There are just four teams left to fight it out for a place in the Super Bowl with the NFL Conference Championship games coming up on Sunday.
It’s Conference Championship weekend in the NFL with four teams fighting for a place in the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8.
The Denver Broncos host the New England Patriots in the AFC at 8pm on Sunday before the NFC clash which sees the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Seattle Seahawks at 11.30pm.
We’ve picked out our two favourite bets for each game on what should be a super Sunday of NFL action.
NFL Conference Championship Game best bets
- Denver Broncos +4.5 vs New England Patriots) @ 10/11
- Nik Bonitto (Den) and Jonathan Cooper (Den) both to record 1+ sacks (vs New England Patriots) @ 3/1
- Los Angeles Rams +2.5 vs Seattle Seahawks @ 10/11
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Sea) and AJ Barner (Sea) both to get 50+ receiving yards (vs LA Rams) @ 15/4
Denver still dangerous despite Nix injury
The Denver Broncos are the number one seeds in the AFC and have home advantage in their conference championship showdown with the New England Patriots, but they are the underdogs after starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle in last week’s dramatic divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Broncos won 33-30 after overtime against a dangerous Bills team but will now have to start their back-up QB Jarrett Stidham against the Patriots. Stidham was drafted by New England in 2019 but has spent the last three seasons with the Broncos. He made two starts in the 2023 season but did not throw a pass in the regular season this year.
Even so, the Broncos did not often rely on Nix magic for their success this season, which mostly came through their impressive defence and that remains intact.
As such, Sean Payton’s team should still have a good chance of at least covering the handicap as underdogs. They have won nine of their 10 home games this season and, while the Patriots have excelled on the road, winning all eight of their regular-season away games, they will be heading into a tough environment at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Patriots have had two relatively comfortable home wins so far in the playoffs, beating the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 and the Houston Texans 28-16, but they need another big effort if they are to get past a feisty Broncos team.
Tip: Denver Broncos +4.5 vs New England Patriots) @ 10/11
Broncos pass-rush should have some success
The Broncos led the NFL in sacks in the regular season, taking down opposing quarterbacks 68 times, which was 11 more than any other team.
They sacked Josh Allen of the Bills three times last week but could have even more success against a Patriots offensive line which has struggled to protect Drake Maye against some of the better pass-rushes that they have faced.
As such, taking Betway’s special for Denver defensive stars Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper to each have a sack in the game could be worthwhile.
Bonitto has excelled for the Broncos with 13.5 sacks in 2024 and 14 in the regular season this year and he had one of the sacks of Allen last week.
Cooper did not get home last Sunday but he had eight sacks in the regular season and his speed getting off the line of scrimmage makes him a real threat.
Maye has been sacked five times in each of his two playoff appearances this year and could be in for a tough time in Denver.
Tip: Nik Bonitto (Den) and Jonathan Cooper (Den) both to record 1+ sacks @ 3/1
Rams ready to rumble in Seattle
The NFC Championship game will be the third meeting this season between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks and the first two were both close and entertaining encounters.
The Rams won the first meeting at SoFi Stadium in Week 11 by 21-19 with their defence intercepting four passes from Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold.
The Seahawks dramatically got their revenge in Week 17, coming back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter before edging home 38-37 in overtime thanks to a two-point conversion.
That result helped them to earn the NFC number one seed and they crushed the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 at Lumen Field last week.
The Rams have had a tougher route, going on the road to beat the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears in the playoffs, but head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford have won a Super Bowl together and that experience could be vital.
McVay’s team are getting only a small handicap start of 2.5 points but that would have been enough for them to cover in both of the regular-season meetings and it could make the difference in what could be another close contest in Seattle on Sunday.
Tip: Los Angeles Rams +2.5 vs Seattle Seahawks @ 10/11
Seahawks set to take aerial route
The Seahawks are missing one of their offensive weapons for their game against the Rams with running back Zach Charbonnet, who scored 12 rushing touchdowns this season, ruled out by a knee injury.
Kenneth Walker III will carry more of the load in the ground game as a result but Seattle will also rely on two key pass-catchers and it could pay to back wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and tight end AJ Barner to each reach 50 receiving yards.
Smith-Njigba had 50 or more yards in 16 of his 17 regular-season games and while he had only 19 against the 49ers last week, their passing game was barely needed after they blasted into a clear early lead.
Barner has played a bigger role for the Seahawks this year. He had his best game of the season in the first meeting with the Rams, catching 10 passes for 70 yards and was only one yard short of his target for this bet when he had 49 in their Week 16 game.
Tip: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Sea) and AJ Barner (Sea) both to get 50+ receiving yards (vs LA Rams) @ 15/4
