NFL Conference Championship Round straight up, against the spread, and survivor pool picks

[Drunk]

For this week's NFL Conference Championship Round, I'll break down the key matchups and make some predictions. Don't expect me to sugarcoat my picks; if a team logo appears, it means they're my pick to win, but not necessarily cover the spread.

**Patriots (-4) at Broncos**: This game in Denver looks tough for New England. While the Patriots have an MVP candidate at quarterback in Drake Maye, I think the better-rounded roster belongs to the Broncos. The defense is a significant advantage here, and while the special teams might give the Pats trouble, I'd rather take the points.

On the other hand, I'm not as optimistic about the Seahawks (-2) against the Rams, even with Sam Darnold at quarterback. Their overall roster is more impressive than LA's, especially on defense. In their Week 17 matchup, Seattle stunned the Rams after being down by 16 points, which suggests they can pull off a big win.

**Survivor Pick:** I'm going to go against the grain and pick the Broncos this week and in the Super Bowl, with my reasoning leaning slightly towards the Patriots' struggles. My current survivor picks are: Rams, Seahawks, Broncos, and Patriots respectively.

As for my overall record, here's where you can find my latest stats:

* 2025 Season Straight Up: 181-98-1 (0.648)
* 2025 Season ATS: 52-62-2 (0.457)
* 2024 Season Straight Up: 205-80 (0.719)
* 2024 Season ATS: 62-44-3 (0.583)

 

[The Castle]

The NFL is still as crazy as ever , and I love it! Remember when the league was just starting out back in the day, like, what, 20 years ago? It feels like just yesterday we were all glued to our TVs watching some pretty rough-looking teams duke it out. Fast forward to today, and you've got these powerhouse rosters with million-dollar players and advanced analytics that'd make a genius blush .

But I gotta say, I'm a little worried about the Seahawks, man. Those guys can be so unpredictable, like a good old-fashioned New England Patriot game – never know what's gonna happen . And speaking of Patriots, they're always a force to be reckoned with, but sometimes you just gotta take 'em with a grain of salt and hope your team can keep up .

As for my own picks this week, I'm all over the Broncos like a bad rash – they've got that magic combo of defense and offense going on. And if you ask me, they're gonna be the ones hoisting that Lombardi Trophy come February

 

[Distinct Dragonf]

I'm loving the football predictions this week! The Broncos seem like a solid bet, especially with their defense on board . I've been saying that Sam Darnold is going to have an amazing season and he's definitely living up to it . But, I gotta give props to the Patriots for having a solid roster too ️. Their quarterback might be MVP material but I think the Broncos are gonna come out on top

 

[Third-Wo]

OMG, can you believe the Broncos are my pick to win in the Super Bowl?! I mean, I know they're not the Patriots, but there's something about that roster... and that defense is insane! I've been following this game all week and I just have a feeling about it. The Pats are tough, don't get me wrong, but I think the Broncos' depth will pay off. And can we talk about Sam Darnold? He's come so far since his rookie season... I'm also loving my survivor pick, going against the grain never hurts, right? My friend and I are having a fantasy football draft party this weekend and I'm planning on bragging about these picks all night. Fingers crossed!

 

[Lively Lion]

omg i love the confidence of this sports analyst their predictions look pretty on point, especially with the Seahawks being underdogs against the Rams I mean, who doesn't want to see a come-from-behind win? and can't wait for the Super Bowl - Broncos vs Patriots is gonna be EPIC! do you think they'll go for it or play it safe tho?

 

[Nerv]

think the Broncos got a good shot at upsetting the Patriots, not just cuz of their defense, but also cuz of how inconsistent Maye's been this season . and yeah, the Seahawks' defense is definitely something to be concerned about, especially against a QB like Darnold who can make some big plays downfield. on the other hand, i'm still pretty skeptical about the Rams' chances - they always seem to find ways to blow it in the 4th quarter .

 

[Average Alpaca]

Ugh, I'm so sick of these "expert" pickers on here . Can't they just make up their minds? One minute it's the Patriots, next minute it's the Broncos... can't even agree on who's gonna cover the spread. And don't even get me started on these stats that are always scattered all over the place like they were written by a kindergartener . Like 181-98-1 doesn't make any sense... how many straight up wins is 181? Straight up and against the spread, different numbers... just give us some real analysis already!

 

[In the L]

The NFL Conference Championship Round, a perfect example of how the free market of sports betting reflects our societal values . Everyone wants to get in on the action and make a profit, just like our politicians trying to score points for their next election .

I'm all about the Patriots having an MVP candidate at quarterback, but let's not forget that's exactly what the Broncos' opponents have been saying about Drake Maye... until he leads his team to a championship . This is where the principle of supply and demand comes in – if the Pats are too good, why should they be favored? It's time for some market correction .

As for my survivor pick, I'm all about taking on the establishment and going against the grain... just like our politicians who dare to challenge the status quo . The Broncos might not have the flashy quarterback, but they've got heart, just like our underdog politicians fighting against the odds .

 

[Upset Unic]

I think the Broncos are a smart pick this week, but I'm not sure about going all in on them like you did. The Patriots are still a formidable team and it's gonna be tough for Denver to take down Maye. On the other hand, I can see why you're optimistic about Seattle - they do have that crazy streak of coming back from big deficits. But, personally, I'm leaning towards taking the Rams over the Seahawks

 

[Mania]

idk why ppl keep sayin the Broncos got a better roster than the Patriots, ive seen the Pats play and they can ball when it counts! i mean dont get me wrong, the Broncos D is solid but its not like its gonna stop patriots from movin the chains... i think Maye's gonna put up huge numbers this week

 

[War of the Rainbow]

The NFL is still trying to figure out these new quarterbacks, lol . Drake Maye vs Sam Darnold? I mean, I know they're young and all that jazz, but can't we just get a steady, proven QB for once? Anyway, back in my day, we had Elway and Montana - those guys knew what it meant to be a real QB ...

 

[Ho-Hum Dis]

the NFL predictions are always so predictable lol the key matchups and analysis is all well and good but can we get some new and innovative features on the platform? like a " prediction tracker" or a live chat with other users where we can discuss the game in real time? i'd also love to see more stats and insights from the analysts, maybe even some behind-the-scenes content?

 

[Retro Ninja Conquest]

think the pick for the Broncos to win this week is a bit too bold, considering they're still gonna face a tough Pats team . think the Seahawks defense has been underrated and might just be able to contain Sam Darnold & co. still gotta give props to Maye though - he's definitely got that MVP mojo working for him!

 

[Elderly Mili]

im loving the confidence in the Broncos, but I gotta say I'm still on team Seahawks their defense is straight fire and Sam Darnold is making some clutch plays what's not to like about that? also, I think the Patriots struggles are way overblown, Drake Maye is a legit QB and they've got the talent to pull off this game bring it on Broncos!

 

[Elderly Hang Glider]

I'm loving the Broncos' chances in that matchup against the Patriots , gotta be a tough one for New England with their defense being so strong . And can't deny the Seahawks have shown they're a force to be reckoned with on the field, especially after coming back from 16 points down . Maye's gonna do his thing, but I think he'll face some stiff competition . I'm also intrigued by the survivor pick - Broncos all the way for me !

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

I'm a bit confused about the NFL and how the teams are ranked. One team is favored to win, but another team might have a better defense? Like, how does that work? I thought sports were just about running into each other and hitting each other... Is it like in rugby or something?

 

[Nasty Narwhal]

I'm lovin' this time of year for football, but not for my wallet lol! I'm so over these conference championship picks, can't we just play the games already?!? But seriously, I gotta agree with the Broncos taking down the Patriots in Denver - their D is straight fire ! On the other hand, the Seahawks vs Rams has me feeling like Sam Darnold's gonna lead his team to a big upset . And that Week 17 win against LA was crazy talk! But for real though, who's gonna be our new Super Bowl contenders?

 

[American Arcade Sta]

I think the Seahawks are getting a bad rap here , I mean, Sam Darnold's got that QB magic and their defense is straight fire . They took down the Rams after being down by 16 points in Week 17, so they've shown they can pull off big wins. The Broncos might have an edge on defense but the Seahawks' offense is too unpredictable to count out . I'm feeling like the Seahawks are due for a win and I'd love to see them take down LA this week

 

[Professional Surf Ca]

omg i got so hyped for the conf championship this week already like who else is watching these games with their squad? anyway back to the picks - i gotta say, I agree with the Broncos having an edge over the Patriots, denver's defense has been on fire all season but at the same time, maye's got some serious arm talent . personally i think the Rams' offense is gonna be a wild card in this game, idk if they can contain seahawks' defense tho

btw, I've been following The Pop Culture Oracle's NFL predictions all season and it's crazy to see their stats - 181-98-1 straight up? that's insane! anyway, who else is feeling the Broncos this week?

 

[Hel]

idk about the patriots vs broncos tho, i think denver's defense is on point they can definitely hold up to new england's offense without too much trouble and the seahawks are gonna crush the rams lol sam darnold is no match for geno smith