NFC Championship Game 2014 Time, Date, Preview, Online Streaming & Predictions: Colin Kaepernick & the 49ers Hunt for Second Straight Super Bowl
- Ed Molina
- Jan 19, 2014 11:46 AM EST
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The tattooed quarterback sensation Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers are looking to go to their second straight Super Bowl appearance, with only their division rivals, the fearsome Seattle Seahawks (13-3) - who beat them out for the NFC West title this season - standing in their way Sunday in the 2014 NFC Championship Game.
The 49ers (12-4), on eight-game win streak going into Sunday night's game and playing in their third straight NFC Championship game, entered the postseason as a wild-card, going on the road to defeat both the Green Bay Packers under frigid conditions and Carolina Panthers.
"We're the two teams that everybody was looking at from the beginning," said Kaepernick. "It's going to be a knockout drag-out game. We're ready to go."
Kaepernick is 4-1 in the postseason, compiling a 92.7 passer rating, throwing six touchdowns and three interceptions in those five games while rushing for 377 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 9.4 yards-per-carry.
Kaepernick went 16-for-30 against the Packers, attacking Green Bay's defense both by land and air, throwing for 227 yards - including completing eight passes to WR Michael Crabtree for 125 yards and a 28-yard touchdown pass to TE Vernon Davis, rushing for another 91 yards. Against the Carolina Panthers, Kaepernick completed 15-of-28 passes for 196 yards, throwing for a touchdown and rushing for another score, defeating the Panthers 20-10 in their NFC Playoff Divisional game.
San Francisco's defense played tough, allowing 15.5 points and 304.9 yards per game over the past eight weeks, keeping QB Cam Newton and the Panthers' offense scoreless in the second half last weekend.
San Francisco faces a tough challenge, traveling to Seattle to face a Seahawks team that is 16-1 at home, sporting a six-game playoff win streak at home. Seattle's "12th Man" makes CenturyLink Field one of the more hostile and loudest road-games in the league, with Seahawks fans producing a large amount of noise that gave the New Orleans Saints problems with communicating plays on the offensive end, giving a distinct advantage to the Seahawks' "Temple of Boom" defense.
The Seahawks top-ranked defense has held teams to a league best 14.4 points per game and 273.6 yards per game, shutting down the Saints in last week's NFL Divisional playoff game. Seahawks CB Richard Sherman leads the league in interceptions with eight picks, including four over the last three games.
Seattle's offense did struggle against the Saints, despite a strong start in the first half. Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns - including a 31-yard score late in the fourth quarter to put the game away, but QB Russell Wilson went just 9-of-18 for 103 yard with no touchdowns throughout the day.
Prediction: The 49ers are on a hot roll, having overcome Green Bay's sub-zero weather in their NFC Wild Card game. The 49ers are a completely different team than the one Seattle beat in Week 2 at CenturyLink Field with WR Michael Crabtree back in the lineup; Crabtree has 30 receptions for 435 yards with a touchdown after coming back from an Achilles injury.
Seattle's Lynch lives up to his "Beast Mode" nickname in the playoffs, averaging 5.2 carries per game and five touchdowns in five postseason games, including rushing for over 130 yards in three of those games. While Wilson is still trying to find his touch in the playoffs, he plays well against the 49ers, having compiled a 101.4 passer rating and throwing for five touchdowns and two interceptions at home against the 49ers. Seattle's defensive unit saved the day against the Saints, and their defensive back unit are up to the task of stifling Crabtree, WR Anquan Boldin, and TE Vernon Davis, while the Seahawks' offense should be able to pound the ball with their running game to advance to the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium.
Television
You can catch the San Francisco 49ers-Seattle Seahawks NFC Championship Sunday, 6:30 p.m. EST on Fox.
Live Stream (online)
Live stream coverage can be seen on NFL RedZone.
Live Stream (Radio)
Live stream coverage can be heard on NFL Audio Pass and Sirius XM Radio.
Live Score
Live scores could be followed by clicking here.
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