I went 3 for 4 in the Divisional round and the Green Bay Packers pulled out everything they had to overcome the Cowboys. I am quite sure that if that game had gone to overtime, the Cowboys would have won but they pulled it out on some absolutely clutch plays at the end. Now we go on to the championships, which also means that it's about time for me to get sick as I have a nasty habit of getting felled by a nasty bug around this time of year.
Sunday, January 22, 3:00 - #4 Green Bay Packers at #2 Atlanta Falcons - Atlanta pulled out the stops and finally played defense for a bit. Seattle tried once again to rely on great plays and they did manage to get some but just not enough. Atlanta was never really challenged and their power in the running game and the skill of their receivers took it to Seattle and never really let up. Their offense is going to score points, especially against the depleted Green Bay defense, although it did come through at various points for them against Dallas.
The big question is how much is left in the tank for the Packers after that huge expenditure against Dallas. There is no question that this should be a barnburner with neither side being a particularly strong defense. The numbers say that the Packers have still lost too many weapons, although they keep filling in the gaps. What's more they didn't lose anyone of significance during the Dallas game so that's a plus for them. Atlanta beat Green Bay earlier in the season on a last minute drive by the Falcons so I see no reason why this won't come down to who has the ball last once more. My head says to go with the Falcons but Green Bay keeps surprising me. I'm going to go with the hot team and the potentially better Super Bowl match up.
Pick: Green Bay
Sunday, January 22, 6:45 - #3 Pittsburgh Steelers at #1 New England Patriots - My son posed this match up of two teams that I don't care for and I told him that I will take any team over the Steelers as tired as I am of the Patriots. Of course, that is feeling rather than an actual assessment of the teams. But, I'm not seeing much from either game that is deviating from this thought. Houston's defense gave Tom Brady some fits, but their offense was just terrible and never really poised for much of a threat unless their defense gave them great field position. Contrast this with the Steelers who drove on the Chiefs all night but couldn't put it away, settling for six field goals and nearly letting the Chiefs back into it, despite Kansas having almost no passing game at all.
Pittsburgh will hang in. Their defense is not as good as Houston's but it is tough and they will get to Tom Brady now and again. Likewise, I think the Steelers coach is going to lay into his team enough and the New England defense is not good enough that they will score a touchdown or two. But unless the Steelers dip into the dirty bag (a tactic not unknown to them) and rip one of Tom Brady's legs off, I see the Patriots as too big and too driven a team for the patchwork Steelers to take down. It might be close going into the fourth quarter, but I don't see Pittsburgh making it back to the big show this year.
Pick: New England
If this holds, we'll get a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI with the shoe potentially being on the other foot this time around. But we'll see.
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