This is Championship Sunday in the NFL, down to the final four, and with that, comes all of the possible Super Bowl matchups, and all of the matchups this year look intriguing, with the Colts and Peyton Manning going up against either his dad's adopted hometown, or having an epic QB showdown against Favre and the Vikes. Then, have New York facing Favre and his old team, or the Jets versus the Saints and two wretched franchises trying to win their first or second Super Bowls, second for the Jets, first for the Saints. Here's hoping that these games are close though, as each of the first two weekends have had 3 blowouts and then a close game for the final one, we all hope for 2 close games this weekend.
AFC Championship: New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts
A "rematch" from week 16, where the Colts, already locked up with the nuymber 1 seed, rested their starters and allowed the Jets to come back and win 29-15. The Jets scored 19 unanswered points after the J.V. squad came in for the Colts. Through the first 40 minutes the Jets kept it close, but not quite close enough. The Colts and rookie head coach Jim Caldwell may regret his decision to rest his starters. As now the Jets are on a roll, throroughly beating the Bengals into submission, then getting lucky against the Chargers when Nate Kaeding missed 2 very makeable field goals, and now facing the favored team in the AFC.
The key to the Jets success hasn't been their running game, or their defense, but Mark Sanchez. Now, you may be asking how Sanchez has been the key to the Jets success when Sanchez has passed for 282 yards and 2 TDs in both games combined. The thing missing from those two games is 0 INTs. Sanchez has been managing the game beautifully, letting the running game set up short passes and throwing a few deep balls to keep opposing defenses honest, and not letting them crowd the pass. Of course, the pass is a very small part of the offense, with that top ranked running game of Thomas Jones and the dynamic rookie Shonn Greene averaging 169 yards a game. Then, of course you've got Darelle Revis basically taking out the top receiver in each game, it's going to be hard for Manning to get it to Reggie Wayne, but he's first going to have to decipher the Jets different schemes and looks.
However, Manning is also a student of the game, and has matured significantly since his first appearance in the playoffs waaaaaaaayy back in the previous century, ok 1999, but it still works. He has figured out defenses, and completely demolished Baltimore's defense last week.
Manning torched the Ravens with 248 yards, and he got complemented by the defense, which forced four turnovers, which turned into a few points. The Ravens also helped the Colts by shooting themselves in the foot time after time. The Colts need to develop a running game as well against Revis, because he and the different schemes will force the Colts to get more than 45 yards on the ground. Manning was fine during the 1st meeting, but it's going to be one heckuva game, and to see how Manning fares the second time around. My feeling is that the Jets are just too confident right now, and they just seem destined to win.
Go with the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!!!!!!!!!!!! 19-17
NFC Championship Game: New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Superdome has hosted some historic events through the years, Super Bowls, BCS Narional title games, the Pope, preseason baseball, the Republican National Convention, Katrina victims, and other conventions, but never an NFC championship game, but that's also because the Saints were also known to most as the Ain'ts for many years because they were so horrible. Now, the Superdome gets to host that elusive NFC championship game, and maybe they may be the home of the NFC Champions, but for that to happen, the Saints must have two things to happen: for Reggie Bush to run with purpose again, and for them to stop Adrian Peterson. Granted Peterson hasn't really been the same back this season, as he hasn't had a 100 yard game in 8 games. But, Peterson could break out here, as the Saints have one of the worst running defenses in the league. To tell you how bad they are, they let Steven Jackson and the Rams vaunted O-line run for over 100 yards. Peterson and Bush could be the X-factors in this game, as Favre has been throwing a lot more, which helped with the Vikings losing 3 of their last 5 games. While Bush will need to complement Brees and the passing game with Colston, Meachem, Henderson, and Shockey leading the way.
Another thing which should be interesting to watch is Darren Sharper versus Sidney Rice and Favre, as Sharper and Favre were teammates in Green Bay, and then Sharper got traded to New Orleans from Minnesota in the offseason. Sharper was also second in the NFL in interceptions throughout the season. I think Sharper will pick off Favre once this game and return in for a TD.
Finally, the Saints will be playing at home, and the city is united around this team, and they will have a huge home field advantage playing in this stadium and this game.
This will be the blowout game: New Orleans 38, Minnesota 23
Next Week: reviewing my midseason picks, along with analysis of why the NFL moved the Pro Bowl this should be fun.
Oh come on PJ! Mark Sanchez is the key? You're the first person I have heard say that. Given, I barely watch football but I listen to ESPN radio. Everyone there has said the key is the defense holds teams, the running game goes well so Sanchez has no pressure and only has to throw 10 times a game. Would you say Flacco was the key for the Ravens last year? When the finally fell behind in a game in the playoffs and he actually had to do something, he three 3 INTs! I suspect if the Colts get ahead and Sanchez has to throw, he'll be awful.
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