Championship Sunday

Here we go! It seems like the season just started yesterday, but we are down to Championship Sunday already. I've had a nice streak of picking at least one conference champion in the preseason, and this August I picked Patriots vs. Packers for the Super Bowl. Now, the Pats have a chance to keep my streak alive.
The AFC will get things started at 3pmEST in New England

(2)Baltimore Ravens at (1)New England Patriots- Boy oh boy, here we go! The Ravens may be the most dangerous yet, unpredictable team left in the playoffs. They have a killer rushing game and I don't even have to mention the defense. The Patriots cannot play defense at all, and the Ravens will expose that better than the Broncos did. I know Flacco is no Brady, but with Ray Rice pounding the ball they can set up the play action pass nicely and hit Boldin in stride, if they do...forget about it. I know Brady will be looking to his big TE targets but I've heard the Ravens have a few good Linebackers, maybe you've heard of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs? I like the Ravens to go to Foxboro and beat the Patriots. Here's a tidbit...not only did Baltimore beat NE already this year BUT the Pats won 13 games and did not beat one team with a winning record. Everyone thinks the 49ers got in by beating easy teams, but its the Patriots who pulled that off and they played an 8-8 team last week. Frankly, the Pats aren't as good as you think they are and I'd be shocked if they won this game. Ravens 31-26 to advance to the Super Bowl.

(4)New York Giants at (2)San Francisco 49ers- For the 8th time in 30 years the Giants and 49ers will face off in the playoffs, and even with the Saints and Packers out early, something just feels right about this. This is like having a Cowboys/Steelers Super Bowl, like a Broncos/Browns AFC title game, these are historic playoff rivals and I love it. Its not Montana, it's not LT, its not Rice, its not Harry Carson but it works. The Giants have the obvious advantage at QB but that SF defense is scary, add to that the weather. Weather Channel says rain in San Fran from Thursday until Sunday night/Monday morning. Advantage 49ers. The cold in Green Bay doesn't bother the Giants but having wet, sloppy grass will. The 9ers can run and they stop the run very well. With those weather conditions you need to be able to run and pound and that is not how NY has been winning. They need the big play down field to win. One thing the Giants have gotten a lot better at is causing turnovers and they will try to punch that ball loose all they can. I think this game will be all defense and be a sloppy game with low scoring. San Francisco 49ers will beat the Giants 23-17 and we will have the Harbaugh Bowl in Indianapolis.

Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 46.
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