NFL playoffs 2016: Broncos survive, Panthers roll into Super Bowl 50

(Video via KUTV.com)

Stephen Gostkowski is a really, really good kicker. He is making 87.3 percent of his field goal attempts in his career, and had missed just one extra point in his career heading into the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos.

On Sunday, the New England Patriots were about to tie the game in the first quarter after scoring a touchdown when Gostkowski did something he hadn’t done since 2006: Miss an extra point.

Facing a fourth down and needing a touchdown, Tom Brady threw a jump ball up for grabs to Rob Gronkowski.

The pass fell incomplete, giving Denver a massive defensive stop and the ball back. Gronkowski, however, was very upset he didn’t draw pass interference.

It’s really the face that makes it. It’s like a normal person doing a Tony Romo impression. Look again:

Hey, what’s Tony Romo up to right now anyway?

The NFL should take a close look at the Broncos roster after the AFC Championship, because we’re pretty sure they have Thor on their side. If he’s not Thor, then he’s definitely some sort of reincarnated viking who was brought back to life with witchcraft and the finger bones of a man who died of loneliness. That’s the spell, anyway.

Oh, wait it’s just Dillon Day.

Want to feel like you could play professional sports? Watch Tom Brady run.

OK, this is actually super impressive. Third and 10, needed to make a play, did it. That said, Brady made the longest run play of the game for either team to that point look like your dad hurrying over to help after you fell and hurt yourself.

The NFL’s desire to make sponsors happy is rearing its head in the AFC Championship game. Early in the second quarter it was revealed that the Patriots were having problems with its Microsoft Surface tablets on the sideline, which are critical for teams to watch film and quickly review in-game action.

Officials were working on the sideline to resuscitate the tablets, but it was unclear if they had begun working. Obviously the lack of feedback is a huge problem for a team that is looking to make quick-fire adjustments in a game that will determine whether they can go to the Super Bowl. What’s really alarming is the news that the Broncos’ tablets were working fine, and officials weren’t requiring them to shut off the tablets despite having a clear advantage.

The Patriots won a critical challenge ruling to turn this apparent incomplete pass into a turnover.

Referees ruled the pass forward on the field, but the pass went a yard backward and was recovered by Patriots linebacker Jonathan Freeny. After replay review, the refs ruled the pass backward and gave the ball to New England. They scored their first touchdown of the game a few plays later.

A lot has been made about Peyton Manning’s decline during the season, but Tom Brady threw the first pick of the 2016 AFC Championship.

This was a very uncharacteristic throw for Brady, underthrown and without much zip on it at all. He’s lucky Von Miller tripped, because the path to the end zone was wide open.

Steph Curry is making no bones about who he’s pulling for on Championship Sunday. The noted Carolina fan is repping the Panthers STRONG during his off day. This is really the perfect storm for Steph. He gets to see his favorite NFL team play without the hassle of playing tonight. The Warriors play the Spurs on Monday night.

The Carolina Panthers’ field is a hot mess. The Belk Bowl, followed by an NFL game, followed by heavy rain turned the Bank of America Stadium turf into a mud pit. Players were slipping on the field at the start of Panthers vs. Seahawks, and significant work needed to take place to get the field ready -- but there was no time.

Instead the Panthers did what they could.

Suffice to say, the results of that game are largely irrelevant to what will happen on the field Sunday.

It’s uncertain whether the Broncos will be any better with Manning under center instead of Osweiler. Manning had a woeful regular season, throwing the second-most interceptions in the league (17) despite only playing in 10 games. He didn’t turn the ball over against Pittsburgh in the Divisional round, but he didn’t throw any touchdown passes, either.

The Panthers and Cardinals are the two best teams in the NFC and no matter the result, we should be in for some riveting television. Our experts favor the Panthers to move on, but it’s only a slight 5-3 consensus.

Here are the complete picks.