Weekend Sports TV Review

The New England Patriots will visit the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams will play the New Orleans Saints for the AFC and NFC bids to the Super Bowl.

The conference championship games are Sunday.

The Patriots advanced by flattening the Los Angeles Chargers 41-28 in a game not nearly as close as the final score. The Patriots scored touchdowns on each of their first four possessions and rolled up 498 yards of total offense. The Chiefs eliminated the Indianapolis Colts 31-13 on Saturday.

In the NFC, the Saints put a halt to the Philadelphia Eagles’ dream of repeating as Super Bowl champs with a gritty 20-14 comeback win. Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw an interception on the first play from scrimmage and the Eagles jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The Eagles gained 151 yards on their first two drives and 99 the rest of the game. Saints receiver Michael Thomas caught 12 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown.

The Rams advanced on Saturday night, topping the Dallas Cowboys 30-22. Rams running backs Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson each rushed for more than 100 yards against a usually tough Cowboys defense.

Golf:
Matt Kuchar picked up his eighth PGA Tour victory, winning the Sony Open in Honolulu by four strokes. He played the back nine of the final round Sunday in 5-under. It’s his second victory in three starts in the young Tour season.

College basketball:
No. 1 Duke used a last-second three-point shot on Saturday to defeat No. 9 Florida State 80-78. No. 2 Michigan topped Northwestern 80-60 on Sunday. At 17-0, Michigan is off to the best start in its history.

Elsewhere:
American John Isner lost in the first round of the Australian Open. Caleb Plant knocked down Jose Uzcaegui on his way to winning the 168-pound boxing title. Plant won a unanimous decision.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman