This year we were lucky enough to witness some of the most exciting games in NFL playoff history.
The San Francisco 49ers not only won their first playoff game in 9 years, but they did it by knocking off Drew Brees and his record breaking offense. Tom Brady and the Patriots finally quieted Tebowmania with a 45-10 rout at home over the Broncos. This playoff victory marks New England’s first since 2007.
The Ravens beat the Texans in a not so pretty 20-13 victory, but we all learned it’s “the Ravens way” and a ‘W’ is a ‘W’. Lastly, we watched the Packers championship season crumble before our eyes as the “G-men”, led by Eli Manning, relentlessly capitalized on Green Bay’s mistakes.
With so much excitement in one playoff weekend, we are anxiously left waiting for Championship Sunday.
This Sunday the Cinderella team will see if there is still time left on the clock, as the San Francisco 49ers welcome the New York Giants to Candlestick Park. Winner of Sunday’s match up clenches the NFC title and heads to the Super Bowl.
My prediction is the 49ers and their old-fashioned, hard-hitting, athletic defense will take the NFC title. They have the home field advantage and I really like the leadership we see from Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Last week, Alex Smith played one his best NFL games throwing for close to 300 yards with no interceptions. He not only threw for 3 touchdowns, but he rushed one in himself. In Summary, the 49ers offense proved they can deliver under pressure. If he can play like the elite quarterback he saw last week, the 49ers will have every opportunity to beat the Giants.
This is not to say Eli Manning and the “G-men” will go down without a fight. The Giants have one of the best sets of receivers in the NFL, which will not make the defenses job easy. New York is playing solid all around, displaying extreme confidence and focus. Manning, who has already earned one super bowl title, is sure to come out firing and put the 49ers secondary to the test. I imagine the Niners putting on another show, and this game will most likely come down to the final minutes. I also must admit I would love to see the 49ers complete this story book year!
The other much anticipated match-up takes us to New England, where the Patriots take on the Ravens at home. New England is coming off a big win over the Broncos, where Tom Brady threw for 363 yards and 6 touchdowns. After watching the Patriots dismantle the Broncos, I am confident that they will be making their 5th Super Bowl appearance in 11 years.
Now I know you can argue New England has not faced many challenges this season. But with the Super Bowl dangling right before their eyes, I believe Tom Brady will do whatever it takes to get the win. To be honest, it is really hard for me to bet against Tom Brady. The other obvious, is how many offensive weapons Tom Brady has at his disposal. With Wes Walker, Rob Gronkowski, and Aaron Hernandez to name a few, New England is running a high-powered offense, one powerful enough to beat the physical Ravens defense.
The Ravens were able to lean on their solid defense last week, but with their offense putting up poor numbers, I do not see them having what it takes to beat the dynamic New England team. Baltimore capitalized on the Texans turnovers to earn a 'W' in Ravens fashion. However, Tom Brady does not turn over the ball much, so the offense will have to do a better job than going three-and-out 8 times like they did last week if they want to win this weekend. The Ravens offense needs to take advantage of the Patriots weakest link, their defense, and keep Tom Brady off the field as much as possible.
Do I think the Ravens D is ready for the challenge? Absolutely. This game can go either way, but since I can only pick one, I stand by the Patriots. Expect this confident, disciplined Patriots team to come out in Championship form, looking to knock down one more obstacle before they reach the Super Bowl.
So there you have it sports fans, I predict a Patriots vs. 49ers Super Bowl. Please feel free to comment below, tweet me (NFR_Lisa), or write on my facebook fan page wall with your super bowl prediction!
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