NFL playoffs 2016 schedule: Broncos vs. Patriots, Panthers vs. Cardinals on tap for conference championships
On Sunday, four teams will be reduced to two, the two who will face off in Super Bowl 50.
The field has been narrowed down to four teams, but only two will make it to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara for Super Bowl 50 in February. The Denver Broncos will host the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers will host the Arizona Cardinals in the conference championship games on Sunday.
The Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers all made it into the Divisional round, but all were eliminated by the teams set to play on Sunday. The Patriots and Panthers made it out of the DivisionalrRound having won their games without much issue, while the Cardinals took a narrow overtime win over the Packers and the Broncos played a close game against the Steelers.
A 2015 Super Bowl rematch is now out of the question after the Seahawks fell to the Patriots in that game. But New England still has a shot at repeating as it travels to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship. Below we'll take a look at both games and what you need to watch them.
AFC Championship: New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
When: 3:05 p.m. ET
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver
TV: CBS
Commentators: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Online: Verizon NFL Mobile
The Broncos benched Peyton Manning after he threw four interceptions against the Chiefs in the regular season and Manning also dealt with a foot injury. But the Broncos backed Manning when he was healthy enough to return, and named him the starter for the playoffs ahead of Brock Osweiler, who started while Manning was injured.
Manning didn't have a huge game by any means, but he rewarded the Broncos with a victory over the Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Now we'll get Manning vs. Tom Brady, an insane rivalry that has been around for well over a decade. That said, Brady has been the much better player this season, though the Broncos have ridden a top defense to the No. 1 seed in the conference.
NFC Championship: Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers
When: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
TV: FOX
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews
Online: Fox Sports Go
The Panthers slipped up just once in the regular season, falling to the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons. But they finished strong with a 15-1 record, and easily dispatched the Seahawks in the Divisional round of the playoffs a week ago. That's significant, given they're about to play host to Carson Palmer and the Cardinals, a team that has been excellent this season but who lost to the Seahawks in Week 17 of the regular season.
With Palmer protected and healthy, the Cardinals have been great, but they are coming off a narrow win over the Packers and the Panthers have a ton of confidence. They’ll be playing at home and most think they’ll be able to make it to the Super Bowl. But Palmer will be as motivated as he’s ever been, given he had to watch a seemingly superior Cardinals team lose to the Panthers from the sidelines in the Wild Card round a season ago.
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