rutherford, NJ
Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos (6:25 p.m. on FOX)
