Who Will Be In The Super Bowl?

Bleary-eyed from those NFL doubleheaders of the last two weeks? Relax. They’re over. You need only devote Sunday to the pair of games that will decide which teams compete in Super Bowl LII two weeks hence in Minneapolis.

In the AFC title bout, the Jacksonville Jaguars (12-6) travel to Foxborough, Mass., to play the New England Patriots (14-3) at 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday on CBS. Jacksonville’s pass rush is exactly the sort of thing that gives Pats QB Tom Brady fits, so the challenge for New England is keeping Brady clean in the pocket. And the Pats must control the Jags’ potent running game. Pick: Patriots.

The NFC contest has the Minnesota Vikings (13-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (14-3). Anyone who would have predicted that Case Keenum or Nick Foles would be the quarterback in the Super Bowl (possibly against Blake Bortles) is either psychic or psychotic. Both teams are very sturdy defensively. Fox shows this at 6:40 p.m. Pick: Vikings.

Another option on Sunday, if one should need a look at sunshine and balmy climes, is the final round (3-7 p.m., Golf Channel) of the CareerBuilder Challenge from LaQuinta, California. The PGA Tour has hit its California swing after a stay in Hawaii and we’re only a few weeks from the Genesis Open, where Tiger Woods is expected to make his return.

If there’s football hunger on Saturday, get a look at some of the future NFL standouts at the East-West Shrine Game from St. Petersburg, Florida. Kickoff is at 3:07 p.m. ET on the NFL Network. Iowa State’s versatile Joel Lanning, who plays quarterback and linebacker, suits up for the West. Vanderbilt running back Ralph Webb is worth a peek on the East side.

College hoops? Sure. Saturday afternoon gives us a matchup of ranked teams in No. 11 Xavier at No. 19 Seton Hall at 2:30 on Fox. At 6 p.m. you’ve got a pretty fair Big 12 clash of Baylor and No. 10 Kansas on ESPN.

Very eclectic Weekend TV Six-Pack. May your heiner and your recliner live as one.

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