NFL Conference Championship Pick - NFC
NFL Conference Championship, NFC
All times Eastern
Sunday, Janaury 20
3:05 pm Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints (-3 1/2, 56 1/2) - There's an obvious commonality between this NFC Championship game and the AFC title contest, that being at the quarterback position.
In both cases, one team has a seasoned veteran behind center, and one team has a semi-proven young gun running the offense. There is also one big difference: in the NFC game, the veteran (Drew Brees) has home field advantage. In the AFC, Tom Brady of the Patriots is on the road.
So, will there be a changing of the guard at the top level of the quarterback position, or will experience carry the day?
In the case of New Orleans, Drew Brees showed he still has the poise and savvy instincts to engineer a comeback, as he rallied the Saints from a 14-point deficit in their 20-14 win over the Eagles last week.
While Brees wasn't solely responsible - the defense played out of their minds for three quarters - he did throw for two touchdowns, going 28-for-38, 301 yards and one pick, that coming on the first offensive play of the game.
What Brees has beyond his grit, determination and guile is the experience of actually having won a Super Bowl. LA's Jared Goff has limited experience but has never been to a Super Bowl, much less a championship game.
Goff is in his second season and is 24. Brees has played 17 years in the NFL and is 40.
Both teams were 13-3 during the regular season and have one playoff game under their belts. The Rams topped Dallas, 30-22, in their divisional game. The Cowboys had a brief, 7-3, lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Rams scored 20 straight points through the half and into the third quarter to take over the game.
While the Saints had to spend a lot of emotion in their win over the Eagles, the Rams had an easier time with Dallas and should be on their best for the most important game of the season. The Rams shut down the league's top rusher in their win over Dallas, limiting Ezekiel Elliott to 47 yards on 20 carries. In addition to having Todd Gurley in the backfield, LA unleashed a fresh C.J. Anderson, who carried 23 times for 123 yards and two scores against Dallas.
New Orleans can be very stout agains the run, but the Rams should be able to wear them down late in the game with their dynamic backfield duo. The 3 1/2 points given to the Rams is a bonus, as they can win outright, though, barring that, should be close enough to cover in case of a loss.
Coin Flip: Los Angeles Rams
PREDICTION: Rams 31 Saints 27
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These teams played a regular season game, won by the Saints, in New Orleans on November 4 (week 9), by a 45-35 score. it was the first loss of the season for the Rams, and was New Orleans' seventh straight after having lost their opener to Tampa Bay, 48-40. Both Brees and Goff threw for over 300 yards; Goff tossed three touchdown passes and was picked once. Brees threw for four TDs.
