NFL conference championships preview

Bob LeGere breaks down the matchups

San Diego (13-5) at New England (17-0)

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

Line: Patriots by 14

Last meeting: Patriots won 38-14 at home on Sept. 16, 2007.

Charger to watch: Six-foot-5, 241-pound WR Vincent Jackson. He wasn't much to watch in the regular season with 41 catches for 623 yards, but with TE Antonio Gates (toe) hobbled in the postseason, Jackson has stepped up by scoring in each of the two games and coming up with 12 catches for 207 yards.

Patriot to watch: Believe it or not, RB Laurence Maroney. He was an afterthought most of the season but has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of his last four games, including 122 yards on 22 carries last week for a 5.5-yard average. He also has 5 TDs the last four games.

Key stats: Chargers backup RB Michael Turner had just 71 regular-season carries, but he had a season-high 17 attempts last week (for 71 yards) after LaDainian Tomlinson, who is questionable this week, went out with a sprained knee. … Patriots WR Wes Welker tied for the NFL regular-season lead with 112 catches and has 20 receptions in his last two games but for just 176 yards. … Chargers backup QB Billy Volek completed 3 of 10 passes for 6 yards the entire regular season but led the game-winning drive Sunday in relief of injured Phillip Rivers, who is questionable this week (knee).

Local angle: Chargers P Mike Scifres attended Western Illinois, the only school to offer him a scholarship. That came on a recommendation by family friend Dan Neal, who played center for the Bears for nine seasons (1975-83) and later coached at WIU.

Key matchup: Chargers 6-foot-2 CB Antonio Cromartie, a Pro Bowl pick this year, vs. Patriots 6-4 WR Randy Moss, also a Pro Bowler, who led the NFL with 23 TD catches and was second with 1,493 yards. Moss had 8 catches for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns vs. the Chargers in Week 2, but Cromartie, who led the NFL with 10 interceptions, didn't become a starter this season until the ninth game.

Did you know? The Chargers were 5-5 at one point, but 3 of those losses were to the 16-0 Patriots, the 13-3 Green Bay Packers and the 11-5 Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bob LeGere's pick: Patriots 33, Chargers 23

New York Giants (12-6) at Green Bay (14-3)

When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday

Line: Packers by 7

Last meeting: Packers won 35-13 at Giants Stadium on Sept. 16, 2007.

Giant to watch: With TE Jeremy Shockey on injured reserve and Plaxico Burress still bothered by a sprained ankle, 33-year-old WR Amani Toomer has emerged as a key weapon in the postseason, catching 3 TD passes, including 2 Sunday, and 11 overall for 154 yards.

Packer to watch: In just the last 11 games, RB Ryan Grant has rushed for 1,130 yards on 209 carries (5.4 average), including 201 yards last week and 3 touchdowns.

Key stats: Giants QB Eli Manning turned the ball over 26 times in his first 15 games, but in his last three has 8 TD passes, just 1 interception and has completed 70.1 percent of his passes. … Packers DLE Aaron Kampman had 12 sacks in the regular season but has just 1 in his last seven games.

Local angle: Giants OLT David Diehl is an Oak Lawn native who attended Brother Rice High School and played for Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner when he was the head coach at Illinois. Diehl has started 80 straight regular-season games since being drafted in the fifth round in 2003. OLG Rich Seubert, who lines up next to Diehl, is from Western Illinois.

Key matchup: Packers 30-something CBs Al Harris and Charles Woodson vs. Giants WRs Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress. Harris made the Pro Bowl this season, but many observers believe Woodson had an even better season. Burress had 70 catches for 1,025 yards and 12 TDs in the regular season, but in his last five games has just 168 yards on 13 catches.

Did you know? Giants king-size RB Brandon Jacobs (6-4, 264 pounds) transferred to Southern Illinois after having to share time at Auburn with future first-round draft picks Cadillac Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins). Jacobs wasn't picked until the fourth round by the Giants in 2005, but he rushed for 1,009 yards this season. Brown and Williams both suffered season-ending knee injuries in 2007. Brown had 602 yards in the first seven games, while Williams had 208 yards in the first four games.

Bob LeGere's pick: Packers 27, Giants 16

LeGere's selections last week: 2-2 straight up; 2-2 vs. the spread

LeGere on the season: 168-95 straight up; 117-136-10 vs. the spread