When the AFC Championship and NFC Championship games take place on Sunday, The Road To MetLife Stadium will be much more clear. When it comes to clear, the feelings between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are well-known, as are the emotions between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. These teams flat-out do not like each other, and each conference championship matchup has more than their fair share of heated rivalries.
In the spirit of full-disclosure, I’m working as part of the Road to MetLife Stadium Preferred Blogger Program. Throughout the year I’ll be receiving special access to MetLife events and be conducting reader giveaways, with prizes provided by MetLife and Sony Electronics. However, no payment was given or expected for posting about the program, and as always, all opinions given here are fully my own.
Which rivalry are fans looking forward to the most as they relate to the AFC and NFC Championships? I suppose that depends on which game you have a greater interest in watching.
Either way, both games have plenty to offer.
In the NFC title contest, it starts with the head coaches. Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh go back to their college coaching days in the Pac-12 with the USC Trojans and Stanford Cardinal. It was Harbaugh who pulled off a huge upset against Carroll one season, and then appeared to run up the score in another big win the following season. That animosity will certainly be evident in Sunday’s game in Seattle, especially after how the Seahawks have man-handled the 49ers at home in their past two meetings.
We also have the quarterbacks, with Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson representing the future of the position. Richard Sherman and, well, anyone who will engage him will also make for an entertaining afternoon, with a possible matchup with Anquan Boldin or Vernon Davis likely. Earl Thomas will also have plenty to say in the Seattle defensive backfield.
When it comes to the Broncos and Patriots, the obvious rivalry is perhaps the greatest, with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Sure, they never take the field against each other, but when it comes to historic 1-on-1 rivals, this one is still atop the list. Bill Belichick against John Fox does not have the same ring to it as Belichick against Rex Ryan, but Fox will be looking to prove that he can beat Belichick, as will Jack Del Rio, who is 0-7 against offenses led by Brady in his career.
Both of these games are huge, and both will include great rivalries and matchups. Depending on your preference, the answer to the most fierce rivalry may lie in either contest. Feel free to weigh in with the matchup you are looking forward to most in the comments section below.
If you are looking for which team may have a greater edge, make sure to check out Stats.com. If the temperatures dip below 40 degrees on Sunday, Stats.com will tell you why we may very well be watching the Patriots face the 49ers in MetLife Stadium in Super Bowl XLVIII. Of course, the Broncos and Seahawks may have something to say in that matter, regardless of how low the temperatures dip.
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