NFL Conference Championship preview

Now, we're down to four.

AFC Championship Game: Tennessee @ Kansas City (CBS):

The postseason has been a coming out party, after a sort, for Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, the former Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama, who has run roughshod over the defenses of New England & Baltimore, hailed as two of the best in the league. If Kansas City has a weakness, it is a porous run defense that Henry & the Titans can exploit.

A case can be made for Ryan Tannehill, in his first year with Tennessee after coming over from Miami via free agency, to be Comeback Player of The Year, coming off the bench to replace an ineffective Marcus Mariota early in the season. Tannehill's career has been rejuvenated in Tennessee, but I don't think it's enough to merit an award. A Super Bowl, maybe, but not Comeback Player of The Year.

Y'think maybe Kansas City is regretting losing some of their best defensive players, like Dee Ford (San Francisco) and Marcus Peters? Yep. That forces Patrick Mahomes and the offense to carry more of the load than necessary. It's one thing to come back from a 24-0 first quarter deficit vs. Houston like they did last week, but I don't think they can pull the same miracle two weeks running. It's a revenge game for the Chiefs, who lost to Tennessee earlier in the season.

Do I think the spread is too big? Yep. More proof that oddsmakers are morons.

Pick: Kansas City.

NFC Championship Game: Green Bay @ San Francisco (Fox):

The Niners won the first meeting this season, so it'd be a revenge game for the Packers as well. Lost in the narrative, except at this desk, is the fact that the two franchises have combined for 10 Super Bowl titles, and San Francisco would like to join Pittsburgh & New England in the pantheon of teams with 6 titles. So would Green Bay, but only one team is going to get there.

I think the storyline coming out of today will be how much State Farm will invest in their annoying advertising campaign with Aaron Rodgers & Patrick Mahomes, because they're going to the big dance.

Pick: Green Bay.

Of course, I could be wrong.