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

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.

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like 2007??

I was just looking back at some history with the NFL and I happen to see a comparison of some sorts that I wanted to discuss. This blog will be cover the New York Giants as I compare the 2007 and 2011 seasons. Now why did I pick just these two season for? Well as you know, the Giants are in the midst of another 2nd half collapse, but I'll focus more on the good things and not bad.

Looking at the two seasons, I see some similarities in it. At this time in 2007, the Giants were 7-4 and behind the Cowboys in the NFC East race. This season, the Giants are 6-5 and behind the Cowboys in the NFC East race. Well only a game difference between the two seasons, but more similarities to follow. In 2007, the Giants ended the month of November with a blowout lost to the Minnesota Vikings at home 41-17. Just this past week (the last Monday Night game in November) the Giants lost to the Saints 49-24.

Questions arose from the New York media after both games, and doubt was put into people's head as to question will the Giants go to the playoffs? Should Coach Tom Coughlin be fired? One thing about the Giants under Coughlin is that they respond to criticism well when it comes to situations like this. The game following that Vikings loss in 07, the Giants played another NFC North team the Chicago Bears. They won in Chicago 21-16, a game in which most picked the Bears to dominate the Giants. Fast forward to 2011 and this weekend's game against another NFC North team, the undefeated Green Bay Packers. This game, like the game in 2007, could very well be for the Giants season, in which if they lose this could give the Cowboys a 2 game lead in the NFC East and would put the Giants behind a few teams in the NFC Wild Card race.

We'll keep the Green Bay Packers in mind, the 2007 team played them as well (lost) and played them again in the NFC Championship game (won in OT). The 2011 team could very well see this team again in a few weeks (Considering that they win on Sunday), at the same place and possibly have the same seed they did in 2007. Now I do somewhat believe in divine intervention, but for Giants fans who though that they're season is over with, may need to just relax. 2011 Giants are just as talented as the 2007 Giants team, but Eli Manning as grown more over the years. Remaining schedule doesn't look too good for the Giants (Packers, Cowboys, Redskins, Jets and Cowboys), but with their backs against the wall, they usually respond.

Could this be a repeat of Super Bowl 42 (2007) against the Giants and Patriots? Remember these two teams played this year as they did in 2007. If the Giants make the playoffs as a wild-card team, they'll face the NFC South winner, as they did in 2007 against the Bucs. If they win that game, they could possibly face off against the winner of their division the Cowboys, as they did in 2007 (Considering if the Cowboys win out and the 49ers lose some games). With the showdown at Lambeau Field against the Packers, for whom they would of have already played them in the regular season, just as they did in 2007. Get where I am going with this now Giants fans?

Of course all of this isn't what's going to happen, but then again who's to say that divine intervention can't run it's course again. I mean the Giants are collapsing again in the 2nd half of the season for a second year in a row right? Right? Only time will tell.