After 20 weeks of fighting through the most difficult NFL season ever to be played, only four teams remain with the chance of holding the Lombardi trophy on Sunday, February 7th in Tampa. 32 teams battled through all of the complications that COVID-19 could possibly throw at the league. There were 254 confirmed player cases, all 32 facilities had to close during the season at some point, there were 14 moved games, and one team, the San Francisco 49ers, actually had to pick up their entire franchise and move from Santa Clara to Phoenix for four weeks due to local county COVID restrictions. Yet, somehow the finish line is just a short two weeks away. Here is what we have to look forward to this weekend at Lambeau Field and Arrowhead Stadium respectively.

THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
The Green Bay Packers are once again being led by Aaron Rodgers, who at the age of 37, is having another MVP caliber type of season. The Packers just defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round 32-18. Rodgers was 23-36 for 296 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers were able to amass 484 yards of total offense against the #1 defense in the league. The critical play of the game came with 6:52 left in the 4th quarter with the Packers winning 25-18. The game was sealed with a 58 yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Allen Lazard. This brilliant fingertip catch and PAT added seven more points, but more importantly it emotionally ended the Rams season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to the Big Easy to take on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints inside the Superdome. The Saints were trying to win their third game of the season against Tampa Tom & Co. The six-time Super Bowl champion, Brady, would not be denied by the score of 30-20. Brady threw to nine different receivers for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Brees threw three interceptions (one was a pick six) and sadly looked every bit the part of being a 42 year-old player. Brady looked fresh and his running game featuring Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones gained 127 yards on the ground to keep the Saints defense honest. At the robust age of 43, Tom Brady now enters into his 14th championship game on Sunday against the Packers for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

PREDICTION:
The ghosts of Lombardi, Starr and Hornung await Brady and his teammates inside Lambeau Field, where on Sunday afternoon a warm temperature of 24 degrees with snow flurries awaits the Bucs. Rodgers has been in complete command of the Packers offense all season and he will not be denied the opportunity to win Super Bowl LV. Rodgers will outduel Brady to earn the victory.
Green Bay 28   Tampa Bay 24

THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

The visiting team this Sunday inside Arrowhead Stadium will be the Buffalo Bills, who are making their first appearance back in the championship game since 1994. In fact, it was Jim Kelly and the K-Gun Offense that won this 1994 battle (30-13) just a short 27 years ago. The Bills Mafia thinks that history can and will repeat itself, but the safe return of Patrick Mahomes (concussion protocol this week) will present too much fire power for Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs to handle. To earn entry into this game, Buffalo defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-3 on a cool and blustery Buffalo Saturday night. The halftime score was 3-3, but the Ravens left six points out on the field with two missed field goals by Justin Tucker. The back breaking play for the Ravens came with :41 seconds left in the third quarter. Lamar Jackson thought his TE, Mark Andrews, was open in the endzone, but Taron Johnson stepped in front of the pass and returned the interception 101 yards for a touchdown.

Chad Henne had only seen action in three games this season prior to being called upon with 7:11 left in the third quarter. Mack Wilson chased Patrick Mahomes down, horse collared his neck and threw the QB to the ground. The hit did not look ferocious on TV, yet Mahomes was definitely concussed. With the Chiefs ahead 22-17, there was genuine danger that the defending champs could be sent home by the upstart Cleveland Browns. With 2:00 minutes left in the contest, the Chiefs faced a third and 14. Henne went back to pass and all of his receivers were
covered. The 35 year-old QB from Michigan tucked the ball down and ran. His heroic effort left him one yard short. Andy Reid calmly called a one yard pass play to Tyreek Hill on 4th and one. The ball was caught, the Browns were completely fooled, and the Chiefs get to play in their third straight AFC Championship Game. Amazing.

PREDICTION:
The level of coaching sophistication that Andy Reid brings to his offensive unit (Tyreek Hill and
Travis Kelce both had eight catches for over 100 yards against Cleveland) is unparalleled. It is for this reason alone that I select the Chiefs to secure the opportunity to head down to Tampa to defend their Super Bowl crown by defeating the Bills in a tense shoot-out.
Kansas City 31  Buffalo 28