I call it Championship Weekend because if memory serves I do believe at one time we had one game on Saturday and one on Sunday. I could be wrong but that's how I remember it. Anyway now it is Championship Sunday. It probably has something to do with TV ratings and such. Now for the games.....First up we have the Green Bay Packers leaving the frigid confines of Lambeau to travel to the freezing torn up Soldier Field. Trying hard to keep the field in somewhat decent condition at least for kickoff, the field is covered with a big tarp and hot air is being blown over it to keep the field from freezing....again just until, maybe kickoff. After that it is anyone's guess as to how long it will maintain any semblance of a football field as we know it. The big question is will this affect either team considering that they are "outdoor teams" as we so often hear. I will propose it will have an affect on the teams through maybe the 1st Quarter then after that both will adjust accordingly to the field and weather conditions. Ultimately, I believe the Packers are the best team on offense AND defense. If the Packers manage to get enough "Remember Me" hits on QB Cutler then they will have a distinct advantage. I have yet to see Jay Cutler overcome a fierce pass rush. He is easily rattled and I am sure Green Bay is aware of this fact. Unlike Aaron Rodgers who after being the most sacked quarterback in 2009 proved he has a short memory and can take a beating without affecting his overall game. The only "X" factor for the Bears is Devon Hester. If he can possibly change field position for the Bears they may make it a closer game. In the end I am going with the Packers to prevail and move on the Super Bowl.
For our second contest of the day or should I say night, as the game will be under the lights at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh is at home against the surprising Jets. No one including myself gave the Jets a chance last week. My only loss was that game as I went 3-1 over the weekend which by the way puts me at 5-3 for the playoffs. The Jets seem to be the Saints of last year. It is almost magical to watch them play. Inside The NFL did an interview about mid-season with Jason Taylor during the Jets bye week. Some of the comments Taylor made were very telling with respect to how they approached this season. He spoke of how close they were in the locker room. How the coaches believed in the players and what they could ultimately accomplish. Prophetic? Maybe. Or maybe they really do have something special going on this season. The Steelers on the other hand faced their own set of challenges winning 3 out of 4 of their first four games without their starting QB who was suspended. The Steelers won with defense and this game could very well be a defensive battle with the caliber of defenses facing off today. The game could be decided by a field goal or less. At any rate I do believe we will see a great ball game. The Steelers are a slight favorite because they are at home. I would guess on a neutral field the Jets might be a slight favorite. I am strictly going from the gut on this one. I believe the Jets will win today and we will see the first Super Bowl with two 6-seeded teams playing against each other. We always seem to have new "firsts" every year. It's hard enough to get to the Super Bowl when you have a bye week and only need to win two games but when you are a wildcard team and you get in the playoffs with the last seed you are really in a tough spot. The odds of course are against my prediction coming true but that's why they play the game.
Enjoy Championship Sunday and I will see you in two weeks if not sooner to discuss the Super Bowl. Make sure you get you picks in and let me know what you think. See you next time........
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