Here we are, we're down to the final four teams in the NFL season for the championship week and we couldn't have asked for two better matchups.

In the AFC, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will lock horns for the 15th time in their careers and for the fourth time in the playoffs, in which the New England Patriots man has a 10-4 lead.

Meanwhile in the NFC, two fierce rivals face off as the San Francisco 49ers travel to CenturyLink Field to play the Seattle Seahawks in what promises to be a true battle.

We'll start with the Denver Broncos' quest to reach their first Super Bowl since the 1998 season, where their now vice president of football operations John Elway won his second Vince Lombardi Trophy in a victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Manning will be looking to do the same this season, where he has recorded simply the best statistical season ever recorded by a quarterback in the history of the NFL, throwing 55 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions for 5,477 yards and with a passer rating of 115.1.

The big problem with Manning though is the post-season, where more often than not he has failed to match the standard of his regular-season form. His record is a staggering 10-11 and has come undone against the Patriots twice, in similar circumstances to this one.

In 2004, his Indianapolis Colts were flying high after he threw for a record 49 touchdowns and then blew out the Broncos in the wildcard round, but against the eventual Super Bowl winners the Patriots, he struggled throwing zero touchdowns and one interception.

Although he did get his revenge in the last playoff meeting between himself and the Patriots, he has a tough task on his hands to reach his third Super Bowl appearance.

The Broncos' passing attack has been outstanding this season, but they do face a matchup problem against New England as their cornerbacks and safeties are fairly good against the air game.

Receivers Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker face competitive battles with Aqib Talib, Alfonzo Dennard and Kyle Arrington, which may force Manning to look elsewhere as he struggled to find them in their week 12 clash earlier this season.

One player missing from that game was tight end Julius Thomas. He made several crucial catches in their divisional-round win over the San Diego Chargers, including the match-clincher on a third and 17 play.

If Manning can find him regularly and move the chains and get support from Knowshon Moreno on the ground to eke out yardage against a weak Patriots run defense the Broncos can run up the score, as they don't want this game to be tight and allow Bill Belichick's side a sniff.

The odds for the first time in seven years are against Belichick and Brady as they take on Manning and this time the Broncos in eerily similar circumstances to their clash in the '06 championship game. Brady is relying on a depleted offense similar to that of that year and a plucky defense.

The Patriots need to assert their dominance from the start and use their running game which was so influential in their win over the Indianapolis Colts with LeGarrette Blount and Stevan Ridley and keep Manning off the field, much like the Chargers did in the regular season.

If they can put points up and put some scoreboard pressure on Manning, they can put the game on his arm and in the playoffs that isn't always a given, which could give them an excellent chance to pull off a surprise win and advance to their sixth Super Bowl in 13 seasons.

Moving to the NFC now, and what a battle we have in store at CenturyLink Field. If Brady and Manning are the old guard, then Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick are the new kids on the block.

The NFC championship will come down to who can make enough plays to get the points on the board against the two best defenses in the NFL.

Kaepernick showed his credentials in the playoffs with two excellent wins over the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers this year, backing up his efforts to come within 10 yards of winning the Super Bowl last season.

However, he will need to have the performance of his career to reach MetLife Stadium going against the Seahawks, who in the two games he has played at CenturyLink have terrorised him into mistakes.

The 24-year-old needs to eliminate those desperately if his side are to have any chance to advance, but that is easier said than done against All-Pro players such as Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas.

San Fran's receivers need to win the majority of their battles, as Michael Crabtree will face off against Sherman, Anquan Boldin against Byron Maxwell and Vernon Davis against Kam Chancellor.

If they can have any sort of success against the Seahawks' secondary and are able to put at least 20 points on the board, the game will be in their favour.

Although Wilson has been excellent this season like Brady in the AFC game, his lack of weapons could cost him, as he is without wideout Percy Harvin, so much of their offense will have to go through running back Marshawn Lynch.

The 49ers will know this and will put all their efforts into stopping the run which could give Seattle all sorts of problems in scoring points.

Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate and Jermaine Kearse have to step up for their quarterback and make plays otherwise they'll be watching the Super Bowl from their homes rather than playing in it.

We're poised for fantastic Sunday of NFL action and we're promised an excellent Super Bowl matchup no matter which teams come through with the wins.