Conference Championships What to Look For

1. FOR USE AS DESIRED
1/20/21
http://twitter.com/NFL345
WHAT TO LOOK FOR – CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
A FANTASTIC FINAL FOUR: On Championship Sunday, the Super Bowl LV participants will be determined. In the NFC
(3:05 PM ET, FOX/FOX Deportes), the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (13-5) take on the GREEN BAY PACKERS (14-3)
while the BUFFALO BILLS (15-3) travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (15-2) in the AFC
(6:40 PM ET, CBS/CBS All Access/ESPN Deportes).
Each of the remaining teams has won at least 13 regular-season and postseason games combined this season, marking
the first time since 2015 that all four teams in the Conference Championship games each have at least 13 combined
regular-season and postseason wins.
Additionally, each of the four teams in action this weekend averaged at least 29 points per game in the regular season,
marking the first time in the Super Bowl era that all four teams in the Conference Championship games averaged at least
29 points per game. Green Bay (31.8 points per game), Buffalo (31.3) and Tampa Bay (30.8) were the three highest
scoring teams in the league this season.
With victories by the Packers and Bills on Sunday, the Super Bowl would feature the two highest-scoring teams from the
regular season for the fifth time since 1970 and the first time since 1997.
The Super Bowls featuring the two highest-scoring teams from the regular season since 1970:
SEASON NO. 1 OFFENSE NO. 2 OFFENSE SUPER BOWL
1997 Denver Broncos Green Bay Packers XXXII
1996 Green Bay Packers New England Patriots XXXI
1991 Washington Redskins Buffalo Bills XXVI
1984 Miami Dolphins San Francisco 49ers XIX
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --
TOP PASSERS REMAIN: Each of the four starting quarterbacks remaining in the 2020 postseason recorded at least 35
touchdown passes this season – Green Bay’s AARON RODGERS (48 touchdown passes), Tampa Bay’s TOM BRADY
(40), Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES (38) and Buffalo’s JOSH ALLEN (37).
This is the first time since 1970 that each of the four starting quarterbacks in the Conference Championship games
recorded at least 35 touchdown passes in the regular season.
No matter the outcome of this Sunday’s games, Super Bowl LV will have the most or second-most combined regular
season touchdown passes between the two starting quarterbacks ever.
The Super Bowls with the most combined regular season touchdown passes between the two starting quarterbacks:
SEASON QUARTERBACKS (TOUCHDOWN PASSES) TOTAL TOUCHDOWN PASSES SUPER BOWL
2013 Peyton Manning (55) & Russell Wilson (26) 81 XLVIII
1984 Dan MarinoHOF
(48) & Joe MontanaHOF
(28) 76 XIX
2007 Tom Brady (50) & Eli Manning (23) 73 XLII
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --
BRING IT HOME: Last week, the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS defeated New Orleans, 30-20, to advance to their fourth
NFC Championship Game in franchise history.

2. With a win at Green Bay on Sunday (3:05 PM ET, FOX/FOX Deportes), the Buccaneers will become the first team to play
in a Super Bowl in the team’s home stadium and the fifth team to play in a Super Bowl that was hosted in their home
state.
The Super Bowls with a team playing in its home state:
SUPER BOWL SITE DATE WINNING TEAM LOSING TEAM
XXXVII San Diego, CA January 26, 2003 Tampa Bay Oakland Raiders
XIX Stanford, CA January 20, 1985 San Francisco Miami
XIV Pasadena, CA January 20, 1980 Pittsburgh Los Angeles Rams
XI Pasadena, CA January 9, 1977 Oakland Raiders Minnesota
Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY enters Championship Sunday as the NFL’s all-time postseason leader in starts
(43), wins (32), passing yards (11,968) and touchdown passes (77). He is expected to make his 14th career start in a
Conference Championship game, and first with Tampa Bay.
If the Buccaneers advance to Super Bowl LV, Brady will become the fourth quarterback to start a Super Bowl for multiple
teams, joining PEYTON MANNING (Denver and Indianapolis), CRAIG MORTON (Dallas and Denver) and Pro Football
Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (Arizona and St. Louis Rams).
The quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl for multiple teams in NFL history:
PLAYER FIRST TEAM (SUPER BOWLS) SECOND TEAM (SUPER BOWLS)
Peyton Manning Indianapolis (XLI, XLIV) Denver (XLVIII, 50)
Craig Morton Dallas (V) Denver (XII)
Kurt WarnerHOF
St. Louis Rams (XXXIV, XXXVI) Arizona (XLIII)
Tampa Bay cornerback SEAN MURPHY-BUNTING has an interception in each of the Buccaneers’ two postseason
games this season. With an interception on Sunday, Murphy-Bunting with become the fourth player to record an
interception in each of his first three career postseason games in the Super Bowl era, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers
AENEAS WILLIAMS (first four postseason games) and ED REED (three), as well as JASON SEHORN (three).
The players to record an interception in the most consecutive games to begin their postseason career in the Super Bowl
era:
PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES (DATES)
Aeneas WilliamsHOF
Arizona, St. Louis Rams 4 (Jan. 2, 1998 – Jan. 27, 2002)
Ed ReedHOF
Baltimore 3 (Jan. 3, 2004 – Jan. 4, 2009)
Jason Sehorn New York Giants 3 (Dec. 27, 1997 – Jan. 14, 2001)
Sean Murphy-Bunting Tampa Bay 2* (Jan. 9, 2021 – Jan. 17, 2021)
*active streak
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --
HUNTING MORE TITLES IN TITLETOWN: The GREEN BAY PACKERS advanced to their second consecutive
Conference Championship with a 32-18 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Playoffs. With the win, Green
Bay tied the PITTSBURGH STEELERS (36 wins) for the second-most postseason victories in NFL history.
With a win against the Buccaneers on Sunday (3:05 PM ET, FOX/FOX Deportes), the Packers would tie the NEW
ENGLAND PATRIOTS (37 wins) for the most postseason victories in NFL history.
The teams with the most postseason wins in NFL history:
TEAM WINS SUPER BOWL WINS
New England 37 6
Green Bay 36 4
Pittsburgh 36 6
Dallas 35 5
San Francisco 32 5

3. Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS led the NFL with a career-high 48 touchdown passes this season. If the
Packers advance to Super Bowl LV, Rodgers will be the sixth quarterback since 2000 and first since PEYTON MANNING
in 2013 to reach the Super Bowl in the same season that he led the league in touchdown passes.
The quarterbacks to lead the league in touchdown passes and reach the Super Bowl in the same season since 2000:
SEASON PLAYER TEAM TOUCHDOWN PASSES SUPER BOWL
2013 Peyton Manning Denver 55 XLVIII
2009 Drew Brees New Orleans 34 XLIV
2007 Tom Brady New England 50 XLII
2006 Peyton Manning Indianapolis 31 XLI
2001 Kurt WarnerHOF
St. Louis Rams 36 XXXVI
Last week, Rodgers passed for 296 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions and a 108.1 rating, his eighth
consecutive postseason game with at least two touchdown passes, tied with JOE FLACCO (eight consecutive games) for
the most consecutive postseason games with at least two touchdown passes in NFL history.
With at least two touchdown passes on Sunday, Rodgers will become the first player in league annals to record at least
two touchdown passes in nine consecutive postseason games.
The players with the most consecutive postseason games with at least two touchdown passes in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES (DATES)
Joe Flacco Baltimore 8 (Jan. 15, 2012 – Jan. 10, 2015)
Aaron Rodgers Green Bay 8* (Jan. 10, 2016 – Jan. 17, 2021)
*active streak
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --
RUN IT BACK: The reigning Super Bowl champion KANSAS CITY CHIEFS are hosting their third consecutive AFC
Championship Game, joining the 2002-04 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – who were also led by head coach ANDY REID –
as the only teams in NFL history to host three consecutive Championship games. The Chiefs also look to become the first
team since the 2003-04 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Last year, quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES became the youngest quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP. If Kansas City
defeats Buffalo on Sunday (6:40 PM ET, CBS/CBS All Access/ESPN Deportes), Mahomes is expected to become the
youngest quarterback in NFL history (25 years and 143 days old on date of Super Bowl LV) to start two Super Bowls,
surpassing RUSSELL WILSON, who was 26 years and 64 days old at the time of his second Super Bowl start (SB XLIX).
Last week, Kansas City tight end TRAVIS KELCE recorded eight receptions for 109 yards and one touchdown, his fourth
career postseason game with at least 100 receiving yards, tied for the most by a tight end in NFL history.
In 10 career postseason games, Kelce has totaled 60 catches for 741 yards and seven touchdowns, all among the most
by a tight end in postseason history. Tampa Bay tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI is the leader in all three categories.
The tight ends with the most career receptions in NFL postseason history:
PLAYER TEAM(S) RECEPTIONS
Rob Gronkowski New England, Tampa Bay 82*
Dallas Clark Indianapolis 64
Jay Novacek Dallas 62
Shannon SharpeHOF
Denver, Baltimore 62
Brent Jones San Francisco 60
Travis Kelce Kansas City 60*
*active
The tight ends with the most career receiving yards in NFL postseason history:
PLAYER TEAM(S) RECEIVING YARDS
Rob Gronkowski* New England, Tampa Bay 1,177*
Dallas Clark Indianapolis 847
Keith Jackson Philadelphia, Miami, Green Bay 834
Shannon SharpeHOF
Denver, Baltimore 814
Travis Kelce* Kansas City 741*

4. *active
The tight ends with the most career receiving touchdowns in NFL postseason history:
PLAYER TEAM(S) RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
Rob Gronkowski* New England, Tampa Bay 12*
Dave CasperHOF
Houston Oilers, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders 7
Vernon Davis San Francisco, Denver 7
Travis Kelce* Kansas City 7*
*active
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --
SUPER STEFON: Last week, the BUFFALO BILLS defeated Baltimore, 17-3, to advance to their first AFC Championship
Game since the 1993 season.
Wide receiver STEFON DIGGS recorded a team-high 106 receiving yards with a touchdown catch in the victory, after
leading the league with a career-high 1,535 receiving yards in the 2020 regular season.
If Buffalo defeats Kansas City on Sunday (6:40 PM ET, CBS/CBS All Access/ESPN Deportes), Diggs will become the
third player to reach the Super Bowl in the same season that he led the league in receiving yards, joining Pro Football Hall
of Famer JERRY RICE (1989 and 1994) and DREW PEARSON (1977).
The players to lead the league in receiving yards and reach the Super Bowl in the same season in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM SEASON RECEIVING YARDS SUPER BOWL
Jerry RiceHOF
San Francisco 1994 1,499 XXIX
Jerry RiceHOF
San Francisco 1989 1,423 XXIV
Drew Pearson Dallas 1977 870 XII
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --
RUNNING THROUGH THE NFC: Last week, Green Bay running back AARON JONES rushed for 99 yards and a
touchdown, his third consecutive postseason game with a rushing touchdown.
With a rushing touchdown in the NFC Championship Game, Jones will become the fourth player in NFL history to record a
rushing touchdown in each of his first four postseason games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRELL DAVIS (first
seven postseason games) and CURTIS MARTIN (first five games), as well as ARIAN FOSTER (first four games).
The players to record a rushing touchdown in the most consecutive games to begin their postseason career in NFL
history:
PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES (DATES)
Terrell DavisHOF
Denver 7 (Jan. 4, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999)
Curtis MartinHOF
New England, New York Jets 5 (Jan. 5, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999)
Arian Foster Houston 4 (Jan. 7, 2012 – Jan. 13, 2013)
Aaron Jones Green Bay 3* (Jan. 12, 2020 – Jan. 16, 2021)
*Active streak
Tampa Bay running back LEONARD FOURNETTE recorded 107 scrimmage yards (63 rushing, 44 receiving) and a
receiving touchdown in the Divisional Playoffs, his fourth consecutive postseason game with at least 75 scrimmage yards
and a touchdown.
In the NFC Championship game, Fournette can become the fifth running back with at least 75 scrimmage yards and a
touchdown in five consecutive postseason games in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRELL DAVIS
(seven games), MARCUS ALLEN (five), FRANCO HARRIS (five) and JOHN RIGGINS (five).
The running backs with the most consecutive postseason games with at least 75 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in
NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES (DATES)
Terrell DavisHOF
Denver 7 (Jan. 4, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999)
Marcus AllenHOF
Los Angeles Raiders 5 (Jan. 1, 1984 – Jan. 5, 1986)

5. Franco HarrisHOF
Pittsburgh 5 (Dec. 22, 1974 – Jan. 4, 1976)
John RigginsHOF
Washington 5 (Jan. 15, 1983 – Jan. 8, 1984)
Leonard Fournette Jacksonville, Tampa Bay 4* (Jan. 14, 2018 – Jan. 17, 2021)
*Active streak
-- CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS --