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Sports Media

2018 NFL Championship Weekend Preview

(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

2018 NFL Playoffs
Case Keenum and Stefon Diggs lead the game-winning drive to advance in the 2018 NFL Playoffs (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Last week gave us the most exciting finishes in the NFL this season. The 2018 NFL Playoffs started off slowly, but, thanks to last week, surged ahead to regain our hearts. Every game except the Patriots game (shocking) gave us last minute finishes. Watch this and tell me you don’t get the chills – it’s ear deafening.

Here are the date and times of each championship game.

January 21st – 3:05 ET – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots (-7.5)
January 21st – 6:40 ET – Minnesota Vikings (-3) vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Who makes it to the Super Bowl?

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots (-7.5)

This matchup is extremely intriguing for multiple reasons. The Patriots have arguably the best tight end that has ever strapped a helmet on in Rob Gronkowski. Throughout the week, Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey was asked about covering Gronk. Here was his response.

Pretty confident for a second-year player. However, Ramsey isn’t your typical second-year player. Both he and Gronk (and Brady) finished as First-Team All-Pro’s according to Pro Football Focus’s database.

Expect the Patriots to run a lot of hurry-up offense early in this contest. This will keep the insanely talented Jaguars defense on their toes and allow the Patriots to tire them out in the second-half.

The key matchup to watch is the Patriots’ offense against the tough Jaguars defense. The Patriots finished across the board as the number one offense in the NFL, while the Jaguars set impressive records of their own. Check out how their defense compares to the greatest defenses in NFL history.

In the end, the preparation of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will be too much for the young, inexperienced talent of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Prediction: 24-14 New England Patriots

Minnesota Vikings (-3) vs. Philadelphia Eagles

For the first time in the history of the NFL, a team has a chance to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium. Now, this doesn’t change the distribution of tickets. All it changes is the travel and practice location for the Vikings (if they are to advance).

However, this is the second week in a row the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFC’s number one seed, is an underdog. Will we see more masks of dogs if the Eagles win? Here is that reference if you don’t get it.

2018 NFL playoffs
Chris Long took the “underdog” notion quite literally (Tim Tai/Staff Photographer at the Inquirer)

It will be roughly 46 degrees and seven mph wind at the start of kickoff. As a Falcons fan, the thought of a dome team playing in cold, windy conditions gives me the chills. Although Minnesota is extremely cold, they are a dome team.

Minnesota has too many weapons on offense and one of the most stout defenses in the NFL. Although they go up against an Eagle’s defense that takes pride in dismantling top offenses, the Eagles offense doesn’t have enough firepower to scare the Vikings away. They will load the box with All-Pro (he is, don’t deny it) safety Harrison Smith and let the bigger cornerbacks feast on the outside.

I believe Minnesota wins this game with their defense and creative offense. They “will” their way to have a “home field advantage” in the Super Bowl.

Prediction: 21-17 Minnesota Vikings

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