As we near the Conference Championship weekend, I'm going to give my picks and breakdown the games.
AFC Championship
Baltimore @ New England 5:30pm CT (CBS)
After a wild double OT finish, Joe Flacco and the Ravens are riding high coming into New England. Flacco hit WR Jacoby Jones on a 70 yard TD pass with about 45 seconds left in the 4th quarter. I'm not a big Flacco fan, but that was a big throw there and I give him props, although DB Rahim Moore made a huge misjudgement and let Jones go wide open. After a couple of switched possessions in OT, it came to a screeching halt as Peyton Manning mad a crucial mistake, throwing across his body and into the hands of Ravens cornerback Corey Graham. This led to the game winning FG by Justin Tucker.
So here we are. A rematch of last years AFC Title game. The Ravens are back for revenge after losing 23-20 on a missed FG last year. Does this not feel like a Hollywood film? Leader of the team announces his retirement at the end of the season, they win on a huge play in double OT, and now are getting a rare rematch in the conference title game to see if they can make it to the Super Bowl. It really could not be written any better. As always though, it's never easy when you're up against Tom Brady and the Patriots. And after routing the Texans again, 41-28, Brady and Co. do not look like they can be stopped heading into this game. The loss of Gronk hurts the Pats, but I do see them winning and ending the feel good story of Baltimore.
Prediction: Patriots 31, Ravens 21
NFC Championship
San Francisco @ Atlanta
After setting the NFL postseason record for single-game rush yards by a QB with 181 against the Green Bay Packers, Colin Kaepernick looks to continue his solid play and run past the Falcons to the Super Bowl. I have never quite seen anything like what I saw this past Saturday night. I saw one game of Kaepernick's at Nevada, when they beat Boise State on a missed FG in OT. And I will tell you, he impressed me then, and he surpassed that on Saturday. Kaepernick also got it done through the air, throwing for 263 yards, and became the third player ever with multiple touchdown passes and touchdown runs in the same playoff game. This kid is lighting up the scoreboard and the record books and with the help of Michael Crabtree, Frank Gore, and the Niner defense, who sacked Aaron Rodgers on 11 of his 43 dropbacks, could bring this team to the Super Bowl.
As for the Atlanta Falcons, they come in after barely squeaking by the Seattle Seahawks. The Falcons were in control for the majority of the game, leading by 20 points. In the 4th quarter though, the Falcons collapsed and allowed the Seahawks to actually take a one point, 28-27. After throwing two picks, Matt Ryan led the Falcons down the field and hit, of all people, Tony Gonzales to get them into FG range. And after a failed "ice" attempt by Pete Carroll, Matt Bryant hit the game winning FG, giving Ryan and Gonzalez their first ever playoff victory.
This should be a great match-up. I look for both teams to score high, with the 49ers winning.
Prediction: 49ers
AFC Championship
Baltimore @ New England 5:30pm CT (CBS)
After a wild double OT finish, Joe Flacco and the Ravens are riding high coming into New England. Flacco hit WR Jacoby Jones on a 70 yard TD pass with about 45 seconds left in the 4th quarter. I'm not a big Flacco fan, but that was a big throw there and I give him props, although DB Rahim Moore made a huge misjudgement and let Jones go wide open. After a couple of switched possessions in OT, it came to a screeching halt as Peyton Manning mad a crucial mistake, throwing across his body and into the hands of Ravens cornerback Corey Graham. This led to the game winning FG by Justin Tucker.
So here we are. A rematch of last years AFC Title game. The Ravens are back for revenge after losing 23-20 on a missed FG last year. Does this not feel like a Hollywood film? Leader of the team announces his retirement at the end of the season, they win on a huge play in double OT, and now are getting a rare rematch in the conference title game to see if they can make it to the Super Bowl. It really could not be written any better. As always though, it's never easy when you're up against Tom Brady and the Patriots. And after routing the Texans again, 41-28, Brady and Co. do not look like they can be stopped heading into this game. The loss of Gronk hurts the Pats, but I do see them winning and ending the feel good story of Baltimore.
Prediction: Patriots 31, Ravens 21
NFC Championship
San Francisco @ Atlanta
After setting the NFL postseason record for single-game rush yards by a QB with 181 against the Green Bay Packers, Colin Kaepernick looks to continue his solid play and run past the Falcons to the Super Bowl. I have never quite seen anything like what I saw this past Saturday night. I saw one game of Kaepernick's at Nevada, when they beat Boise State on a missed FG in OT. And I will tell you, he impressed me then, and he surpassed that on Saturday. Kaepernick also got it done through the air, throwing for 263 yards, and became the third player ever with multiple touchdown passes and touchdown runs in the same playoff game. This kid is lighting up the scoreboard and the record books and with the help of Michael Crabtree, Frank Gore, and the Niner defense, who sacked Aaron Rodgers on 11 of his 43 dropbacks, could bring this team to the Super Bowl.
As for the Atlanta Falcons, they come in after barely squeaking by the Seattle Seahawks. The Falcons were in control for the majority of the game, leading by 20 points. In the 4th quarter though, the Falcons collapsed and allowed the Seahawks to actually take a one point, 28-27. After throwing two picks, Matt Ryan led the Falcons down the field and hit, of all people, Tony Gonzales to get them into FG range. And after a failed "ice" attempt by Pete Carroll, Matt Bryant hit the game winning FG, giving Ryan and Gonzalez their first ever playoff victory.
This should be a great match-up. I look for both teams to score high, with the 49ers winning.
Prediction: 49ers