NFL Championship Games
This is the weekend where most NFL
fans’ psyche proceed to forget which teams made it this far during the
season. I have little trouble naming the
winner and loser of every Super Bowl since 1967, but what I can’t do is name
the teams that made it to their conference’s championship games. There are a few that make it in the minds of
NFL fans, namely the 1998 Minnesota Vikings and the four NFC championship games
that the Eagles couldn’t get past in the Andy Reid era. Today, legacies will be made, past mistakes
forgotten, and new memories created.
Enjoy the games everyone!
GM 1: San
Francisco vs Atlanta
Most of the sporting world is
betting against the Atlanta Falcons this afternoon. They have a hard time getting past this
point, and Matt Ryan has yet to be known as a “playoff quarterback”. San Francisco has hit their high point, their
confidence is running high, and the quarterback switch back in November has
worked out beautifully for them. Both
teams do have a couple of ghosts to think about today, and the 49ers really
should’ve been in the super bowl last season.
Today, I think both teams want to slow down the tempo in order to keep
the other offense off the field. I
believe both teams think that the other teams quarterback is the reason they
have been successful up to this point.
Look for both teams to attempt power running games early, and then set
up play action and try to take some shots downfield. I am going to agree with the majority of NFL
experts and those casual as well, and pick the 49ers. Aldon Smith and Justin Smith will make it
difficult for Matty Ryan.
49ers by 7
GM 2: Baltimore vs New England
A back story in this matchup as
well. Going back to last year, the
Patriots probably were outplayed on their home field, but were able to have a
date in the Super Bowl thanks to the slippery hands of Lee Evans, and the
nerves of Billy Cundiff. New England is
always a difficult place to play, but Baltimore does have a bit of success
here. I also think that Tom Brady would’ve
preferred to say Peyton and the Broncos, than Joe and the Ravens. Although the Ravens appear to be emotionally
spent after last week’s overtime victory, John Harbaugh will probably have an
efficient game plan, and the team ready to go this Sunday. As opposed to the NFC matchup, where I
believe the game will be won on the field, I think this game will be decided by
the coaches and who has the better game plan.
It’s extremely difficult to bet against Bill Belicheck in this situation,
but I do think that the firing of their offensive coordinator and the opening
up of the playbook since then plays into the Ravens hands. Harbaugh gets to see his brother, and for the
first time in my life, I will have predicted the super bowl matchup prior to
the start of the season. Maybe the
reason for my pick?
Ravens by 3
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