NFL Divisional Round Playoffs Update

Both conference top seeds, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, won divisional round games yesterday and each will be a fairly big home favorite in next week’s conference championship games.

In the first game, the Pats twice overcame 14 point deficits and outlasted the Baltimore Ravens, winning (35-31) as 7 point favorites.

The Pats will now play in the AFC Championship game for the fourth straight season. Their record is currently 1-2 in such games. Only the Buffalo Bills have appeared in four straight AFC Championship games. They did it in 1990-1993. (They won all four but went on to lose in all four of those Super Bowls).

The Seahawks have now won 8 straight home playoff games and are (10-2) all-time, in such games. They will host the NFC Championship game for the third time next week, having won in the previous two.

Quarterbacks Tom Brady of the Patriots and Russell Wilson of the Seahawks each threw 3 touchdown passes. Duran Harmon of N.E. and Kam Chancellor of Seattle each had key interceptions.