Zolak’s Top 5 list of memorable Patriots AFC Championship Games

It is championship weekend in the NFL as the Ravens will host the Chiefs in the AFC and the 49ers welcome the Lions to San Francisco on the NFC side. And while it was only 2018, it feels like a million years since the Patriots were in the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots have appeared in 15 conference championship games in franchise history while amassing a record of 11-4. Our own Scott Zolak has been a part of many of them as either a play or broadcaster. In Friday's edition of "ZOverdrive" on Zolak & Bertrand, Zo recounted some of his favorites throughout his time around the Pats. With that, Zo presents his own personal top-five list of favorite AFC Championship games in the last 30 years.

Zo was the sideline analyst in this game as the Patriots defeated the Ravens before ultimately falling to the Giants in the Super Bowl, but we will always remember this as the Billy Cundiff "he hooked it!" game.

Tom Brady was vintage Brady in this game, passing for 384 yards and three touchdowns passes, including two to Chris Hogan. This playoff run became even more memorable two weeks later when the Patriots completed the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history to take down the Atlanta Falcons after being down 28-3.

In what would later be known as the Brady "flu game", the Patriots put Ben Roethlisberger and the rival Steelers in their place. This one was capped by a memorable Brady-to-Branch touchdown pass. The Patriots would go on to beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

The only championship game that Zo was a part of as a player, the Patriots defense smothered Mark Brunell and the Jaguars.  The Patriots would go on to lose to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl two weeks later.

Tom Brady's last AFC Championship Game was also his most memorable in Zo's eyes. This battle between Brady and Mahomes was decided in overtime on a Rex Burkhead touchdown that capped off a classic TB12 drive. This run would end with their sixth championship against the Rams two weeks later.

Greg Bedard of BostonSportsJournal.com joined the Felger & Mazz program on Tuesday, as he does every week to discuss the Patriots and the NFL games from the past week. While on, Greg Bedard did his weekly “3 Up & 3 Down” segment on the program following Divisional weekend of the 2023 NFL season…..

But before the 3 up and 3 down, here are some notes from Divisional weekend courtesy of NFL.com...

The home teams during divisional weekend went 3-1. The San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Baltimore Ravens all won, while the Buffalo Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs at home.

With their win over the Bills, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are now 3-0 against the Bills in the playoffs with Mahomes as the starting quarterback.

The Baltimore Ravens were the only team to win by more than one score over Divisional weekend. The Ravens took down the Houston Texans 34-10.

With their win, the Chiefs have now advanced to the AFC Championship game for the sixth consecutive season. This will be the first of those six games that the Chiefs are not hosting the game.

The San Francisco 49ers are headed to their third consecutive NFC Championship game. The 49ers were unsuccessful in their previous two attempts with losses to the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield led all quarterbacks in passing yards with 349 passing yards. Unfortunately for Mayfield it was in a 31-23 loss to the Lions.

Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones led all rushers in rush yards with 108 rushing yards in divisional weekend. Much like Mayfield, it was in a losing effort for Jones and the Packers.

The Ravens and Chiefs will kick off first on Championship weekend with a 3 PM start in Baltimore in the AFC Championship game. The 49ers and Lions will get underway at 6:30 PM in the NFC Championship game.

Greg Bedard: He just about played a perfect game. I mean, he's ridiculous at this point. And to watch what they're doing with this version of the Chiefs, it reminds me very much of the Patriots, especially their last Super Bowl run. The quarterback, the team, they're just so mentally tough. It's unbelievable.

Greg Bedard: I thought he was outstanding. Eight quarterback pressures, a sack, two hits, five hurries in the game. I was a little bit leery of him being the number two overall pick, but I think he's been outstanding for that team. T.

Greg Bedard: The 49ers linebackers, Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner. They're absurd. They're so fast sideline to sideline and so physical. It takes a toll as the game goes on. I thought they were outstanding.

Greg Bedard: From his defense he got outfoxed by the Chiefs. The Chiefs went to three tight ends, now I understand the Bills have personnel issues, they have a lot of injuries and they've got A.J. Klein off the couch playing linebacker, but to me the Chiefs on both sides of the ball, whether it was Spagnuolo on defense or Reoid on offense, I thought they completely owned the Bills in the second half. The panic fake punt call, what he's done with the offense, the firing of the offensive coordinator, like all that stuff, I just don't think McDermott's good enough for Buffalo.

Greg Bedard: Ed Oliver, the Bills defensive tackle who they gave a contract extension and are paying $17 million annually now,and the Bills got completely owned up front and Oliver you didn't hear from him the whole game. Like if he doesn't impact the game, if he's not thier Chris Jones, which he obviously isn't, they have no chance in a game like that.

Greg Bedard: Denzel Perryman, the Texans middle linebacker. I liked him in Vegas in that defense, but he got spun like a top in that game. He had no clue what was going on.