Playoff football doesn’t leave room for sloppiness, and neither should a playoff column. Last week gave us tight games, hard lessons, and a reminder that January rewards execution, not assumptions.
So before looking ahead, here’s the clean, corrected look at how last week played out.
Last Week’s Picks — Final and Accurate
- Patriots over Texans — ✔️
New England stayed patient, stayed disciplined, and finished. That’s what they do. - Bills over Broncos — ❌
Buffalo had chances and didn’t close. That’s the difference this time of year. - Rams over Bears — ✔️
Close game, late execution, Rams found a way. - San Fran over Seahawks advance — ❌
Seattle earned it. Physical, composed, and finished when it mattered.
That’s playoff football. You don’t hide from the misses — you learn from them.
Now we’re down to two games.
Conference Championship Sunday
Sunday, Jan. 25
AFC Championship
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
3:00 p.m. — CBS
This game changed the moment Denver lost their starting quarterback. There’s no way around that.
Denver’s defense is legit. Home field and altitude matter. But asking a backup quarterback to beat a Patriots team that thrives on discipline, patience, and exploiting mistakes is a tall order.
Key to the game:
Can Denver protect the football and keep this close into the fourth quarter?
Tony’s Pick: Patriots win
New England doesn’t need to dominate — they just need to stay clean.
NFC Championship
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
6:30 p.m. — FOX
Seattle at home in January is different.
The Rams have talent and momentum, but Seattle’s environment, experience, and ability to close games late give them the edge. They didn’t sneak into this spot — they earned it.
Key to the game:
Who controls the line of scrimmage and avoids the one mistake that flips momentum.
Tony’s Pick: Seahawks win
Home field, composure, and late execution decide it.
Big Picture
This is the football Saints fans are watching for a reason.
Not flashy.
Not perfect.
Just disciplined, physical, and composed when everything’s on the line.
Championship Sunday doesn’t forgive mistakes.
It rewards teams that know exactly who they are.
We’ll see who punches their ticket.
Who Dat.
— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank
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