NFL Conference Championship Tips
Just one more win stands between the four surviving NFL teams and a place in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in California on February 8.
The two Conference Championship games this weekend will decide which pair advance to the big game, with the Denver Broncos hosting the New England Patriots in the AFC and the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC.
There will be no new winners this season as all four teams have won the Super Bowl within the last 12 years, with the Rams the most recent champions in 2022.
Both championship games take place on Sunday night and we’ve picked out our favourite two bets for each one.
TIP 1 - Denver Broncos +5 @ 10/11
Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots (Sunday, 8pm GMT)
The Denver Broncos experienced a rollercoaster of emotions last Sunday as they won a dramatic overtime game 33-30 against the Buffalo Bills but lost their starting quarterback Bo Nix for the rest of the season with a broken ankle.
The Broncos now have to turn to their back-up QB, Jarrett Stidham, who has not thrown a pass in the NFL all season, as they host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game but all hope is not lost for Sean Payton's team.
Stidham is one of the more passable back-ups in the league and his shrewd head coach prefers to rely on his running game and defence anyway.
Both these teams benefited from relatively easy regular-season schedules to finish with 14-3 records and while the Broncos have now won nine of their 10 home games, the Patriots have won all eight of their away fixtures.
The Broncos have lost only once by more than three points this season and while Nix's injury has no doubt reduced the excitement level in their camp, they are capable of making a game of it.
The Patriots beat the self-destructing Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday but Denver's defence ranked second in the league to the Texans and, if they can avoid the turnovers that ruined Houston's chances, they can keep it close.
Remember: BetMGM is paying out early when your team takes a 17-point lead, regardless of the final result. More information can be found here.
TIP 2 - Under 41.5 points @ 10/11
Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots (Sunday, 8pm GMT)
The Patriots' defence paved the way for their victory over Houston, intercepting struggling Texans quarterback CJ Stroud four times and recovering a fumble, and they have conceded just 19 points in total in their two playoff games.
The Broncos face less of a threat this week than they did against Josh Allen and the Bills and they ended the regular season by conceding only 16 points in their final two games.
With both defences capable of making life tough for their opponents, you could take under 41.5 points in the game at Empower Field at Mile High.
TIP 3 - Los Angeles Rams money line @ 13/10
Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 11.30pm GMT)
NFC West rivals the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams will meet for the third time this season at Lumen Field on Sunday night and if the NFC Championship game is anything like their first two encounters, no one will be complaining.
The Rams won their Week 11 match-up 21-19, which was a small margin given that they made life miserable for Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, intercepting him four times.
The second meeting in Week 16 was even closer, with the Seahawks staging an amazing rally from 16 points behind in the fourth quarter to win 38-37 with a two-point conversion in overtime.
That result helped the Seahawks to clinch the NFC West title and the top seeding for the playoffs, which they began with a dominant 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers, although they will be without running back Zach Charbonnet this week due to injury.
The Rams have had it much tougher, battling through two close contests on the road against the Carolina Panthers (34-31) and the Chicago Bears (20-17 after overtime).
This game is arguably worthy of being the Super Bowl itself and the teams occupy the first two places in the outright betting, but the Rams should really have won both games against the Seahawks this season and that makes them worth backing as the outsiders to win Sunday's high-stakes clash.
TIP 4 - Puka Nacua anytime touchdown scorer @ 6/5
Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 11.30pm GMT)
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua had a relatively quiet game in sub-zero temperatures in Chicago last week with only five receptions for 56 yards, but he had 111 yards in his first playoff outing against the Panthers and proved too good for even the elite Seahawks defence in their regular-season meetings.
Nacua had seven catches for 75 yards in the first game, then went crazy on his last visit to Lumen Field with 12 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
With his receiving yards line in the mid-90s this week, a bet on him to score a touchdown against the Seahawks is preferred. Nacua has scored seven TDs in his last seven games and can star for his team again.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
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