NEW ENGLAND (13-4) AT DENVER (14-3)
NEW ENGLAND (13-4) AT DENVER (14-3)
Today: 10:05 a.m., CBS
Opening line: Broncos by 6½
Series record: Broncos lead 27-20
Last meeting: Patriots beat Broncos 34-31 in overtime, Nov. 24, 2013
Patriots offense: Overall (7), rush (9), pass (10)
Patriots defense: Overall (26), rush (30), pass (18)
Broncos offense: Overall (1), rush (15), pass (1)
Broncos defense: Overall (19), rush (7t), pass (27)
Streaks, stats and notes: New England overcame 24-0 halftime deficit on Nov. 24. … Patriots coach Bill Belichick 7-10 vs. Broncos. … Game marks 15th meeting between Brady and Broncos QB Peyton Manning. Brady leads 10-4, including 2-1 in playoffs. … New England 7-2 in AFC championship games. Belichick/Brady own most wins (18) by coach/QB combo. … Game marks first AFC road playoff game for Patriots since title game following ‘06 season, when Patriots lost to Manning’s Colts 38-34. … Patriots 3-2 on road under Belichick in postseason. … Brady’s 18 postseason wins most in NFL history. … Brady is 1-1 vs. Denver in playoffs. … Brady has most completions (566), attempts (912), yards passing (6,147) in NFL playoff history. … Brady’s 75 passes over last three games lowest total in three-game stretch in his career. … Last week, Patriots joined 1940 Chicago Bears as only teams in NFL playoff history with 200 yards and six TDs on ground. … RB LeGarrette Blount first player to rush for 150 yards and four TDs in playoff game. … WR Julian Edelman had career playoff-high 84 yards receiving last week. Caught nine passes for 110 yards, two TDs vs. Broncos in November. … Defense had four INTs vs. Colts, two by CB Alfonzo Dennard. … Broncos coach John Fox 1-6 vs. Patriots. … Broncos 6-2 in AFC championship games. … Manning has 5,909 yards passing in postseason, second most behind Brady. … Manning is No. 1 with eight 300-yard games in playoffs. … Manning has 15-3 record at home with Broncos, throwing 54 TDs and 11 INTs. … RB Knowshon Moreno had career-best 224 yards in last game at New England. … With 75 postseason receptions, WR Wes Welker needs two to move past Thurman Thomas (76) for sixth place in catches. … Welker had four catches for 31 yards in previous meeting against former team. … Julius Thomas’ 12 TD catches most by TE in team history. … CB Champ Bailey had 100-yard INT return against Brady and Patriots on Jan. 14, 2006. … LB Shaun Phillips had two sacks of former teammate and San Diego QB Philip Rivers last weekend.
SAN FRANCISCO (14-4) AT SEATTLE (14-3)
Today: 1:30 p.m., Fox
Opening line: Seahawks by 3
Series record: Tied 15-15
Last meeting: 49ers beat Seahawks 19-17, Dec. 8, 2013
49ers offense: Overall (24), rush (3), pass (30)
49ers defense: Overall (5), rush (4), pass (7)
Seahawks offense: Overall (17), rush (4), pass (26)
Seahawks defense: Overall (1), rush (7t), pass (1)
Streaks, stats and notes: NFC West foes meet for spot in Super Bowl. Teams split regular-season meetings. … 49ers seeking seventh Super Bowl appearance, Seahawks going for second. … NFC title game decided by seven points or fewer in each of last six contests, longest streak in conference championship game history. Three of those in OT, including 49ers’ 20-17 loss to Giants after 2011 season. … Seattle played eight games decided by seven points or fewer, and San Francisco five. … Seahawks have outscored 49ers 71-16 and forced seven turnovers in last two wins at home. … 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick had career-worst 20.1 passer rating in Week 2 loss. Threw three interceptions, sacked three times. … Kaepernick is 4-1 in the postseason as starter, tied for third best among all QBs in Super Bowl era with minimum of five starts. He can become second QB to win initial four road playoff starts, joining Jake Delhomme. … WR Michael Crabtree didn’t play in Sept. 15 game while still recovering from May surgery on torn right Achilles tendon. … San Francisco first team in NFL history to have at least one 100-yard receiver in seven straight postseason games. … Jim Harbaugh first coach in NFL’s modern era to lead team to NFC championship in each of first three years. …. WR Anquan Boldin ranks No. 1 among active players with 12 career catches of 25 or more yards in postseason. Has 63 receptions for 980 yards and seven TDs in 13 playoff games. … 49ers LB Ahmad Brooks has 4 1-2 sacks this postseason. No player has more than six in a single postseason since sacks became official statistic in 1982. With two more sacks, Brooks would pass Richard Dent, Michael McCrary and LaMarr Woodley for most in single postseason. … Crabtree has second-most yards receiving (436) and is tied for second-most touchdowns (3) in playoffs since 2012. … 49ers hope to have CB Carlos Rogers back after missing first two playoff games with strained right hamstring. … Seahawks have won six straight home playoff games and 16 of last 17 home games overall. … QB Russell Wilson threw for career-low 103 yards in win over Saints. He’s topped 200 yards passing once in past five games. … Wilson’s 24 victories and 15 home wins in first two seasons are most in Super Bowl era. … Including postseason, Wilson has career 110.7 passer rating at home. … RB Marshawn Lynch rushed for franchise playoff record 140 yards vs. Saints, his first 100-yard game since Week 10. In five career playoff games, Lynch has five touchdowns rushing and three 100-yard games. … WR Percy Harvin had team-high three receptions vs. Saints before suffering concussion late in first half. … WR Doug Baldwin has three TDs in past three home games vs. 49ers. … Rookie LG Michael Bowie started vs. Saints, his third position on offensive line this season. … Seahawks had five sacks of Kaepernick in two games this season. … DE Michael Bennett had two forced fumbles and fumble recovery vs. Saints; first Seahawks player with two forced fumbles in playoff game. Bennett led Seahawks with 8½ sacks in regular season. … CB Richard Sherman has two interceptions and 90-yard blocked field goal return for TD in past two home games vs. 49ers. He led NFL with eight INTs this season. … SS Kam Chancellor had 14 tackles vs. Saints. Most in non-overtime playoff game in franchise history. … Seahawks could get starting LB K.J. Wright (foot) back after being injured at San Francisco. … K Steven Hauschka tied franchise playoff record with three FGs vs. Saints; he’s 17 of 18 on FGs at home this season.