AFC and NFC Championship predictions for upcoming playoff weekend

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Flynn Travers, Staff Writer

It is championship weekend in the NFL and there are a group of quarterbacks who were only expected to be career backups, but who have brought their teams to the one of the best weekends in sports.

It is an odd bunch of quarterbacks except for one. Tom Brady is once again back in the AFC Championship. The one who some people say is the greatest of all time has never looked better and the Patriots are once again looking dangerous. The Jaguars, meanwhile, come in with one of the strongest defenses in the league to give Brady his toughest test yet.

The one seed in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles, had been written off with backup quarterback Nick Foles.The Minnesota Vikings are coming off one of the greatest endings to a playoff game in history and are looking to be the first team ever to host a Super Bowl.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots

The Patriots are looking to repeat as champions this year after defeating the Tennessee Titans in a dominant performance.

The Patriots look almost unstoppable with Tom Brady once again heading the charge. They hold one of the best offenses and will be playing in their home stadium.

However, the Jaguar come in to New England with their highly acclaimed defense. Calais Campbell is a defensive player of the year candidate and Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are probably the best cornerback duo in the league.

That same defense though, did let up 42 points to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jaguars put up 45 points, but many do not see that to be likely once again.

Blake Bortles is the worst quarterback of the four remaining, and it is not that close. The Steelers’ defense completely collapsed last weekend, allowing Bortles to throw for 214 yards. They will have to rely on rookie running back Leonard Fournette for most of their offensive production.

If the Jaguars defense have a similar day to the one they had against the Steelers, then Tom Brady, Brandin Cooks, and Dion Lewis will have a field day.

It is simply not in Patriots’ Head Coach Bill Belichick’s DNA to lose to a team lead by Blake Bortles in the AFC Championship.

Prediction: New England Patriots

Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Two teams that most probably did not expect to be playing to get in the Super Bowl will be going at it with two quarterbacks most did not even expect to start this year.

Vikings’ quarterback Case Keenum had an unbelievable year for the Vikings, leading them to a 13-3 season and a No. 2 seed in the NFC. Keenum stepped in when Sam Bradford went down with an injury early in the season.

The Vikings’ defense has also been spectacular, led by stars Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes. They have been solid all year for the Vikings, with the third-best rushing defense in the league.

The Vikings are also coming off an almost miracle victory against the New Orleans Saints, when Keenum threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Some have called it the best finish to a playoff game ever. Riding off these emotions, they will also be playing to host the Super Bowl for the first time ever.

The Eagles are the No. 1 seed, even though the hype around the team does not seem this way. Quarterback and MVP candidate Carson Wentz went down and Nick Foles had to step in to fill his duties.

The Eagles’ defense, however, is the ranked third in total defense. The Eagles will have to rely on their defense to make it to the Super Bowl and live up to their one seed.

The Vikings will be the first team ever to host a Super Bowl and will continue their magical run.

Prediction: Minnesota Vikings