We're Poppin' Champagne Like We Won a (Conference) Championship Game

As we all know, last week was the most ridiculous weekend of playoff football maybe ever. Sure, there are plenty of explanations for what happened (like throwing five interceptions won’t win you a playoff game or that having Eli Manning as your quarterback in a windy stadium automatically eliminates you from playoff contention). 

But that was then and this is now, so let’s waste no time in getting to the Conference Championship picks.  And for those of you scoring at home, I went 2-2 for the second straight week (making him 4-4 in the playoffs).

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday at 3:00, FOX)

Remember just a week ago when the NFC Championship Game was guaranteed to be a rematch of that epic Panthers/Giants tussle from Week 16? Don’t remind me. I haven’t been this disappointed since…oh wait; I’m a Knicks fan so I’m disappointed all the time.  Forget I brought that up.

Either way, I don’t think anyone could have predicted this as the matchup for the NFC crown.  The nine win Cardinals, who before the playoffs hadn’t any resemblance of a defense or running game, will be taking on the nine win (and a tie) Eagles, who before the playoffs hadn’t any resemblance of a running game either.

Oh wait, they still don’t.

I just can’t see the Eagles doing just enough to get by in this one like they have in the previous two.  It isn’t entirely difficult to stop Tarvaris Jackson, and it may be less difficult to stop Eli Manning at Giants Stadium in a playoff game.

This time around they have to stop Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin. That is a much taller task.  Not to mention the fact that the Cards’ Hightower and James combination has been working more effectively this postseason than anyone could have imagined.

This being the first real test the Eagles’ defense has to face in the playoffs, I see Warner picking them apart like he did the Panthers last week.

On a much less serious note, the Cardinals have defeated the Seahawks twice this year; beat the Falcons in the Wild Card round and now have an opportunity to beat the NFC’s final bird-themed franchise in the Eagles.

How in the world am I supposed to pick against that? In addition, I happen to have received an Anquan Boldin jersey for Christmas. You know I’d love to wear it in celebration of not having to hear another two weeks of “You know, ever since Donovan McNabb was benched, he’s played some inspired football.”

I like the Cards, and their raucous home crowd, to take the NFC.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday at 6:30, CBS)

This game features the only team that was expected to be here before the playoffs started: Pittsburgh. They’ve managed to avoid falling into the traps of the other top seeds by playing the same tough defense that got them there in the first place. The Ravens have made it this far by doing the exact same thing. 

This is the second straight week that we see the Ravens locked up with an eerily similar team on the road.

Not going to lie, I really can’t say that either team has an advantage offensively.  Both sides have solid running games and feature fairly young quarterbacks that won’t win you games, but won’t lose them for you either. 

Even the receiving corps are similar in the fact that both quarterbacks can look for one veteran receiver (Ward for Pittsburgh and Mason for Baltimore), a solid deep threat (Washington and Baltimore’s Mark Clayton), and a superior tight end (Heath Miller and Todd Heap).

However, this game has nothing to do with the offenses.

While Pittsburgh surely has the superior all-around defense, the Ravens are more or less the only unit on the same level.

Baltimore’s defense has forced eight turnovers in the playoffs thus far, which has helped their less than stellar offense gain a much needed advantage in opportunities and field position.

I see this game unfolding just like the Tennessee/Baltimore game did last week. Like I said last week, when you see a game with two nearly identical teams, you take the one who has something outside of the game itself going for it.

In this case that something is the Ravens and their apparent playoff karma. The game will be evenly matched through three quarters, until the Ravens steal the game late.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?