Championship Sunday

Thoughts on the NFC and AFC Championship Games.

49ers 28
Falcons 24
It was the same story that played out last week in Atlanta, only this time the Falcons ran into a coach that knew what he was doing.

Falcons - This loss falls squarely on the shoulders of Matt Ryan. In the 2nd half he threw an INT, fumbled a snap, and on 4th down with the game on the line he threw a pass that WR Roddy White had to turn to try and catch. It was a disaster for Ryan, one he will have a hard time living down.

49ers - Was head coach Jim Harbaugh really going to let the 49ers lose back to back NFC Championship games? No, he isn't Rex Ryan. After getting manhandled in the first half, Harbaugh rallied the defense and got them to pitch a shutout in the 2nd half.

This team is a win away from birthing a new dynasty.

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Ravens 28

Patriots 13

Before the start of the season Joe Flacco declared himself the best QB in the NFL, well he is a win away from being the best of the 2012-13 season.

Patriots - Yet another puzzling loss for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick post Spygate, Gisele, Bernard Pollard knee shot, 18-1. One of those was the death knell for this group. The Patriots are eerily similar to the New York Yankees post late 90's early 00's. The mystique and aura is gone. Nobody, especially the Baltimore Ravens, are afraid to play them in their building. Unless they dramatically overhaul the offense you can expect much of the same in the future.

The game was lost at the end of the half. The Patriots had a chance to go up 17-7 and set the fork on the table. Instead Brady, who is afraid to run with conviction slid cleats up and in the confusion cost the Patriots 10 seconds of time. They settled for a FG and a 13-7 lead. They wouldn't score again.

Ravens - It was only fitting that they got over the AFC Championship Game hump by beating the Patriots.

Benard Pollard won this game. He delivered a vicious hit on Patriots RB Stevan Ridley, causing him to fumble. This led to a Ravens TD that would put them up 28-13. Once again, he ruins a Patriots season. Pollard has taken out Brady, Welker, Rob Gronkowski, and now Ridley.

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Harbaugh Bowl - Two brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl. Ray Lewis' last game. Kaepernick and Flacco. This game has a ton of story-lines and will be great. If I had to pick, I'm going with the litte brother and the 49ers. He's on the verge of replacing Belichick as the best coach in the NFL.

Divisional Weekend Day 1

Joe Flacco has delivered for the Ravens this post-season.

Ravens 38

Broncos 35

This game had everything. Trindon Holliday returning a punt (90 yards) and a kickoff (104 yards) for touchdowns, some of the worst officiating in playoff history (Bill Vinovich and his crew gave the replacement referees a run for their money), and a 47 yard double overtime game winning field goal by rookie kicker Justin Tucker.

Broncos - I can't help but think of Alex Rodriguez when I watch Peyton Manning. They each broke through and won that elusive championship, but every other post-season has been filled with disappointment. When we look back on their careers, I think we'll remember them more for the what ifs than the incredible statistics.

Manning deserves the blame for this loss. His across the body throw at the end of the first overtime resulted in an interception that decided the game. This was the type of play you expect to see from a rookie (or his brother), not from a QB whom people say is the best in NFL history.

John Fox, the Broncos head coach, will shoulder some of the blame as well. His decision to kneel down and go to overtime with 32 seconds on the clock and 2 timeouts will be scrutinized forever if the Broncos and Manning don't get to a Super Bowl.

That being said, when you have an immortal QB (or any QB for that matter), you don't expect him to turn the ball over 3 times in a home playoff game. Take away the special teams touchdowns from Holliday and you get a Ravens route.

Ravens - This was Joe Flacco's "Give me a contract extension" game. His stat line read 18/34, 331 yards, 3 TD's, and 0 turnovers. To put up those kinds of numbers on the road against a team that was favored by 10 points is remarkable. Every time the Ravens needed a big throw Flacco delivered. This is the type of game that if you win a Super Bowl you point to as the springboard.

Everyone felt that a Patriots versus Broncos AFC Championship Game was preordained. The Ravens went out and threw a wrench into that. Many analysts are already calling for Ravens versus Patriots and predicting an easy Patriots win.

If the Ravens are ever going to get to a Super Bowl with this group, it would only be right that they had to go through New England to get there.

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49ers 45

Packers 31

KAE-PER-NICK! KAE-PER-NICK! KAE-PER-NICK!

Packers - 

Aaron Rodgers can only do so much. He has no margin for error, playing with one of the most overrated defenses in the league and a well below average offensive line. The fact that he was sacked 51 times during the regular season and managed to lead the league in passer rating is mind boggling.

Everyone on the defense (with the exception of Clay Matthews) should be expendable. When is the last time BJ Raji made a big play? Or Charles Woodson? The Packers need to let the holdovers from the Super Bowl go and retool for another run.

It bears repeating; Sentimentality is the difference between good teams and great teams. The good teams are sentimental to players whose play has diminished (Raji, Woodson) but were responsible for the team winning in the past, while the great teams (Patriots) have no sentiment and will release or trade a player when he isn't contributing.

49ers - 

The move that head coach John Harbaugh made to go from Alex Smith to Colin Kaepernick was made specifically for the playoffs. Kaepernick adds a dynamic to the 49ers that Smith never could. His ability to throw the deep ball while having the speed of a thoroughbred racehorse makes him a rare talent. To piggyback off of what FOX Sports columnist Jason Whitlock said, he's better than Michael Vick ever was. He's Steve Young with more physical talent.

The 49ers defense was exposed in their win against the Patriots. Teams like the Seahawks and Packers have had no problem moving the ball on them. That means that the NFC Championship will be won or lost by Kaepernick.

Regardless of what happens next week, the move to Kaepernick has payed off. He has given the 49ers hope for an even brighter future, one filled with consistent playoff appearances and a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl.