It's that time of year, only 12 teams remain in a single elimination tournament for the Lombardi trophy and man what a tournament it is. This is the deepest playoff field in recent memory, featuring five super bowl winning quarterbacks Brady (XXXVI,XXXVIII,XXXIX), Roethlisberger (XL,XLIII), E.Manning (XLII), Brees (XLIV), and of course the defending champion Rodgers (XLV). Tell me are you really going to feel good betting against any one of those guys? As for the rest of the seven teams in the field they're no push overs either. The Baltimore Ravens finally broke through and won the AFC North and have a championship caliber defense with a former Super Bowl MVP linebacker Ray Lewis. The Houston Texans have a top tier defense and no doubt the strongest running game in the field. The Detroit Lions can match any team score for score and feature the league's most dominant wide receiver. Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons were the #1 seed just a year ago and traded for Julio Jones for just this time of the year. The San Francisco 49ers have the top defense in the field and a power running game with an improved Alex Smith. The Cincinnati Bengals have a strong defense and an offense that can perform through the air and on the ground. Finally, the Denver Broncos have a strong defense that can get after the quarterback.
So who's gonna walk away as Super Bowl XLVI Champions?
NFC WILDCARD ROUND
6. Detroit Lions (10-6) AT 3. New Orleans Saints (13-3)
This has the potential to be a heck of a game. The last time these two teams met New Orleans handled them pretty well in a 31-17 victory at the Super Dome but that was not the same Lions team. Stafford was dealing with a finger injury and the Lions defense was without Suh. A healthy Stafford bombing the deep ball to Calvin can score with anyone. While I think the Lions offense can score a lot I really don't think the Lions can stop the Madden like offense that is the Drew Brees led Saints. This will be a high scoring game but I think the Saints will get a couple of stops where as the Lions will be hard pressed to get the Saints offense off the field especially in the Super Dome. Saints advance 49-35
5. Atlanta Falcons (10-6) AT 4. New York Giants (9-7)
As previously noted the Atlanta Falcons were the #1 seed in last years playoffs only to have the #6 seeded Green Bay Packers come to town and destroy them. They traded up in the draft to land Julio Jones for this time of year and I'll tell you the kid is a star. As long as the protection for Ryan is adaquate then I don't think the porous Giant's secondary will be able to cover Roddy, Julio, and Gonzalez. That's easier said then done with a Giants' defensive line featuring the likes of Tuck and Pierre-Paul but I think the Falcons' offense will find some success. The Giants have a couple of star receivers in their own right with Hakeem Nicks and Mr. Salsa Victor Cruz that should allow them to put up some big points. The Giants season feels eerily similar to 2007 when they won Super Bowl XLII by knocking off the undefeated Patriots. The Falcons have unfinished business from last year but these two teams are so close and any time two teams are close I feel better picking the team with the better QB and the home team. In this case I'll take Eli Manning all day over Matt Ryan especially in Met Life Stadium. Giants 27 Falcons 24
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
4. New York Giants (9-7) AT 1. Green Bay Packers (15-1)
The Green Bay Packers needed a clutch Rodgers to Nelson throw to avoid overtime the last time these two teams met and this game may require similar heroics. The Packers come into this post season with the 32nd rank defense in the league and knowing they have to out score teams to win because their defense isn't going to stop too many playoff caliber offenses. The Giants have a defensive line that can get to Rodgers especially with his swiss cheese offensive line. I think this will be the first game post season overtime game with the new rules we'll get to see. In the end I think the Packers pull it out Packers 27 Giants 21 O/T
3. New Orleans Saints (13-3) AT 2. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
The 49ers are making their first post season appearance since 2002 and they're playing a juggernaut Saints team. While the Saints are a different team on the road than they are at home, they are just too potent of an offense to pick against. The Saints have way more playoff experience and the difference in caliber of quarterbacks is enough to make me feel great about taking the Saints to get to the NFC Championship game. The 49ers defense is good but not good enough to contain the Saints for a whole game. Saints 27 49ers 13
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
3. New Orleans Saints (13-3) AT 1. Green Bay Packers (15-1)
This is gonna be one of the most hyped NFC Championship games of all time. Super Bowl XLV Champion VS Super Bowl XLIV Champion and Rodgers VS Brees at historic Lambeau Field. Heck if we're lucky there will be some snow. A rematch of the opening game of the year that provided us a 42-34 Packer win in a thriller should play out pretty similar, a lot of offense. Rodger's offensive line worries me and the Saints defense is actually better than Green Bay's. In a tough decision I'll take the
Saints 49 Packers 45
AFC WILDCARD ROUND
6. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) AT 3. Houston Texans (11-5)
The Texans are going to the playoffs for the first time in the franchise's history but with TJ Yates at the helm it may be a short stay. This is the first time ever two rookie QB's have matched up in the playoffs should yield a pretty competitive game, both defenses are tough and when they previously played the Texans pulled out a last second victory 19-17. This time I expect another close game but I think a few plays by the budding young star AJ Green make the difference.
Bengals 20 Texans 16
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) AT 4. Denver Broncos (8-8)
Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, had to get that out of the way as that's the only thing anyone is focusing on in this match up. I've heard people refer to this game as essentially a bye week for the Steelers, I couldn't disagree more. Tebow is not an NFL quarterback I'm not gonna sugar coat it, he's awful. Tebow is however a winner and in a single elimination tournament at home with a good defense against a very banged up Steelers team and an immobile Roethlisberger (who throws a lot like Tebow with that banged up ankle) I think this one will be close and Tebow has won his share of close games this year. Tebow has one more shocker in him get ready for non stop Tebow coverage because he's beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Broncos 17 Steelers 10
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
6. Cincinatti Bengals (9-7) AT 1. New England Patriots (14-2)
A better year than any Bengal fan could have hoped for has them in Foxborough matched up against Tom Brady and the Pats. The Bengals D is pretty good but stopping Brady, Gronk, Welker, and Hernandez I don't see it happening. I think Patriots win this one in a laugher and I won't even list reasons why. Patriots 42 Bengals 17
4. Denver Broncos (8-8) AT 2. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
The Ravens lucked out and don't have to play against their arch rival Steelers for the third time, instead Tebowmania comes to town coming off it's biggest win of all time. Anytime the Broncos play against a less than elite offense they have a chance to keep it close there's no way I'm taking Tebow to beat the Steelers and Ravens in back to back weeks though. T-Sizzle and Ray have their way with the Broncos offense and Ray Rice gets rolling Ravens 27 Broncos 10
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
2. Baltimore Ravens (12-4) AT 1. New England Patriots (14-2)
This is the year for the Ravens they finally won the AFC North and got the Bye week and then they got to play against Tebow instead of the Steelers in the Divisional and now they get the easy task of defeating Brady in New England, oh wait. As much as everything has gone right for the Ravens and yes I know they beat the Pats in Foxborough in the playoffs a few years ago there's no way they'll beat Brady with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Gronk and Hernandez should give the Ravens Defense match up problems and Brady will pull this one out. Patriots 34 Ravens 27
SUPERBOWL XLVI
3. New Orleans Saints (13-3) VS 1. New England Patriots (14-2)
Brees VS Brady in Manning's house. This has been a horrible season for Peyton Manning with his neck injury causing him to sit out the whole year, I'd have to imagine the worst thing that could top it off would be to see Tom Brady win in Manning's home stadium. Well that's what has the chance to happen in this fateful February. This has the potential to be a pure shoot out of a Super Bowl and honestly could very well be the first Super Bowl to enter overtime which would be convenient because I think this is a pure coin flip game. Patriots 55 Saints 49 O/T
Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady
- Michael Gibson
