Championship Sunday: Does Defense Still Win Championships?

"Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships," or so the maxim goes. After a zany three weeks of playoff games, including a championship weekend that saw two close games decided by last-minute field goals, that maxim is worth revisiting.

"Kickers win championships."

It was the right foot of New York Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes that broke the tie halfway through the "modified sudden death" overtime period in Sunday night's NFC championship. Set up by a botched punt return (more on that later), the Giants edged out a San Francisco 49ers team that only lost three game all season.

Tynes' 31-yarder was his longest kick of the night, and certainly his best, cementing a 20-17 win and a trip to Super Bowl XLVI. In three playoff games, Tynes has made six of his eight field goal attempts, including both attempts Sunday.

"Kickers also lose championships."

While Tynes' late field goal was true, that of Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff was not. After Joe Flacco's inspiring drive down the field late in the AFC title game, Cundiff was called upon to hit a 32-yard field goal attempt to send the game into overtime. He pulled it.

The Ravens, arguably the most balanced team in the playoffs for either conference, went down to a team with the 31st-ranked passing defense in a 23-20 defeat. Cundiff told the media after the game that he should have made the kick.

“It’s a kick I’ve kicked probably a thousand times in my career," he said. "I went out there and didn’t convert."

"Punt returners lose championships."

San Francisco's Ted Ginn was sorely missed by his team, who sat out of the NFC Championship with an injured right knee. The Niners struggled to complete passes downfield, a malady that would have been remedied to some extent with an extra deep threat. But Ginn's absence was more painfully felt on special teams.

With Ginn out, Harbaugh turned to second-year wideout Kyle Williams, who had only five career punt returns to his credit. Williams was overwhelmed, allowing a punt to bounce off his knee and into the hands of Devin Thomas, whose only obstacle to returning the ball for six was the NFL rulebook (muffed punts cannot be advanced by the kicking team). Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham would score seven plays later on his only reception of the night.

But Harbaugh left Williams in to return, perhaps out of loyalty, desperation or both. The Arizona State product answered with a 40-yard return of the ensuing kickoff. But when Williams was called upon to return a kick in overtime, he lost the ball. And the game.

"Julian Edelman sells tickets and wins championships. And whatever else Belichick tells him to do."

The Patriots wide receiver logged two tackles and a forced fumble while shoring up his team's defensive backfield, although he spent most of the fourth quarter getting torched by Anquan Boldin while the Ravens drove down the field for what would have been a game-tying field goal. He also managed two punt returns and a pass reception. I wonder if he was also slicing orange wedges on the sideline driving the team bus back to the hotel after the game.

"Chad Ochocinco does not win anything."

Ochocinco was deactivated Sunday without report of an injury. It's the second time this season that the former Bengals wide receiver was shelved. He flew back to Florida on Friday to attend his father's funeral; whether he had team permission to do so is unclear.

After going to New England in a trade with Cincinnati for two draft picks, Ochocinco has failed to gel with his new team. He managed only 15 receptions in the regular season, easily a career low. In a game where Brady struggled to find receivers downfield, Ochocinco would have been a nice option to have.

I'm curious to see whether Chad reprises his "OCNN" stunt from previous Super Bowls since, you know, his team is in the game this year. The only thing we can count on from Chad is that promoting himself comes first, and football comes second.

"Quarterbacks win championships"

Tom Brady and Eli Manning will face each other in their second Super Bowl in four years. It was Manning's game-winning touchdown pass to then-Giants receiver Plaxico Burress that derailed the Patriots' bid for an undefeated 2007 season (I'm not going to mention a certain "helmet catch" that you'll be seeing on a televised loop over the next two weeks).

Brady's three rings and Eli's one will add a familiarity to the proceedings in Indianapolis that will be welcomed by some and loathed by others that were hoping to see a fresher matchup. Not only did these teams meet in the Super Bowl, they already played each other three months ago. The Giants won on the road in Foxborough in a game that saw no scoring in the first half and yet another Manning comeback in the second for a 24-20 Giants win.

While the best teams may not have survived their conference playoffs, a handful of the league's best players and brightest stars managed to get their teams into football's biggest game. In two weeks, we'll probably have a new maxim for who wins championships. Or who loses them.