NFC Championship Game won't be coldest

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Today's NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field isn't likely to be the coldest ever in the NFL, but temperatures are expected to be near zero at kickoff.

The coldest game in NFL history was the 1981 AFC Championship Game, played Jan. 10, 1982, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The temperature was minus-9, and the wind chill plunged the readings to minus-59 as the Bengals beat San Diego 27-7.

Next was the Ice Bowl on Dec. 31, 1967, for the NFL title at Lambeau Field. The Packers beat Dallas 21-17 on Bart Starr's quarterback sneak in the final seconds. It was minus-13 that day and the wind-chill factor was estimated at minus-48.

Projections for today are temperatures reaching a high of 3 degrees, and the thermometer almost certainly will register below zero during what amounts to a night game. But the wind is not expected to be significant.

The forecast for today's AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots called for a temperature of 24 degrees, a wind chill of 13 and a slight chance of snow flurries.

Frontiere's death leaves Rams ownership in doubt

ST. LOUIS — Filmmaker Dale "Chip" Rosenbloom, 43, will take control of the St. Louis Rams after the death Friday of his mother, Georgia Frontiere.

Those close to Rosenbloom say he has some sense of obligation to his deceased father, Carroll, to keep the Rams franchise in the family. (When Carroll Rosenbloom drowned in a swimming accident in 1979, wife Georgia took control of the team.)

The problem is that Rosenbloom has a full career — not to mention a wife and two children — in Los Angeles. In fact, with six Rosenbloom movies released or in production in the past three years, the movie business has never been better for him.

Because of that, it may be inevitable Rosenbloom sells the team. Those who know him say he would be in no hurry to make a decision.

Notes

• The Atlanta Falcons' search for a new head coach continued to focus on defensive assistants as Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier had his first interview with the team Saturday. On Friday, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith had his second meeting with the team.

• The Jacksonville Jaguars fired pro-personnel director Charles Bailey and promoted college-scouting director Gene Smith.