Two Super Bowl berths are on the line this weekend in the AFC and NFC championship games.
Sunday's 2012 NFL playoff schedule follows:
Sunday at 3 p.m. (Eastern): Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
The Patriots smacked the Denver Broncos on Saturday, but outlasting the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday is expected to be considerably tougher. The Ravens boast a handful of the NFL's best defenders, and Tom Brady has gone on record to say that Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata are among the best in NFL history ever to play their respective positions. A key factor could be how the Ravens decide to cover the Patriots' twin tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who collectively wreaked havoc against Denver this past weekend.
Related: Ranking The Final Four Quarterbacks
Sunday at 6:30 (Eastern): New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers
The Giants got hot late in the regular season and continue to ride the momentum. Eli Manning has been stellar all season long and deadly in the fourth quarter, his wide receiver weapons have been dynamic and the Giants defense has regained the fierce pass rush that led New York's 2008 Super Bowl title.
The Niners are typically led by their solid defense, Frank Gore's running and Alex Smith's game management, but with the season on the line, Smith and Vernon Davis rose to the occasion to lead two late scores against the New Orleans Saints.
The SB Nation New York StoryStream will have everything you need to know leading up to the Giants-49ers matchup. Check Big Blue View to join a discussion with Giants fans. For complete coverage of the NFL playoffs you can also visit the SB Nation NFL Hub Page.