by KC James
Independent Sports
My favorite Sunday in the NFL is coming up this Sunday I actually enjoy more than "Super Sunday" You can't get to the BIG Game if you don't win your conference championship first. After a four month lockout and a wild regular season the final four Sunday is coming with the NFC and AFC championship games this Sunday. The Patriots are hosting the Ravens and the Giants go to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. If styles make fights they also make these two match-ups very interesting. In the AFC it's the Patriots and the leagues 2nd ranked offense against the Ravens and the 3rd ranked defense. The key to this game will be weather or not the Ravens and that physical, hard hitting "D" can pressure Tom Brady make him uncomfortable in the pocket and get him out of his rhythm. If they can't do that it will be a long afternoon for B'More. Brady will perform surgery in that defense. In "09" when the Ravens went into Foxborough and beat New England in the wildcard game they ran the ball Ray Rice scored on the first play from scrimmage on a 75 yard run. The Ravens "D" pinned back their ears went after Brady smacked him around and the Patriots never recovered. That's the same formula they'll need to win Sunday along with Joe Flacco (who's taken a lot of FLACK-O ) making some key throws and not turning the ball over. I like the Ravens defense to contain the Pat's offense Ravens 23-17.
The NFC is a renewal of one of the best rivalries from the 80's and 90's when both the 49ers and Giants were winning Superbowls. With HOF players like Montana, Rice, Young, Taylor and Simms. The roles are now reversed however. It's the 49ers who are known for their tough physical defense they're #1 against the run giving up a measly 37 YPG and Giants are #3 in offense averaging 431 YPG and have been in must win mode for a month. The Giants are playing their best football since "07" when they upset the undefeated Patriots to win the Superbowl XXXXII and the 49ers have been the most consistent team all season and have done a complete 360 under coach Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers beat the Giants in week 10 at the stick 27-20 so besides the past they have recent history. The team that wins this game will be the the team that wins the turnover battle SF was #1 in that category +28 and the team that's able to run the ball, stop the run and protect the QB. Eli Manning is one of the elite QB's in the game and Alex Smith has quieted most of his critics after his spectacular performance in the Niners come from behind 36-32 win against the Saints last week. This is a pick-em a toss up a dead heat and I think it will be a a classic and go down to the wire. I like 49ers 21-20.
It's going to be a great final four and this Sunday as I mentioned before is the Real "Super Sunday"