NFL Network analysts provide one bold prediction heading into Sunday's Conference Championship Games (see the full Championship Sunday schedule).
Baltimore’s star tight end, Mark Andrews, was activated from injured reserve on Friday, which is great news for the Ravens ahead of their clash with the Chiefs. Sidelined for the last two months with an ankle injury, the three-time Pro Bowler doesn’t waste any time getting back to work in his return to the game-day gridiron, catching three touchdown passes from Lamar Jackson.
David Montgomery will score two rushing TDs on Sunday. Two rushing touchdowns?! THAT is your bold prediction, Grant? Well ... yeah. Two rushing touchdowns is a pretty good day for any player. It’s an especially good day when it comes against the 49ers' defense. San Francisco hadn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher this season until Aaron Jones last week. The Niners haven’t given up more than one rushing score to a player in any game this year. When the Lions get close, look for Monty to get the call.
Much has been said of the quarterbacks helming the four conference championship squads. Between the league’s best player (Patrick Mahomes), this season's MVP front-runner (Lamar Jackson), the heralded savior of Detroit (Jared Goff) and Mr. Highly Relevant (Brock Purdy), there's quite the assortment of storylines heading into the weekend. Sunday will add one more to the collection when the QB quartet posts a conference championship record 12 combined passing touchdowns, led by four from Purdy.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce connected in last week’s Divisional Round victory for their 16th postseason touchdown, the most playoff scores of all time by a quarterback-receiver duo. I hope they enjoyed that success because Sunday will have a different feeling. The Ravens' defense has locked up top-tier opponents all season long, and it does the same against the mighty Chiefs, holding Kelce to fewer than three receptions -- which would be his lowest catch total in a game this season -- and leading the Ravens to another double-digit win.
Everyone is excited for the QB matchup in the AFC title game, and rightfully so. But it’ll be Brock Purdy’s performance that leaves everyone talking. He throws for 300 yards and three TDs against a Lions defense that has been stout against the run and leaky against the pass. Purdy makes up for the opportunity he lost when he was injured in last year's NFC title game and leads the Niners to the Super Bowl.
NFL Championship Sunday schedule
- WHERE: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
- WHEN: 3 p.m. ET | CBS, Paramount+, NFL+
- WHERE: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
- WHEN: 6:30 p.m. ET | FOX, FOX Deportes, NFL+
