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Did you have enough time to catch your breath after that unbelievable back-to-back set of games on Sunday? The Jacksonville Jaguars stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-42 at Heinz Field, then the Minnesota Vikings avoided their usual playoff heartbreak with a game-winning touchdown from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs as time expired, knocking out the New Orleans Saints 29-24. Don’t you love it when playoff football is that fun?
So now we’re at conference championship weekend. There are only three games left in the 267-game NFL season. Three of the four remaining teams have won zero Super Bowls, while the New England Patriots are looking to become join the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only teams in NFL history to win six Lombardi Trophies.
Sunday, January 21st, 2018
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots (-9.5), 12:05 PM PT on CBS
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles (+3.5), 3:40 PM PT on FOX
Blake Bortles, Tom Brady, Case Keenum, and Nick Foles. Those are your starting quarterbacks this Sunday. One of those is not like the other three. In fact, neither starting QB in the NFC Championship Game was the starter on opening day.
Focusing in on Keenum and Foles, these were the two quarterbacks who started on the 2015 St. Louis Rams team, with both men notching wins over the Seattle Seahawks. Foles was traded by the Eagles to the Rams for Sam Bradford, who was later traded to Minnesota just one season later. The Vikings signed Keenum in the 2017 offseason to back Bradford up, while the Eagles re-signed Foles after he spent 2016 with the Kansas City Chiefs. I’m sure Jeff Fisher will take 100% of the credit for Foles and Keenum starting in the NFC Championship Game, but I’m not sure either the Vikings or Eagles would be keen on sending him a gift basket.
My personal wish to see the Patriots lose is somewhat overridden by the sheer interest I have in a New England vs. Minnesota Super Bowl in Minneapolis. I feel like this is the most compelling matchup, and I want to see it happen. If Jacksonville knocks off New England in their own stadium, then you won’t hear me complaining.