Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today for Conference Championship Games (Bet on Favorites to Win and Cover)

The wait is finally over, and Championship Sunday is finally here! We have a couple of fascinating matchups to watch and bet on today, and when the final whistle blows, we'll know which two teams will be facing off in the Super Bowl.

Three of the four potential Super Bowl pairings would be rematches of past Super Bowls. The only matchup that hasn't happened before in Super Bowl history would be the Denver Broncos vs. the Los Angeles Rams, which would require both underdogs to win today.

Let's dive into my best bet for the side and total in each game.

Best NFL Bets for Today's Conference Championships

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Patriots -4.5 (-108) vs. Broncos
Patriots/Broncos UNDER 42.5 (-105)
Seahawks -2.5 (-106) vs. Rams
Rams/Seahawks OVER 46.5 (-115)

Patriots -4.5 (-108) vs. Broncos

There are plenty of smart people out there who think setting the Patriots as 5-point favorites is too big a reaction to the Bo Nix injury news. A lot of Nix's metrics didn't pop off the page, so is a 7-point swing justified with a capable Jarrett Stidham playing instead? I think it is, but it's not just because of the change at quarterback. There is something to be said about Nix's ability to be clutch and come up with plays in big moments, something Stidham doesn't have, but I'm backing New England more so because of what I've seen from the Patriots lately.

The New England defense may have figured something out. The argument against them heading into the postseason was that their defense was one of the worst in the NFL, but they completely shut down both the Chargers and Texans. Not only keeping them from scoring, but finding ways to force turnovers. In fact, they've allowed just 3.4 yards per carry in their past three games, the lowest in the NFL.

We already know the Patriots have a significant advantage offensively, and even moreso with Nix out, but if the New England defense can continue its momentum, there's a chance the Patriots run away with this one.

Patriots/Broncos UNDER 42.5 (-105)

There's no denying the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but I also think the Patriots' defense is extremely underrated. They got healthy in the final stretch of the season and have looked phenomenal in the playoffs. There's a strong chance they could cause Jarrett Stidham some major fits today.

On top of that, Drake Maye struggled against the Texans' defense last week. Now, he has to hit the road to play against another elite defense, but this time the game is in Denver. That could lead to another subpar performance by Maye.

The UNDER may just be the bet to make in this game.

Seahawks -2.5 (-106) vs. Rams

This game is a matchup between the top two teams in DVOA, and just three points separated them in both previous meetings, with each team winning once. For the rubber match, I'm going to lay the 2.5 points on the Seahawks.

We haven't seen the Rams at their best since their Week 15 win against the Lions. In fact, they finished the season on a 3-3 run with losses to the likes of the Panthers and Falcons. They also barely scraped both the Panthers and Bears in the first two rounds of the playoffs, teams that are far less talented than the Rams. They were outgained by Chicago, 5.1 yards per play to 4.4 yards per play.

Dating back to Week 13, the Rams' defense has ranked just 18th in opponent yards per play.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks have won eight straight games and looked as impressive as ever in the divisional round against the 49ers. Their defense leads the NFL in opponent EPA per play and is second in opponent success rate since Week 13.

Keep an eye on special teams, an area in which the Seahawks have a huge advantage over the Rams. They rank second in special teams DVOA, while the Rams rank 26th. If you don't think it matters, just remember the last time these two teams met when a punt return touchdown by the Seahawks sparked their comeback, resulting in a win.

The Seahawks have the momentum, the home-field advantage, and the better special teams. Give me Seattle to cover.

Rams/Seahawks OVER 46.5 (-115)

The Los Angeles Rams' offense may have struggled in the first two weeks of the postseason, but it's worth noting they put up 37 points behind 457 yards by Matthew Stafford against this Seahawks defense in their most recent matchup, all without Davante Adams.

If we see anything similar to that game, we're going to see the total go OVER in this one.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!