It's the most wonderful time of the year, at least for football fans, that is, as Championship Sunday takes place this weekend and fans across the country are already eagerly awaiting these exciting matchups. The NFL Playoffs have already had some memorable games, including the Arizona Cardinals overtime win over the Green Bay Packers last Saturday. The four teams left are the best four from this regular season, as Championship Sunday features two one-seeds against two two-seeds. This Sunday is when football fans and non-football fans join together to watch who will go to the Super Bowl, and whether you have been paying attention or need and update, HNGN is getting you prepared for Championship Sunday with everything you need to know.
New England Patriots Vs. Denver Broncos, On CBS at 3:05 p.m. Eastern Time
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will meet for the 17th time in their Hall of Fame careers this Sunday in Denver, and with the Super Bowl at stake, football fans couldn't ask for a better ending. The Brady and Manning comparison will be a hot topic around televisions around the country, and with four Supers Bowls for Brady and five NFL MVPs for Manning, both sides can make an argument for greatest quarterback of this era. Brady leads Manning in the competition, though, as he has a record of 11-5 against the Broncos quarterback. While Brady has the upper hand in their head-to-head matchups, the two are tied in the playoffs, with Manning winning the past two playoff games. Brady and Manning are clearly the hot topic everyone will be talking about this Championship Sunday, but there are also some key statistics and players that could be a deciding factor in the matchup. The Broncos defense finished the regular season ranked first in the NFL in terms of yards allowed per game and fourth in terms of points (18.5 PPG). The Broncos defense is arguably the best in the NFL this season, but they face one of the most potent offenses that finished sixth in the league in terms of yards and third in scoring (29.1 PPG).
Two key players to watch from New England's offense is wide receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski. Both are matchup nightmares for opposing defenses, and containing the two of them is a difficult task for even the best defense. The Broncos know the key to beating Brady is creating pressure, and when these two teams met in November, the Broncos recorded three sacks against the Hall of Fame quarterback. The Broncos won that game, but it was clearly two different teams, as quarterback Brock Osweiler was under center for Denver, and New England didn't have their star wide receiver in Edelman. Of course the players are key to know for this matchup, but the coaching matchup may be just as important in this Championship game. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is arguably the greatest football coach of all-time in the NFL and has a playoff record of 23-9. On the other side of the field, a much less experienced head coach in Gary Kubiak will look to outsmart the future Hall of Famer and improve on his 3-2 playoff record. Sunday's AFC Championship game may be the last time fans see Brady against Manning, and it's reminiscent of Muhammad Ali against Joe Frazier, as these two will go down as one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.
Arizona Cardinals Vs. Carolina Panthers on FOX at 6:40 p.m. Eastern Time
Both the Panthers and Cardinals have never won a Super Bowl in the history of their franchises, and both are looking to get back to the Super Bowl with a win in Carolina on Sunday. The NFC Championship matchup features two teams that can dominate both on offense and on defense, as both finished in the top 10 on both sides of the ball. The Panthers finished the regular season with the best record in the NFL at 15-1, produced the highest scoring offense in the league (31.2 PPG) and finished sixth in terms of points allowed (19.2 PPG). The Cardinals finished with the second high scoring offense (30.6 PPG) and seventh in defense (19.6 PPG).
A huge storyline leading up to the anticipated playoff matchup is the battle of the two former Heisman Trophy winners, as both Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer won the coveted trophy in college. Both quarterbacks are considered leading candidates for the NFL's regular season MVP award, but both are just concerned with reaching the Super Bowl for this first time in their careers. The Cardinals made the Super Bowl during the 2008 regular season but fell short against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carolina made the Super Bowl during the 2003 regular season but also came up short against the Patriots. The NFC Championship game features two coaches in Cardinals' Bruce Arians and Panthers' Ron Rivera, who are highly regarded around the league, but have both yet to reach the Super Bowl as a head coach. Championship Sunday features two games that represent each conference, but in many ways more than that, as the AFC Championship game reflects the past decade of the NFL, while the NFC Championship game shows viewers were the NFL is heading.
