BLOG: Texas Two Step - Who's Going To The Big Game
I'm going to Dallas, the question is who's coming with me? For a good time maybe I'll take my friend Rex, I always have fun with Rex and when he's not talking my ear off this Cubs fan can fill me in on how Derrick Lee might help the O's.
As team owner (I actually do own a share of stock) I could take my Green Bay Packers. I could sit Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews down and read them bed time stories of Lombardi, The Ice Bowl and that time Tom Matte played quarterback in a playoff game in Green Bay.
I don't want to, but if I had to take the Steelers I guess Big Ben and I could sample Super Bowl parties and the Dallas night life, then again maybe not! If the Bears make it to XLV I guess I'll have to pack a suit and tie. Pretty sure I'll be invited to some gotta get dressed up dinner with Bears fan slash President Obama.
A closer look at the Final 4....
NFC Championship: Sunday, 3:00 (Fox) Green Bay (12-6) at Chicago (12-5)
Green Bay is about a field goal favorite in this game. Aaron Rodgers is the biggest reason the 6 seed is favored on the road against the 2 seed. Rodgers had one of the best NFL postseason games ever last week in Atlanta. He completed over 86% of his passes for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions in the Packers 48-21 win over the Falcons. The Packers offense was so good they went the entire game without a punt.
Bears QB Jay Cutler passed the test in the first playoff game of his career. Cutler was Otto Graham like running for 2 TD's and passing for 2 more in a rout over the "what were they doing there" Seahawks. Cutler knows what he's up against Sunday. Packers corner Tramon Williams has 3 interceptions including a pick-6 in 2 postseason games. Williams, and Pro Bowlers Charles Woodson and Nick Collins team up to give Green Bay one of the top secondaries in the NFL.
The Bears and Packers split during the regular season. In September The Bears won 20-17 on a last second field goal in Chicago. Green Bay needed a win to get in on the final week of the regular season when they beat the Bears 10-3 in Green Bay.
The Packers are the popular pick after knockouts over the Eagles and the tough to beat at home top seeded Falcons. My guess another tight game in the NFL's oldest rivalry. A big return by Devin Hester could win it for Chicago, but Green Bay has better balance on both sides of the ball and the hottest QB in the tournament. Green Bay 23, Chicago 17.
AFC Championship: Sunday, 6:30 (CBS) NY Jets (13-5) at Pittsburgh (13-4)
The Steelers are about a 3 point favorite at home. Home field has meant diddly poo with road teams winning 5 of the 8 playoff games this season. Both teams are coming off emotional wins over division rivals. The Steelers down 21-3 at the half came back to down the Ravens and the Jets went to New England and upset the Patriots 28-21.
Rex Ryan and Mike Tomlin are both 4-1 in the playoffs. The two teams met in Pittsburgh December 19th, on the games final play the Jets broke up a Roethlisberger pass in the end zone to preserve a 22-17 win.
This match up features power against power. The Jets love to run the football but LT and Shonn Green will be running into the NFL's best run defense. The Steelers give up just over 60 yards rushing a game. If the Jets can't run the ball it'll put plenty of pressure on Mark Sanchez. Nearly benched for poor play in the regular season Sanchez was rock solid last week tossing 3 TDs with no interceptions in the win over the Patriots. Sanchez and Joe Flacco have an NFL record 4 postseason road wins.
The Jets attacking defense should give a suspect Steelers O-line fits, but who better to make blitzers pay then Ben Roethlisberger. He's not stylish, his passes often aren't tight spirals but Big Ben usually finds a way to win. If the game is close late I won't bet against him.
Pittsburgh 20, Jets 13
