Championship Sunday Preview

We're less than 18 hours from kickoff!
As we wind down on the time leading up to this game, and the Super Bowl, here I give my preview of what I expect to see in Championship Sunday.

First, AFC Championship:
2) New England at 1) Denver
3:00 ET, CBS
I'm not one for betting lines, but I look for the altitude to be somewhat of an issue. The last time the Patriots were out in Denver in the playoffs, the Patriots lost a 27-13 decision to the Broncos, led then by Jake Plummer and the head coach then was Mike Shanahan. (The Broncos then lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship and Pittsburgh went on to win the Super Bowl).
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have both had great years, and I figure that the team that can be more balanced on offense will win the game.
Tom Brady has the experience and more Super Bowl rings than Peyton Manning. It would be fitting for Manning to win another, as he has been one of the most remarkable quarterbacks in NFL history. Nearing 38 years old, we don't know how much longer he will be playing.
As I said, the team that is more balanced on offense will win the game. But I figure both offenses to light up the scoreboard. This is a rematch of the thriller back in week 12 of this season, an overtime decision going to the Patriots.
I expect a game no different than the last one; the Patriots are finding their groove as a balanced team, and I figure the Patriots will be heading to the Super Bowl once again.
2) New England 38, 1) Denver 34

NFC Championship:
5) San Francisco at 1) Seattle
6:30 ET, FOX
12th man. This is the main difference in the game. San Francisco has 11 players on the field. So does Seattle. But this 12th man is the crowd.
Going off of that, the noise will be the biggest obstacle for the Niners to overcome. They haven't fared will in CenturyLink field lately, losing the last two decisions by an average score of 35.5 to 8 per game (42-13 in 2012, 29-3 in 2013). Russell Wilson is in a bit of a slump though, and is coming off of arguably his worst playoff game as an NFL quarterback, completing just half of his passes. He will certainly have to be better.
Kaepernick is playing well, on the other hand, for San Francisco, causing fits for defenses with his feet.
Both teams have great defenses. The strength for San Francisco is the front seven, led by the Smith duo, and linebackers Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis. Look for a lot of blitzing by Vic Fangio's defense.
Meanwhile for Seattle, the strength of their defense is the secondary, led by big Richard Sherman. He'll likely be lined up against Michael Crabtree. Both of them have great size, at 6'3" and both are physical. Sherman will jam the receiver and so Crabtree needs to find a way to get open, or somehow get a mismatch to favor Crabtree.
I think the X-factor is the Seahawks passing offense. Again, Wilson is coming off of a shaky performance, and we know how well the 49ers run the ball and stop the run. Wilson will need to make plays with his arm. Kaepernick will need to make plays with his feet. Intriguing match-up between two in-division rivals. The Seahawks play a lot better at home, and with their physical defense, and selling out to stop the run, I think the Seahawks will squeak out an old-fashioned slug-fest.
1) Seattle 20, 2) San Francisco 17 (OT)