We really haven’t seen a final four like this in the NFL for a long time. Regardless of who advances this weekend, we are in for legendary games.
NFC Championship- San Francisco @ Seattle:
These two teams hate each other. Jim Harbaugh is the fiery, pen chewing young-gun who can inspire any athlete on any level. Then there’s Pete Carroll. Every failure in his previous stints in the league have been washed away with his brilliant defense and gregarious attitude. The two are so different yet so similar. Both had success in college and fled to the pros only to turn mediocrity into the class of the NFL.
A year ago, late in the season, SF was embarrassed in Seattle. You would think that game was just a loss, final score 42-13, but Harbaugh hinted that Carroll was running up the score. I thought so too. It added to the animosity. The two teams cannot play a game without a pregame scuffle. Whether it’s the Ken Chancellor hit on Vernon Davis or Colin Kaepernick’s anti-Seahawks commercial, these teams are not fond of each other. It’s just odd how alike they are.
The Niners and Seahawks both possess defenses all 30 other teams dream about in their sleep. Seattle owns the best defensive corner in the league in Richard Sherman, a possible candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. The Niners have their own d-back in Tramaine Brock, who had five picks this year. And of course Aldon Smith, when playing this season, has been exactly what he was last year, a sack machine. And yes both teams have good offenses and young, talented quarterbacks too. Heck, I think Russell Wilson could be the class of a draft that included Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck. But the hatred, anger and history is what this game is all about.
It’s going to be a grind it out game. The score won’t be too high. I like the Seahawks at home, though. 20-16
AFC Championship- New England @ Denver:
You could not script it any better. The NFL is slobbering all over this game. It’s Peyton versus Brady again.
The ragtag Patriots are almost back to yet another Super Bowl appearance. Say what you want about Bill Belichick (cheater), he’s the best coach we’ve seen in decades. He might even be the best of all-time. As long as Tom Brady is behind center, New England seems to win double digit games and head to at least the conference championship. If they make it to the Super Bowl, that’s six appearances for the two. Yeah, that’s impressive. Brady has done this season what Manning has done for years and years, a lot of success with little talent. We all knew Danny Amendola would not be able to stay on the field. I’m not sure if we all knew Aaron Hernandez might be a cold-blooded killer. Either way, most people can’t name a receiver on the Pats’ roster. But here the Patriots are again.
Then there’s Manning. If only the Colts knew what was going to happen when he left. I still maintain that if Peyton pulls out a Super Bowl in Denver and Luck can’t deliver one in his tenure, which I think he probably will, the move was a loss for Indianapolis. Sure, they made the right move. They did what they had to do. Luck will provide at least another decade of winning. But ask Peyton Manning how hard it is to win a Super Bowl. I wish Andrew all the luck in the world.
Anyways, Peyton has been surrounded by talent in Denver. Knowshon Moreno has revived his once first-round-bust status. Montee Ball spells him well. Eric Decker appears to be the future Wes Welker of the team while Welker himself has turned in another stellar performance, albeit with injuries galore. Demaryius and Julius Thomas have also become volatile weapons. The records Manning put together were done in a newly established pass-happy league. I’m not saying to take anything away from his accomplishments. But we are going to see a lot of this kind of stuff from Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and so on. Regardless, Manning needs that ring.
This game is going to come down to defense. Can the aging Champ Bailey secure the backfield without Chris Harris? Is Manning going to pick apart the defense as he did in the first half of the previous meeting between the two teams? Or will the final result be like last time- 34-41 New England?
I like the home team in this one too. It will be a high scoring affair. 30-28
As I said in the preseason, Denver and Seattle will play in the Super Bowl.
