Conference Championship weekend is finally here and only four teams remain - all battling to punch their tickets to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara. In the AFC Championship, it’s the Patriots hitting the road to take on the Broncos. New England comes in riding a breakthrough season under Mike Vrabel, with an opportunistic defence and MVP-calibre plays from Drake Maye guiding them through a 28-16 win over the Texans in the Divisional Round. Denver, meanwhile, survived a thriller against the Bills - but at a cost, as starter Bo Nix suffered a season-ending injury meaning backup Jarrett Stidham now gets the call in the biggest game of his career. No passes, no experience, all pressure. Is Stidham up to the task? Or will his season-debut as a starter be a disaster? The second game on Championship Sunday sees the battle for the NFC with the Seahawks taking on the Los Angeles Rams for a third time this season. Seattle dominated the 49ers in their last game and boast one of the league’s toughest defences, while the Rams advanced thanks to a dramatic overtime win over the Bears and bring explosive playmakers like Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua to the spotlight. As divisional rivals with 3 points between both meetings this season, this one could come down to the wire in front of a raucous crowd at Lumen Field.

We break down the keys to victory, X-factors to watch, and what these outcomes mean as the road to the Super Bowl begins in today’s episode!