What Will The NFL’s Conference Championship Round Look Like?

The post-game announcement of his broken ankle flipped a celebration and next-week narrative on its head, similar to what happened on the NFC side.

Any talk of the Seahawks being a weak one-seed was put to bed with thunder. They completely dominated the San Francisco 49ers in a 41-6 blowout victory; they look like a team that can win the Super Bowl.

Today, we will first get the elite defense of the Houston Texans against the red-hot New England Patriots, and the cardiac Chicago Bears hosting, what will be, a very cold Los Angeles Rams squad.

Here, I’ll go over both games so you are fully prepared as the Conference Championship round takes shape.

Houston Texans (12-5, 5 Seed) @ New England Patriots (14-3, 2 Seed)

34 Degrees & Snow at 2:00 PM CST Kick Off — NE Favorites By 3.0 Points — 40.5 O/U.

In the Wild Card round, these two teams gave up a combined nine total points. Today, their over/under is easily the lowest of the weekend, currently sitting at 40.5 points.

Defensively, it makes sense, with Houston barnstorming the league with their vicious unit led by Head Coach DeMeco Ryans, and New England ranking in the top ten in every defensive category.

Offensively, it’s a tale of two very different teams.

C.J. Stroud and the Texans have struggled to find their old identity on offense; the running game is one of the worst in the league, and Stroud’s passing attack isn’t what it used to be.

The Patriots, on the other hand, have the third most offensive yards in the league, the potential MVP in Drake Maye, and a versatile running attack to pair with their young quarterback.

Now, what may offset all of this offensive talk is the weather. It will be snowing, and it will be freezing cold in Foxborough throughout the game.

This game will come down to which offense can push the ball in the end zone more, or perhaps, which defense can score themselves. Either way, whichever team wins this will be a strong favorite against backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in Denver next week.

Los Angeles Rams (12-5, 5 Seed) @ Chicago Bears (11-6, 2 Seed)

18 Degrees & Potential Snow at 5:30 PM CST Kick Off — LAR Favorites By 4.5 Points — 51.5 O/U.

This game, while further west, is somehow going to be even colder and may also include some snow.

The “feels like” will get below five during this one, and wind gusts up to 20 mph will be storming through Soldier Field. Is this the nightmare weather scenario for the Los Angeles Rams and their 37-year-old quarterback? Probably.

Still, Sean McVay’s Rams, led by Matthew Stafford in his potential MVP season, are the favorites to win this game, thanks in large part to the on-paper roster advantages they have over the Bears.

Chicago can’t be slept on, though. They prove time and time again that they can stick in games until the very end, and if you have them down by 10+, that may actually be an advantage on their end.

Caleb Williams has shown a never-ending preference for theatrics, and with his special play-making ability, a vicious running attack, and a rookie tight end on fire, their offense may end up with the upper hand, considering the weather.

Ultimately, this game will likely come down to Stafford’s ability in the cold, and defense, and the Bears do not have the advantage there. Chicago’s magic may run dry if they can’t force some turnovers and get some late-game stops.