Today is Championship Sunday in the NFL. Two teams will advance to the Super Bowl following a win today as four of the best quarterbacks in the league go head-to-head. The winners will plan on February 5th in Houston at Super Bowl LI. Here is all the information you need to catch today’s action and some Buffalo Bills connections.
NFC Championship Game
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
3:05 p.m. ET
FOX TV and FOX Sports Go streaming
Buffalo didn’t play either the Packers or the Falcons in 2016, but will face Atlanta during the 2017 season.
Former Bills guard Andy Levitre plays for Atlanta. (His wife went into labor before last weekend’s game but she refused to leave the stadium, staying in the stands until the game was over. She is the GOAT.) Bills fans will also remember Bryan Cox, who is the Falcons defensive line coach.
With the propensity to not sign many free agents, the closest connection to Buffalo on the Packers is former University of Buffalo running back James Starks. Green Bay’s coaching staff features Tom Clements, who was offensive coordinator in Buffalo from 2004 to 2005 under Mike Mularkey. Former Bills quarterback and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is the quarterbacks coach.
AFC Championship Game
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
6:40 p.m. ET
CBS TV and streaming
The Bills played the Patriots twice in 2016, winning the match-up without Tom Brady and losing when the Hall of Famer returned. It seems Bills fans are doomed to continue watching him win playoff games forever. Buffalo also lost to Pittsburgh this season as LeVeon Bell ran all over the Bills defense.
On the Patriots, former Bills receiver Chris Hogan is a favorite target of Brady’s and defensive lineman Alan Branch is a contributor. Buffalo native Rob Gronkowski is on injured reserve while his brother and former Bills fullback Glenn Gronkowski is on the practice squad.
On the Steelers roster, former Bills draft pick Ross Cockrell is a starting cornerback. Linebacker Arthur Moats is another contributor on Pittsburgh after the sixth-round pick stuck with the Bills for a while, mainly as a special teams contributor and Favre streak-ender. Former Bills special teams coordinator Danny Smith holds the same job for Pittsburgh.