NFL Conference Championship Matchups Set
1) The Green Bay Packers vs. 5) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rodgers vs Brady. The matchup every football fan has been dreaming of for over a decade. Now it’s finally here.
The two future hall of fame quarterbacks have never faced off in the playoffs before. In fact, they have only played against each other four times. Thats right. Only four times!
Brady has won three out of those four games, including a 38-10 victory back in week six of this season.
In that game, the Packers lead 10-0 after the first quarter, but that lead didn’t last long. The Bucs scored 38 unanswered points, including 28 point in the second quarter, en route to a dominating win.
However, a lot has changed since that week six matchup. The Packers defense has gone from middle of the pack, to one of the best in the league.
According to ESPN, Green Bay’s defense finished the regular season in the top ten in total yards allowed and passing yards allowed.
With that being said, the Bucs are coming into this matchup with all the confidence in the world. Their defense has been better than the Packers. According to ESPN, the Bucs defense, headlined by Pro-Bowl linebacker Devin White, finished the regular season as the number one rush defense, holding opponents to only 80.6 rushing yards per game. Additionally, Tampa ranks sixth in total yards allowed and eighth in points allowed per game.
However, the Bucs defense does have no major flaw: Pass defense. Tampa Bay ranks is in the bottom half of the league in passing yards allowed, according to ESPN.
Now, as everyone and their mother nows, the Packers are one of the best passing teams in the league thanks to that “BADDDD MANNNN,” as Stephen A. Smith would say, Aaron Rodgers and his stud receiver DaVante Admas.
The Rodgers – Adams duo is one of the most unstoppable tandems in the league. Arguably the best two players at their position playing some of the best football of their career. That’s going to be hard for Tampa to stop.
The Packers are the favorite to win and head to the Super Bowl, and deservingly so. Their playing at home, and even though the stadium won’t be packed with cheeseheads, the Packers playing at Lambeau is still an advantage.
If Rodgers keeps playing at the MVP level he has been, and their defense can force Brady and the Bucs offense into some bad decisions, then the Packers will be moving on to the Super Bowl.
For the Bucs to win, they need a big Tom Brady performance. Despite how mediocre he looked last week against the New Orleans Saints, Brady still got the job done and won the game. Plus, it’s hard to bet against the G.O.A.T. in the playoffs.
Will Brady continue to defy Father Time, or will he struggle at one of the toughest places to play in the league and one of the greatest to ever do it in Aaron Rodgers? Only time will tell.