Championship Rains.
No, that's not the name of a new popular indie alt-grunge rock band from Seattle -- yet. It's the weather forecast for Sunday's NFC Championship bout between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
It rained overnight in Seattle and on-and-off showers are expected throughout the game. There is a 77 percent chance of rain at the 3:05 p.m. ET kickoff. Ninety minutes before, it was pouring rain.
NFL Media's Stacey Dales reported on NFL GameDay Morning that it has rained enough overnight in Seattle to warrant a flood warning advisory in the area.
Winds are expected to between 15 and 25 mph throughout the game with gusts up to 60 mph, per Dales.
Strong breezes will have more of an effect on the passing games than the rain. With Aaron Rodgers dealing with a gimpy calf, the quarterback could lose zip on the ball and might have trouble cutting through strong winds if he can't put his lower body into throws.
Expect both teams to lean on their running games if the rain persists and the wind howls. Even Mother Nature is providing the Seahawks some home cookin' on Sunday.
Colts-Patriots
Over in the AFC, temperatures are expected to rise slightly before the 6:40 p.m. ET kickoff and hover in the mid-40s throughout the contest between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots.
However, as NFL Media's Jeff Darlington pointed out, the forecast calls for heavy rains late in the game, which could turn the tussle ugly.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews Championship Sunday and makes our picks for each game. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
