NFL Playoffs 2012: Bold Predictions for Championship Sunday

The New York Giants will once again take on the New England Patriots for the rights to be Super Bowl champions. These two teams will get a grudge match for the epic Super Bowl game they played in 2008. 

This will be the end result of an intense and entertaining day of championship games next Sunday. Read on to see how it is all going to play out. 

Brady Will Light Up Ravens Defense

Tom Brady vs. the Ravens defense: something has to give. Well, that something is going to be the Ravens' defense. 

The Ravens have been playing outstanding pass defense all season, and it is only getting better. They finished the year ranked third in yards allowed per pass at 5.8, and over their last three games they are allowing just 4.9 yards per pass. 

Over their past seven games they have allowed an average of just 173 passing yards per game. 

However, look at their opponents, and you are not going to see a list of prolific passing offenses. These stats are inflated against pedestrian passing attacks. 

The one team they have played this season with a scary passing attack is San Diego. You can choose to say Pittsburgh has a solid passing attack; I will not. Anyway, the Chargers smoked this defense, and that was just in Week 15. 

Philip Rivers finished that game 17-of-23 passing with one touchdown, no interceptions and 270 yards. Those stats would have been much higher if the Chargers didn't have that game sewn up in the first half. 

Tom Brady is going to have a field day with this defense. The Patriots are going to spread them out and Brady will mix in passes of all distance to confound and obliterate this vaunted defense. 

Prediction: Brady 374 yards passing, 3 TDs

Giants' D Will Outshine the 49ers' D

The 49ers' defense has been crushing opponents all year, but they won't be the stars of this game. That honor is going to be bestowed upon the suddenly resurgent Giants' defense. 

The Giants have already shown they can move the ball on the 49ers. When these two met earlier in the year, Eli Manning threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns. San Francisco's defense is not much different than they were when these two took the field for that game on November 13th. 

What is different is that the Giants' defense has made huge strides since that game. These strides were apparent as they harassed Aaron Rodgers into a rare interception and held him to 264 passing yards. 

This performance allowed them to hold the mighty Packers' offense to just 20 points. The week earlier they held the Falcons to two points! 

This defense is playing fantastic football, and the 49ers will not be ready for it. San Francisco moved the ball well last week, but taking on that Saints' defense and this new Giants squad are two different things entirely. 

Prediction: The Giants will hold the 49ers to 13 points.

Another Giants-Patriots Super Bowl

Above are two factors that are going to ensure that the rematch of what many call the greatest Super Bowl ever played will take place this year. 

The Ravens will not be able to keep up with the Patriots scoring. 

New England will beat Baltimore, 27-20. 

The 49ers will not be able to hold the Giants under 13 points.

New York will beat San Francisco, 24-13.