GREEN BAY – The NFC Championship Game is set: The Green Bay Packers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a trip to Super Bowl LV at stake.
The conference title game will kick off at 2:05 p.m. CT next Sunday, Jan. 24, at Lambeau Field. The current long-range forecast for Green Bay is a high of 25 degrees with a chance of snow.
The Buccaneers advanced by virtue of their 30-20 win over the Saints in the divisional round Sunday. The Packers, who entered the NFC playoffs with the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage, beat the Rams on Saturday, 32-18.
Green Bay and Tampa Bay have met once previously in the postseason, back in the 1997 NFC Divisional round at Lambeau Field. The Packers won that game on their way to Super Bowl XXXII.
It's the first time in 13 years the Packers will host the NFC Championship. Green Bay has reached this stage for the fourth time in the last seven seasons but has not reached a Super Bowl in a decade.
The Buccaneers have not advanced this far in the postseason since winning the Super Bowl 18 years ago.
As for the matchup of future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, this will mark their fourth all-time meeting and second this season. The Packers and Rodgers beat Brady and the Patriots at Lambeau Field in 2014. Brady won at New England in 2018 and at Tampa Bay earlier this season.
Brady, a six-time Super Bowl winner with New England, will be playing in his 14th career conference title game and first in the NFC.
The Week 6 meeting between the Packers and Buccaneers was Green Bay's first loss of the season after a 4-0 start and one of just three losses on the year. The 38-10 decision was the only time the Packers, who own the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL, were held under 22 points.
