Giants vs Patriots Part 2: THE REMATCH!

Well with 30 teams all down and out, it's only two teams left. Just how it was back in 2007 season, Giants vs Patriots. Before I begin the six degrees of separation for this Super Bowl, which will be a separate entry, I will get through the key reason as for why they are in this game.

AFC Championship Game: Ravens 20, Patriots 23

• Flacco didn't lose this game. Flacco's final numbers: 22/36 for 306 yards, 2 TD and an INT. Now that INT may have come at a bad time for the Ravens who were in driving down the field down by 3 points and with a chance to take the lead or tie the game midway through the 4th Quarter. However, in Flacco's defense, he did throw a game-winning TD pass to Lee Evans, only to have Evans drop the ball at the very last moment of that catch, making it an incomplete pass. Flacco played well, but Ravens will not give him a pass for that INT in the 4th Quarter which could have REALLY been the difference in this game.
• Brady, he was also 22/36 for 236 and 2 INT's. This wasn't a good game for Brady, as the Ravens Defense did to him as they always do: make life very hard for one Thomas Brady. After Flacco's INT, Brady served up an INT that gave the Ravens the second-chance at winning the game. 
• Ed Reed did play in this game, and was playing as if that ankle injury never existed. However, I would like to hear what his comments on Flacco last week sounds like this week after this game. 
• Ravens out-gained, forced more turnovers and had the ball longer than the Patriots in this game and still lost. This could be considered a game in which the Ravens clearly lost over the Patriots beating them.

Final Outcome: Patriots will play their 5th Super Bowl in 10 years. The last team to have won a Super Bowl before this 10 year run: The Baltimore Ravens. They beat who for that championship: The New York Giants. Clearly, these teams are still kicking it 10 years later.

NFC Championship Game: Giants 20, 49ers 17 OT

• Alex Smith did not have the game he'd love to have. However, he didn't have a terrible game either. Smith was 12/26 for 196 yards and 2 TD's. Not impressive numbers, but he didn't turnover the football either.
• 6 Sacks for the 49ers vs 3 Sacks for the Giants. Both defense's played VERY well in this game bar-none. In the 4th Quarter, the game was tied up at 17-17 with both teams having a chance to win the game in regulation. But huge stops by both defenses forced this game into Overtime.
• Well the question was will this game become another classic playoff game between these organizations? I'll let you decide. Okay, of course it was!!!! Giants and 49ers never disappoint when it comes to the postseason.
• Did the field conditions play a big part in this game? Well this game was decided by 2 turnovers, both on special teams and both involving the ball hitting the ground. Unfortunately for the home team, those turnovers we're committed by them.

Final Outcome: Eli Manning will be able to prove to the world that he is an "Elite" Quarterback in this league. A great place to do that in his brother's backyard (Indianapolis) against his brother's arch rival: Tom Brady. Remember, little brother did slay Mr. Brady 4 years ago in the Super Bowl. Well if he beats Brady again in the Super Bowl, he'll be MORE than Elite. He'll be close to great.

4 Downs - NFC Championship: Giants vs 49ers

Giants vs 49ers

• 1st Down: Can Alex Smith repeat his performance he had against the Saints? - Well last week I asked would he succumb to the playoff pressure. Well he answered that question in a great way. Now I would have to ask that again, now that the stakes are higher and this game could send him to the Super Bowl and pretty much erase the failures of the last 6 years of his career.
• 2nd Down: Which Defense can put the other Quarterback on the ground more: Giants or 49ers? - Sacks will be a big stat as to see who's defense can control this game. The Giants front 4 vs the 49ers turnover machine of a secondary. Winner of this, will win this game and go to the Super Bowl.
• 3rd Down: Will this game become another classic playoff game between these two organizations? - Lets face it, when the Giants/49ers play each other in the playoffs, you usually get GREAT games. 2002 NFC Wild Card (which became the 2nd biggest comeback in postseason history), 1986 Divisional game in New York (48-3 beat'em-down they gave the 49ers) and 1990 NFC Championship Game (Joe Montana's last game as a 49ers Quarterback) just to name a few. All-time postseason series: 4-3 49ers.
• 4th Down: Rainy, Sloppy-Field, Windy, Messy weather in San Francisco - From early weather predictions, this game will look nothing like the game last Saturday against the Saints. With rainy weather  attacking the west coast all weekend, this game will be a messy one. This could be an advantage for the home team, but of course the Giants aren't any strangers to bad weather games. Playing in New Jersey, they seen their few share of messy games. Interesting to see what happens at Candlestick Park on Sunday.

Confidence Pick: Giants

• QB: Manning (2) vs Smith (4)
• Defense: Giants (1) vs 49ers (2)
• Team: Giants (2) vs 49ers (3)
• Giants (5) vs 49ers (9)

My Pick: Giants 26, 49ers 30

4 Down - AFC Championship: Ravens vs Patriots

Ravens vs Patriots

• 1st Down: Joey Flacco, can he take the Ravens to the Super Bowl? - This game is a career-defining game for him. Flacco must play good for the Ravens to win this game. With the Patriots defense playing as badly as they are, Flacco has to and I mean has to exploit this defense for what it really is. 
• 2nd Down: Tom Brady vs Ravens Defense - Brady has historically struggled against this defense. This crew of players on the Ravens D are getting older and this could very well be their last chance at winning a Super Bowl. As for Brady, this could be his final 3 year run at another Super Bowl. Which force will outperform the other? We'll see on Sunday.
• 3rd Down: Ed Reed injury and criticism - Ed Reed harsh criticism or his ankle injury? Which one will be the big storyline heading into the game on Sunday? Well if you said the harsh criticism on his Quarterback Joe Flacco, then you're absolutely correct. But which one will have a lasting impact on this game? For the Ravens sake, they hope that the ankle injury isn't a factor in this game. We'll see.
• 4th Down: Each team will win if..... - Patriots: Keeping Brady upright, keep the Ravens Defense on the field for long drives and scoring early and often. Ravens: Putting Brady on his butt (hitting him often), Ray Rice running wild and Joe Flacco torches the Pats Defense.

Confidence Pick: Ravens

• QB: Flacco (3) vs Brady (1)
• Defense: Ravens (3) vs Patriots (4)
• Team: Ravens (1) vs Patriots (4)
• Ravens (7) vs Patriots (9)

My Pick: Ravens 31, Patriots 27

Historical Review of Championship Sunday

Thought I would shed some knowledge of the last time all 4 teams were in the conference championship. All of these organizations have advanced to and won the Super Bowl in their history. Lets look at the last time these teams were in their respective conference championship games:

Baltimore Ravens

• Last time they were in the AFC Title game: Loss against the Steelers in '08
• Last time they won the AFC title game: 2000 game at Oakland.
• The last two time the  Ravens made it to this game, they won one and lost one. Ravens have a good chance at winning this weekend, considering that they have beating the Patriots in Foxboro in a playoff game two years ago. Three years ago against the Steelers, it was a tough game for the Ravens, who lost 23-14. This was Joey Flacco rookie season. Well now Flacco may be the key for the Ravens advancing the Super Bowl.

New England Patriots

• Last time they were in the AFC Title Game: Win at home against the Chargers in '07
• Last time they were defeated in an AFC Title Game: Lost in a classic game in Indianapolis in '06
• It's been 4 years since the Patriots last made it to the AFC Title game. Including this game, Pats in the 2000's have made it to 6 AFC title games (4-1 in those games). Patriots have a great home record in the playoffs historically, however one of those loses they have came at the hands of the Ravens. This could be a dangerous game for the Pats if their defense does not improve.

New York Giants

• Last time they were in the NFC Title Game: Win at Lambeau in '07 NFC title game
• Last time they were defeated in an NFC Title Game: NEVER! 4-0 all-time in NFC title games
• Well history may serve the Giants a win. Giants have never lost in this round. Wins against the Redskins, 49ers, Vikings and Packers the Giants are looking at getting the 49ers for a second time in team history and at Candlestick Park, like their first win against the 49ers in '90 NFC title game.

San Francisco 49ers

• Last time they were in the NFC Title Game: Loss in '97 NFC title game against Favre and Packers.
• Last time they won in the NFC Title Game: Win against the Cowboys in '94 NFC Title game
• Well this weekend's game could be an exact look as the 1997 game, rain rain and more rain. That game against the Packers was a messy afternoon for 49ers fans and they do not want to repeat that same outcome. Alex Smith and the offense should have some advantage in this game with the winds and the sloppy track.

Possible Super Bowl Story lines........

As we gear up for the Conference Championship game on Sunday, I put up a poll to see what would be the "sexier" match-up for Super Bowl 46. Still time to vote, so do so. Each team may have a "story line" for the Super Bowl. We'll examine a few of those now:

New England Patriots: This will make 5 Super Bowls in 10 years. That would put them in the ranks of the Steelers of the 70's, Vikings of the late 60's and 70's, the 49ers of the 80's and Bills of the 90's as far as Super Bowl appearances in a 10-year span. Tom Brady is seeking his 4th Super Bowl title, which will put him with Terry Bradshaw and his Boyhood idol Joe Montana as far as Quarterbacks with the most Super Bowl titles. This would also mark the first time the Pats will be back in the Super Bowl since the almost "undefeated" season.

Baltimore Ravens: This team could be facing the "closing" of their window for winning a championship. Over the last few years, the Ravens have had the talent to get to a Super Bowl, it was just the fact that they could never beat the Indianapolis Colts or their dreaded AFC North Rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, this time the moons may have aligned for this Ravens team. Picture this Baltimore Sports fans, 28 years ago the then Baltimore Colts left town to move to Indianapolis. Since then, the Ravens and Colts have won a Super Bowl. However, the Super Bowl this season is where.........that's right Indianapolis. How fitting and sweet would this be for Ravens fans (ex-Colts fans) win a Super Bowl in the stadium and city of which their old beloved Colts now play in.

San Francisco 49ers: This once proud franchise that dominated the 80's and 90's with great football teams had a 9-year absence from the NFL postseason. Well their back and what a great way to make a comeback to prominence then winning a classic game on the 30-year anniversary of "The Catch" with a play that will go down as "The Catch III" last week against the Saints. The 49ers would also have a good story line: The team with the Quarterback who was one the #1 overall pick in a draft that featured him and another quarterback who won last year before he did. Alex Smith would have vindication of he can get to and win a Super Bowl title. Having the word "Bust" attached to your career is like being black-listed by the Federal Government.

New York Giants: Following the path that won them a title 4 years ago, the Giants are looking to repeat history. Well for the Giants, there could be a few compelling story lines: Rematch Super Bowls. If the Giants make it to the Super Bowl, it will be the first time since the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills did it in '91 and '93. If they we're to match up with the Ravens, it would be a rematch of Super Bowl 35 and if the Patriots win, it will mark the rematch of Super Bowl 42 played 4 years ago.

Recap: NFC Divisional - Giants vs Packers

Giants 37, Packers 20

Recap:

• 1st Down: Manning vs Rodgers - This game was a "legacy-making" game for both QB's. Primarily for one Eli Manning, who before the season proclaimed himself as an a "elite" quarterback. I don't think we'll have to proclaim much longer, he is one. Now that would depends on what he could do in the postseason this year, but certainly he's playing at his best as of now. As for Rodgers, could the game against the Bears on Christmas being the beginning of the end for his 2011 season? That was the last time Rodgers played a game before this game. Rest over Rust? Well that will be debated all off-season. Advantage: Manning
• 2nd Down: Which defense would you trust the most: Giants or Packers? For the whole season, the Packers D wasn't as good as advertised. Even though they led the NFL in interceptions, they couldn't hide the fact that they're defense wasn't that good. Manning and the Giants proved that point. Although Manning threw an Interception, it was the only turnover that the Giants committed all game. As for the Packers, they were very generous to the Giants D by turning over the ball 4 times. 4 vs 1.....not going to win in the playoffs with that. Advantage: Giants Defense
• 3rd Down: Which overall offense will out duel the other? Well this was the game. The Giants WR's and RB's played way better then the Packers WR's and RB's. Timing could of been a factor with the Packers, but the young Giants receivers just took over the show. Hakeem Nicks put on a performance such as the one Plaxico Burress put on in the '07 NFC title game. Advantage: Giants
• 4th Down: 2007 NFC Championship game all over again? Well this game looked like that very very very and I mean very cold game in 2007. It wasn't as big as that game, but the result was the same: another Giants win at Lambeau. Advantage: History and the Giants.

What's next: Giants go out west to play the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. These two teams have plenty of postseason history against each other.

Recap: AFC Divisional - Texans vs Ravens

Texans 13, Ravens 20

Recap:

• 1st Down: Can T.J. Yates manage this game against this Ravens defense? No, he didn't fair so well against this defense, even though the score was close for most of the game. Advantage: Ravens Defense
• 2nd Down: Flacco first home playoff game - Flacco went 14/27 for 176 and 2 TD's. I wouldn't say that those are great numbers, but I will say that he did win. Flacco will have to play better next week if he wants to lead this Ravens team to the Super Bowl. Advantage: N/A
• 3rd Down: Arian Foster vs Ray Rice - Foster had 27 Carries for 132 and a TD. Rice had 21 carries for 60 yards. Arian won the battle, but lost the war and the ball. Foster had one fumble he'd love to have back. Rice however, would of just loved to be in the offense more. Advantage: Foster
• 4th Down: With the Colts and Steelers out of the playoffs, can the Ravens get to the Super Bowl? Well the only team that stand in their way are the Patriots. A few years ago, the Ravens did go to New England and beat up on the Pats badly. They'll need to do that again to go to Super Bowl. Advantage: Well reserve judgement on this until next week.

What's Next: AFC title Showdown with the Patriots at Foxboro. 

Recap: AFC Divisional - Broncos vs Patriots

Broncos 10, Patriots 45

Recap:

• 1st Down: Battle of the Turnovers - 2 for the Pats and 1 for the Broncos. One would think that the score wouldn't be so lopsided had the turnover ratio been this low. However it was, and for the Broncos their one turnover may have started the land-side they were never able to overcome. After the Pats scored to make it 7-0, Tim Tebow fumbled the ball after being sacked, which allowed the Pats offense to score off that Turnover. Advantage: Broncos, even through they lost the game.
• 2nd Down: Tebow vs Pats Defense: Lets face it, Belichick has Tebow's number. 9/26 for 129 yards. Yea Tebow had a bad game. So did the Broncos offense. Advantage: Patriots
• 3rd Down: Can Brady torch the Broncos Defense again? 26/34 for 363 yards, 6 Touchdowns and 1 INT. Yes 6 TD's, that's not a typo. Yea I would say that he torched that defense again. Badly!!!! Advantage: Mr. Brady.
• 4th Down: Weather: Balmy night in Foxboro. I don't think this had too much to do with the game, but it seemed to be chilly out. As a Northern-Born person, I would say it was a "nice" night for football. Advantage: Push

Stephan Savoia - AP

What's Next: The Patriots will host the AFC Championship game for the first time since Jan. 2008. 

Recap: NFC Divisional - Saints vs. 49ers

Saints 32, 49ers 36

Recap:

• 1st Down: Under/Over 300 yards for Drew Brees? If I were to say that Brees went 40/63 for 462, 4 TD's and 2 INT's well you'd say the Saints had to win big out there in San Fran right? Right? Well not exactly, great numbers by Brees but it was the other Quarterback who went toe to toe with Brees. Alex Smith may of had the under in this, but he got the one important thing: THE WIN! Advantage: 49ers
• 2nd Down: Will the playoff pressure succumb Alex Smith's lack of postseason experience? Smith went 24/42, 3 TD's (1 rushing TD) and 0 INT's. Well to answer that question: NO. Alex Smith may have played one of his best games, but this game was the biggest game he's won so far in his shaky career. Advantage: 49ers
• 3rd Down: Saints High-Powered offense vs 49ers dominate defense? - Well lets see, the Saints did score 32 points. Normally you'd tell me that the Saints won this game. However, having 5 turnovers against the 49ers, one could say that the Saints we're blown out. However, with 5 turnovers, the Saints actually had a chance to win the game. 32 points vs 5 turnovers. Advantage: Push
• 4th Down: Outdoors vs Indoors - Didn't factor much in this game. It was in the low 60's and sunny. Perfect weather for any team.

Jed Jacobson/Getty Images

What's Next: 49ers will await the winner of the Giants/Packers game. Either match-up could be great, considering the history of all of these organizations.

4 Downs - NFC Divisional: Giants vs Packers

Giants vs Packers

• 1st Down: Eli Manning vs Aaron Rodgers - Well for both Quarterbacks, this game may mean a lot for not only this season but for their careers. Manning stated before the start of the season, that he's an "elite" QB in this league. So far, he's proven that he could get some STRONG consideration for that slot. Rodgers, by default of being on the defending world champion, is already put as an "elite" QB, even though he's only played 4 full seasons vs Manning's 7 seasons. Both QB's have won the Super Bowl (and Super Bowl MVP) and are both seeking championship #2. Of all the NFC QB's playing this weekend, only Alex Smith is without a championship. So the race for ring #2 is on for these two "elite" QB's.
• 2nd Down: Which Defense should you trust the most: Giants or Packers? - This is the battle of two of the bottom 5 defenses in the NFL. If it wasn't for the cold weather, this game would be high 30's, low 40's, but the weather at Lambeau may be the better defense on Sunday. Packers have the good secondary and LB's vs. the Giants front-4 and ability to pressure opposing QB's without blitzing. The defense who's able to make the other offense make more mistake should win this game. If one of these defenses can get a defense score, then that should help as well.
• 3rd Down: Which overall offense will out-duel the other? - What I mean by this is which Running Backs and Wide Receivers can out play the other. Giants will have Mario Manningham, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks vs the Packers Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and Donald Driver for WR's. Expect all of these guys to have decent success against the defenses playing in this game. As for the Running Backs, the Giants Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs vs the Packers James Starks and Ryan Grant. The game will be won and lost here, considering that both teams don't have success running the football.
• 4th Down: 07 NFC Championship Game all over again? - With the except of the very cold weather, 20 degrees around kickoff on Sunday vs. -1 degree (the kickoff temps in the 07 NFC Championship Game). Both teams have considerable amount of players left over from that 2007 season, so it's gonna be interesting to see how some Giants players feel going back to a place that they won at to go to Super Bowl and for the Packers players who could never forget that night. Well their be a Brett Favre sighting there on Sunday? No not physically, but could one of these QB's make an imitation of one Favre with a costly turnover in the last-minutes of the game. This game could be in the hands (hand) of one of these two QB's.

Confidence Pick:

• QB: Manning (3) vs Rodgers (2)
• Defense: Giants (5) vs Packers (7)
• Team: Giants (5) vs Packers (7)
• Giants (13) vs Packers (16)

My Pick: Giants 27, Packers 24

4 Downs - AFC Divisional: Texans vs Ravens

Texans vs Ravens

• 1st Down: Can T.J. Yates manage this game against this Raven Defense? - Matt Schaub played the last game against the Ravens and played decent enough. Well with Yates, that play from the QB may be limited, if not eliminated by the Ravens D. Arian Foster must help out the young QB by keeping the Ravens Defense guessing. Opening up the running game can make Yates life easier on Sunday.
• 2nd Down: Flacco's first home playoff game - Well earlier this week, Flacco got a little testy with the media. Some would say that the pressure is starting to mound up on one Joe Flacco. This has to be the year that he gets the Ravens to the Super Bowl. Playing at home during the playoffs, can help a lot in that quest to get to Indy.
• 3rd Down: Arian Foster vs Ray Rice: under/over 100 yards and 2 TD's for both RB's? - Both guys are the offense of their team. If either player struggles, that offense will go down as well. Rice had 101 yards against the Texans in their week 6 match-up, but Foster was only able to get 49 yards on the ground. Whoever gets at least 100 yards rushing and a TD can put their team in a great position to win on Sunday.
• 4th Down: With the Colts and Steelers out of the playoffs, can the Ravens get to the Super Bowl? - Well the last 4 times the Ravens made the playoffs  (06, 08, 09, & 10) they were put out by either the Steelers or the Colts. With the Steelers getting put out by the Broncos last week and the Colts having the season of disaster, the Ravens should be able to get to the Super Bowl right? Right? Well considering that history would be on their side. Consider this, the Ravens are 2-0 all-time in the playoffs against both the Broncos and Patriots.

Confidence Pick: 

• QB: Yates (7) vs Flacco (5)
• Defense: Texans (1) vs Ravens (3) 
• Team: Texans (8) vs Ravens (2)
• Texans (16) vs Ravens (10)

My Picks: Texans 23, Ravens 31

4 Downs - AFC Divisional: Broncos vs Patriots

Broncos vs Patriots

• 1st Down: Battle of the Turnovers - Lets face it, this KILLED the Broncos in their week 15 match-up in Denver. Whoever wins the turnover battle, should win this game.
• 2nd Down: Tebow vs Pats Defense - Tebow actually had a good game against the Pats, but his 3 turnovers gave the Pats 13 points. He cannot do that this time. Keep in mind that he'll be wearing the white jersey's this time, so playing on the road he's going to have to protect the ball against a Patriots defense that's, well lets say they are ranked 32nd in the NFL for a reason.
• 3rd Down: Brady torch the Broncos Defense again? - Brady used his TE's to a key in their week 15 match-up and he may do it again. Broncos defense struggled to keep Brady in check, but to the Broncos defense (of the defense), the offense turned the ball over on their side of the field. So the Pats we're getting a short field often. Field position will be key in this game, if the Broncos can force turnovers on Brady, then the Broncos have a good chance of stealing this game.
• 4th Down: Weather - This unseasonably warm winter will be quite chilly on Saturday, considering that this will be a night game. Tim Tebow, who's from Jacksonville, FL, hasn't seen, or felt, very chilly weather. His coldest game he's played so far has been in the mid to upper 30's. Well this game will be about to same, so the weather in New England will not be like it was 10 years ago in the "Tuck Rule" game against the Raiders.

Confidence Pick: 

• QB: Tebow (6) vs Brady (1)
• Defense: Broncos (4) vs Patriots (8)
• Team: Broncos (6) vs Patriots (4)
• Broncos (16) vs Patriots (13)

My Pick: Broncos 20, Patriots 27

4 Downs - NFC Divisional: Saints vs 49ers

Saints vs 49ers

• 1st Down: Under/Over 300 yards for Drew Brees and the Saints? Well this will measure if the Saints are moving the ball against that vaunted 49ers defense. If Brees passes for more then 300, then the Saints have a great chance of winning. However, if Brees is held in check and throws for under 300, then you have to say can the Saints win a defensive battle? We'll have to see.
• 2nd Down: Will the playoff pressure succumb Alex Smith's lack of postseason experience? Well last week, 2 of the 3 QB's who had first time playoff start won. They were also at home, so for Smith this should be good news. However, for Smith this first playoff appearance is in his 6th season. Smith has be left for dead by most people, but winning in the playoffs could re-energize his career.
• 3rd Down: Saints High-Powered Offense vs 49ers Dominate Defense - This game can answer that saying that always get brought up: Defense wins championships and Offense sells tickets. We'll see who's right after this game.
• 4th Down: Outdoor vs Indoor - For the Saints, this is important because the Saints may have to play the rest of their games outdoors. Now as a 3rd seed, the Saints could still play a home playoff game. It's only happened twice in NFL history that a conference championship was hosted in a 3rd place stadium: 06 Colts and 08 Cardinals. Both teams went to the Super. Now on the other side, the Saints are 0-2 on the road under Payton in the playoffs: Losing the 06 NFC title game at Chicago and losing last year to another NFC West team in Seattle. 

Confidence Pick:

• QB: Brees (4) vs Smith (8)
• Defense: Saints (6) vs 49ers (2)
• Team: Saints (1) vs 49ers (3)
• Saints (11) vs 49ers (13)

My Pick: Saints 20, 49ers 23

Divisional Confidence Picks

This format is simple: I'll use 3 categories (Overall Team, Quarterback, and Defense) and then I'll rank those categories by using the numbers 1-8 (1 being the most confident and 8 being the least confident). Of those 3 categories, I'll combine the total and get the confidence number. Remember, the lower the number wins for each game.

Quarterbacks:
1. Brady
2. Rodgers
3. Manning
4. Brees
5. Flacco
6. Tebow
7. Yates
8. Smith

Defense:
1. Texans
2. 49ers
3. Ravens
4. Broncos
5. Giants
6. Saints
7. Packers
8. Patriots

Overall Team:
1. Saints
2. Ravens
3. 49ers
4. Patriots
5. Giants
6. Broncos
7. Packers
8. Texans

Saints (11) at 49ers (13)
Broncos (16) at Patriots (13)
Texans (16) at Ravens (10)
Giants (13) at Packers (16)

Results of the confidence picks suggest that the Saints, Patriots, Ravens and Giants will win over the weekend. However, I do believe that the Saints/49ers pick is the only pick I would change. I think the 49ers will win that game, it will be close.

Recap: AFC Wild Card - Steelers vs Broncos

Steelers 23, Broncos 29 (OT)

Recapping my 4 Downs for the Steelers/Broncos game:

• 1st Down: Tebowmania vs Black & Gold Immorality of the Steelers: Well this game was the game of the weekend and if you don't believe in Tebowmania by now, I think you may to consider!!! Advantage: Tebow
• 2nd Down: Did Big Ben ankle hold up? Well he took some hit on that side of his leg, but Ben was hurting throughout this game. A healthier Ben would have had a field day against this team, But, as Chris Berman would say: "THAT'S WHY WE PLAY THE GAME!!!!" Advantage: Denver Defense
• 3rd Down: 4th Quarter Magic: Well the 4th Quarter belong to Big Ben, as he lead his Steelers back from being down 10 to start the quarter and had a chance to win the game, but after back-to-back sacks we went to Overtime in an NFL playoff for the first time since the Vikings/Saints in 2010. Now I should rephrase this to "Overtime Magic" because there was a lot of it in and it came fast. 11 seconds fast. Tim Tebow's 80-yard TD pass to Demaryius Thomas was the fastest play in OT in NFL history. Advantage and Game: Broncos
• 4th Down: Winner between these two teams in the postseason goes to the Super Bowl: Well this is held true 6 straight times in the playoffs. Why not a 7th, I mean only the Ravens and Patriots stand in their way. If the Broncos can pull that off......WOW. But then again, never underestimate the power of Mile High or  Tebow.........Advantage: Broncos

What's Next: Tebowmania will head east to Foxboro to face Mr. Brady and the Patriots on Saturday.

Recap: NFC Wild Card: Falcons vs Giants

Falcons 2, Giants 24

Recapping my 4 Downs for the Falcons/Giants game:

• 1st Down: Manning vs Ryan: Manning showed every reason as to say why he's the better QB's of the two. Manning went 23/32 for 277 and 3 TD's. Ryan went 24/41 for 199 0 TD's. Notably Ryan is 0-3 in the playoffs. Injury to Insult. Advantage: Manning
• 2nd Down: Falcons O-line vs Giants D-line: Well considering that the Falcons run game wasn't in the state of New Jersey (Where the Giants Play) and the fact that Ryan was harassed a lot by the Giants D-line. Lets not forget about the two 4th & 1's that were denied by that same line. Finally, the Giants sacked Ryan twice and hit him 7 times. More times than the Falcons wanted. Advantage: G-men!!!!
• 3rd Down: Falcons WR's vs Giants WR's: Well the good news is, the Falcons kept Victor Cruz in check and the Bad news is that Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks DESTROYED the Falcons CB's. Falcons had Julio Jones as their leading WR with 7 catches and Roddy White had 5 catches. Now as for TD's: Giants WR's 3, Falcons WR's 0. Advantage: Giants
• 4th Down: Road Team always win in this series: Well that fact did not hold again for the 2nd time in the last 8 meetings. Giants won the last two games in NY. Advantage: Well the Giants did win the game right.

What's Next: A rematch against the Packers at Lambeau on Sunday for the Giants.

Recap: NFC Wild Card - Lions vs Saints

Lions 28, Saints 45

Recapping my 4 Downs for the Lions/Saints game:

• 1st Down: Can Stafford keep up with Brees? Depends on which half were you watching. If you saw the 1st half, then you would say yes he can. But games are won in the 2nd half and Brees just out played the younger Stafford when it counted. Brees finished throwing for 33/43 for 466 and 3 TD's while his counterpart Stafford threw for 28/43 for 380, 3 TDs and 2 INT's. Advantage: Brees
• 2nd Down: Big Plays for the Defense: Which defense made the big plays in the game? Well this is the game in a nutshell: 2 Turnovers for the Lions which resulted in 0 points. 2 Turnovers for the Saints in which resulted in 14 points. Advantage: Saints
• 3rd Down: Containing Calvin Johnson: Well lets see Johnson's numbers:  12 catches for 211 yards and 2 TD's. Advantage: Megatron
• 4th Down: Lions D-Line vs Saints O-Line: 2 sacks and 2 fumbles in which if it wasn't for an inadvertent whistle, the Lions D-line would of scored a TD. Huge difference in the game. However the Saints O-line was able to create holes for the Saints RB's , which accounted for 3 TD's. Advantage: Saints O-line

What's Next: Saints will travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers for a showdown of former NFC West rivals.

Recap: AFC Wild Card - Bengals vs Texans

Bengals 10, Texans 31

Recapping my 4 Downs for the Bengals/Texans game:

• 1st Down: Andy Dalton vs. T.J. Yates? Well Dalton went 27/42 for 257 and 3 INT's (will discuss in 3rd down) while Yates threw for 11/20, 159 and a TD. Advantage: Yates
• 2nd Down: Running Game: Arian Foster had 24 carries for 153 and 2 TD's. Cedric Benson did have a TD, but wasn't heard of much after that, finishing with 7 carries for 14 yards. As a team the Texans ran for 188 yards vs the Bengals running for 76. Advantage: Clearly the Texans
• 3rd Down: Defensive Turnovers: 3-0. Lets just say the team with the 0 turnovers won the game. The 3 INT's that Dalton threw where costly, including on that was went for a pick-6. However the Bengals Chris Crocker had an golden opportunity to get a pick-6 from Yates but dropped the ball. Later on in that series, Yates threw a TD to Johnson. Advantage: Texans
• 4th Down: Playoff Pressure: Early on, the pressure seem to have hit both QB's. However, Dalton seem to have been affected by it the most. However, I won't chastise the QB's on this one, Imma go to the coaches and Gary Kubiak seem to handle the pressure fine, but Marvin Lewis seem to have choked up on a few challenge calls. Bengals had two challenges early in the game that should of not been made, thus losing their challenges early. Advantage: Texans for handling the pressure better.

J.J. Watt Pick 6 for a TD/Texans.com

What's Next: A rematch against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday for the Texans. 

4 Downs - AFC Wild Card: Steelers vs Broncos

Steelers (12-4) vs Broncos (8-8)

• 1st Down: Tebowmania vs. Black & Gold Immortality of the Steelers. Can Tebow figure out the Steelers Defense, or will the Steel Certain put a punishment on Tebow and the Broncos? 
• 2nd Down: Big Ben's ankle - If Ben's ankle is fine, the Steelers Super Bowl chances are fine. However, if he's still limping on that ankle, this could pose problems.
• 3rd Down: 4th Quarter magic - Will we see another Mile High Miracle in these playoffs or will the Steelers dominate ways end all hope of another Tebow comeback?
• 4th Down: Winner goes to the Super Bowl? - Yes, in the last 5 times these two teams met in the playoffs, the winner has gone to the Super Bowl. We really don't make this stuff up and if you don't believe me then here's the years: 1977, 1978, 1990, 1997, and 2005. Weird huh? Yea and if history has its way, the AFC Champion will be decided on Sunday instead of 2 weeks from now. Could this be the 6th time? Stay Tuned!!

Confidence Pick: Steelers

• QB: Roethlisberger (1) vs Tebow (8)
• Defense: Steelers (1) vs Broncos (7)
• Overall Team: Steelers (2) vs Broncos (8)
• Steelers (4) vs Broncos (23)

My Pick: Steelers 28 vs Broncos 10

4 Downs - NFC Wild Card: Falcons vs Giants

Falcons (10-6) vs Giants (9-7)

• 1st Down: Ryan vs Manning - Before the 2011 season, Eli proclaimed to be an "elite" QB. Well so far, so good with that title. Matt Ryan just want to have post-season success. 0-2 in his career and could have a lot of pressure going into this game on getting that 1st playoff win. These QB's have similar stats this season, but the only stats that's going to be outlined is playoff victories and Super Bowl wins.
• 2nd Down: Falcons O-Line vs Giants D-Line - Giants may have, when healthy, the best front 4 in the NFL. This may not go well for the Falcons O-line. Justin Tuck said some not so nice things about the Falcons O-line, so we'll see how much that fuels their fire.
• 3rd Down: Falcons WR's vs Giants WR's - Julio Jones and Roddy White vs Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Which set of WR's will have a good game? This will be key to their QB's success and should help determine the winner of the game.
• 4th Down: Road Warriors - 6 of the last 7 times, the road team had won in this series. The last time at the old Giants Stadium, the Giants did win a close one. If history hold true, the Falcons have a great chance of winning.

Confidence Pick: Giants

• QB: Ryan (4) vs Manning (3)
• Defense: Falcons (8) vs Giants (3)
• Overall Team: Falcons (4) vs Giants (6)
• Falcons (16) vs Giants (12)

My Pick: Falcons 28 vs Giants 31

4 Downs - NFC Wild Card: Lions vs Saints

Lions (10-6) vs Saints (13-3)

• 1st Down: Can Stafford keep up with Brees - Stafford will make his first start in the playoffs in this career, while Brees is wanting to come off of a huge disappointment from last season's wild card game in Seattle. These two faced off about a month ago in New Orleans with Stafford out playing Brees, statistically, but wasn't able to win the game. These two QB's can make each defense have a long night if their hot.
• 2nd Down: Which Defense will make the BIG play that turns this game around for their team - With both QB's capable of putting up 300+ yards against these defense, they can be in for a long night. However, if one of these defense can force one of these QB's into mistakes, this could be a spark for their team.
• 3rd Down: Can the Saints contain Calvin Johnson - This could be key for the Saints if they are able to contain and control Johnson. For the Lions, if Johnson has one of his big games, this could bode well for the Lions in their quest for an upset.
• 4th Down: Lions D-Line vs Saints O-Line - A month ago, Suh didn't not play in this game because of his 2-game suspension. If the Lions D-line can cause problems with the Saints O-line, Brees timing could be off which will play a huge advantage for the Lions. But if the Lions D-line can't pressure Brees and help out their secondary, then Brees and the Saints will have a field-day.

Confidence Pick: Saints

• QB: Stafford (5) vs Brees (2)
• Defense: Lions (5) vs Saints (6)
• Overall Team: Lions (5) vs Saints (1)
• Lions (15) vs Saints (9)

My Pick: Lions 24 vs Saints 34

4 Downs - AFC Wild Card: Bengals vs Texans

Bengals (9-7) vs Texans (10-6)

• 1st Down: Andy Dalton vs T.J. Yates - going into this season, if you would of told me that a QB taken after the 1st round of the 2011 draft would be the starter of a team and make the playoffs, I would of said that you don't know football. Dalton has played the entire season, so we've seen more of him then Yates who only played a month. I believe that both teams will run the football religiously in this game.
• 2nd Down: Running Game - Arian Foster will have about 30 touches in this game and Cedric Benson should have about the same. So this game could come down to who runs the ball better and who can keep the chains moving on 3rd down.
• 3rd Down: Which Defense can win the turnover battle - Houston's defense is much improved from last season vs. Cincinnati's revamped Defense lead by CB Johnathan Joseph. These two teams played a few weeks ago in Week 15, in which the Bengals played a good game, if not for a 4th Quarter meltdown which allowed the Texans to comeback and win that game and the 3rd Seed.
• 4th Down: Playoff Pressure - With both teams not having as much playoff success as the other teams in the playoffs, this could come down to which team can handle the playoff pressure the best. I usually look at the coaches in this matter: Marvin Lewis with the Bengals and Gary Kubiak with the Texans. Both won Super Bowls as assistants but both are seeking their 1st playoff victory as a Head Coach.

Confidence Pick: Texans

• QB: Dalton (7) vs Yates (6)
• Defenses: Bengals (4) vs Texans (2)
• Overall Team: Bengals (7) vs Texans (3)
• Bengals (18) vs Texans (11)

My Pick: Bengals 17 vs Texans 21