NFC Championship Game
Packers at Falcons
2 p.m., Fox LINE — Falcons by 6
PACKERS TO WATCH Coach Mike McCarthy’s franchise has won 13 NFL championships, the most for any team. … QB Aaron Rodgers has passed for at least 350 yards and 2 TDs in both postseason games this season, and a third consecutive playoff game with those marks would tie Drew Brees for the most in postseason history. … K Mason Crosby made 2 FGs of more than 50 yards in final 2 minutes last week, including a 51-yarder on the final play. … LB Clay Matthews and Falcons LT Jake Matthews are cousins. Clay Matthews missed the regular-season game at Atlanta with an injury.
FALCONS TO WATCH Coach Dan Quinn’s team will play its final game in the Georgia Dome, which will be torn down in the offseason. The Falcons are moving into the $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium next season. … QB Matt Ryan would set the NFL record if he passes for at least 3 TDs, which would mark the fourth consecutive postseason game he would do so. … RB Devonta Freeman has 10 rushing TDs in his past 6 home games, including the postseason. … WR Julio Jones was second in the NFL with 1,409 yards receiving. … DE Dwight Freeney’s 10 postseason sacks rank fourth among active players.
FANTASY TIP The passing games of both teams get most of the attention, but Packers RB Ty Montgomery has been a reliable option for fantasy points. The converted WR ran for 2 TDs against the Cowboys last week and has 4 TDs in past 3 road games. He’s a good value. INJURY REPORT OUT Packers RB James Starks, C Joseph Tretter. QUESTIONABLE Packers WR Davante Adams, WR Geronimo Allison, WR Jordy Nelson, S Morgan Burnett, CB Quinten Rollins.
ON OFFENSE
(RK) PACKERS VS. FALCONS (RK)
(20) 106.3 RUSH 120.5 (5)
(7) 262.4 PASS 295.3 (3)
(8) 368.7 YARDS 415.8 (2)
(4) 27.0 POINTS 33.8 (1)
ON DEFENSE
(8) 94.7 RUSH 104.5 (17)
(31) 269.2 PASS 266.7 (28)
(22) 363.9 YARDS 371.2 (25)
(21) 24.2 POINTS 25.4 (27)
AFC Championship Game
Steelers at Patriots
5:30 p.m., CBS LINE — Patriots by 6
STEELERS TO WATCH Coach Mike Tomlin’s franchise’s lone playoff victory over the Patriots was a 7-6 divisional-round victory in 1998 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. … QB Ben Roethlisberger is 3-1 as a starting QB in AFC title games. He has a 13-6 career postseason record. … Last week, RB Le’Veon Bell became the first player to rush for at least 150 yards in each of his first 2 playoff games. … WR Antonio Brown had 6 catches for 108 yards against Kansas City, his fourth consecutive playoff game with at least 100 yards receiving. … LB James Harrison is looking for his fifth consecutive playoff game with at least 1 sack. PATRIOTS TO WATCH Coach Bill Belichick’s team is the first since the 1970 merger to advance to 6 consecutive AFC championship games. … With their victory last week, Belichick and QB Tom Brady have won 23 playoff games together, the most in league history by a head coach and starting quarterback. No other coach-QB combo has even participated in that many games together. … WR Julian Edelman has a franchise-high 76 career playoff receptions. … CB Logan Ryan had 7 tackles, 1 sack and 1 INT in last week’s victory over the Texans.
FANTASY TIP The Steelers have relied heavily on Roethlisberger in recent matchups with the Patriots. He’s thrown for 350 or more yards in 4 of his past 5 meetings with New England, and the Patriots are tougher against the run than the pass.
INJURY REPORT QUESTIONABLE Steelers LB James Harrison, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, TE Ladarius Green; Patriots WR Danny Amendola, TE Martellus Bennett, RB Brandon Bolden, LB Donta Hightower, WR Chris Hogan, WR Malcolm Mitchell, DE Jabaal Sheard.
ON OFFENSE
(RK) STEELERS VS. PATRIOTS (RK)
(14) 110.0 RUSH 117.0 (7)
(5) 262.6 PASS 269.2 (4)
(7) 372.6 YARDS 386.2 (4)
(10) 24.9 POINTS 27.6 (3)
ON DEFENSE
(13) 100.0 RUSH 88.6 (3)
(16) 242.6 PASS 237.9 (12)
(12) 342.6 YARDS 326.5 (8)
(10) 20.4 POINTS 15.6 (1)