2019 NFL playoff schedule: Patriots reach eighth straight AFC Championship Game; will visit Chiefs next Sunday

The New England Patriots have reached their eighth (!) straight AFC Championship Game after blowing out the visiting Los Angeles Chargers 41-22 in the two teams’ divisional playoff meeting. And for the second straight week, New England will meet a team from the conference’s western division: the Kansas City Chiefs, who will host next Sunday’s game due to being the number one seed in the AFC.

The Chiefs reserved the right to host the game at Arrowhead Stadium yesterday by dominating the visiting Indianapolis Colts from start to finish. Kansas City jumped to an early 17-0 lead and Indianapolis never was able to get back into the game as the Chiefs cruised to their 13th victory of the year. The team will now host its first AFC title game since 1993, against a Patriots team that flexed its muscles today.

New England played arguably its best game of the year against the Chargers and will enter its rematch with the Chiefs — the Patriots won 43-40 in week six — with plenty on momentum on its side. Safe to say that it will be an interesting AFC title game: it will take place next Sunday, January 13, at 6:40 p.m. ET and can be watched on CBS.

The NFC Championship Game will be played next Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET and feature the Los Angeles Rams: the conference’s second seed defeated the visiting Dallas Cowboys 30-22 yesterday. Where the NFC title game takes place will be decided today between the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles. If the Saints win, the championship game will take place in New Orleans — if not, L.A. will host it.