Getty Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs.
After a desolate Saturday stripped us of NFL football, playoffs come at us head-on today. To kick things off, Tom Brady will lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Lambeau Field to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Conference Championship Game. Next on the docket will be the AFC Conference Championship Game, as Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will look to knock off Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl Champion, Kansas City Chiefs.
Find out below how to watch all the jam-packed playoff football scheduled for us over this weekend, as well as betting spreads and game previews.
NFC Championship: Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers
Time: 3:05 p.m. ET
Date: Sunday, Jan. 24
Place: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, WI)
Coverage: FOX
Spread: Green Bay Packers (-3.5)
Tom Brady, playing in his ninth conference title game in the last 10 seasons, will be shorthanded on Sunday as Tampa Bay has ruled out wide receiver Antonio Brown with a knee injury. Brown had come on of late, scoring five touchdowns over his previous five games.
MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers has not thrown an interception in six of his last seven games. Green Bay is undefeated this season when the team doesn’t commit a turnover (11-0 SU). However, the Packers lost the turnover battle 2-0 in the team’s most recent matchup back in Week 6, suffering a season-worst 38-10 loss fresh off their bye week.
Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones racked up 99 yards rushing and a touchdown in last week’s victory over the No. 1 ranked Los Angeles Rams defense. The Packers as a team have now rushed for at least 185 yards in three of their last four games. With that said, the Bucs will be adding some reinforcement to the interior of their defensive line in the form of 6-foot-4, 347-pound Vita Vea, who will be active for the first time since fracturing his ankle in Week 5.
AFC Championship: Patrick Mahomes Aims For His 2nd Super Bowl
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Date: Sunday, Jan. 24
Place: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Coverage: CBS or CBS All Access
Spread: Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5)
After spending the week in the NFL’s concussion protocol, Patrick Mahomes has been officially cleared to start his third consecutive AFC title game on Sunday. However, the status of wideout Sammy Watkins and running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Le’Veon Bell remain up in the air. CEH has not appeared in a game since Week 15, while Bell received just two carries while operating behind Darrel Williams during last week’s win over Cleveland.
Fellow MVP candidate Josh Allen is coming off a modest game a week ago, throwing for just 206 yards. Yet, Stefon Diggs was on the receiving end of more than half of those yards (106). The All-Pro wide receiver continues to build off of his best season to date, eclipsing 100 yards receiving in five of his last six games. Diggs and company will look to feast again this week as the NFL’s top two offenses square off for a trip to Super Bowl LV.
The Chiefs most recently knocked off the Bills 26-17 back in Week 6, holding Allen to a season-low 122 passing yards while rushing for a season-high 245 yards on 46 carries of their own.