2021 NFL picks, score predictions for Conference Championships
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5) at Green Bay Packers (1)
Sunday, January 24, 3:05PM ET
Aaron Rodgers will likely win the MVP award this season, but he won’t be headed to the Super Bowl. I expected this matchup in the Divisional Round, but a round later is fine. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprise the Green Bay Packers, as Tom Brady earns yet another Super Bowl berth.
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It won’t be easy getting there though. Rodgers is having one of his greatest seasons, and his wide array of offensive weapons is certainly helping. Davante Adams has been shredding secondaries all year long, and Aaron Jones is a threat to go the distance on every touch. Green Bay is going to move the ball, but the question is just how much?
Against the Tampa Bay defense, it won’t be quite enough. It’s been one of the best units on the year, and it’s going to make life miserable for Rodgers in the NFC Conference Championship. Sacks will come more often than he’s used to, and Jones will meet a brick wall as well. The Packers will manage a couple of touchdowns, but it won’t be enough.
Brady has another dazzling performance, putting Green Bay’s own defense to the test. They make a handful of stops, but the firepower of Tampa Bay’s offense is too much to handle. The Buccaneers move on as the fifth seed, while the top-seeded Packers get sent home early.
Prediction: Buccaneers win 34-23