AFC: Pittsburgh will host Baltimore. Are you ready for some serious slobber knocking helmut crushing hits? This will be a vicious war. I look forward to it. Pittsburgh will likely be a slight favorite by 3.5 points is my guess. But Flacco has just failed to make the usual Rookie mistakes. Can he continue to win? My guess is a very close game, with the Ravens defense forcing a couple Steeler turnovers. Ravens win the AFC by a score of 20 - 13.
NFC: Arizona hosts Philadelphia. How about this for the 2 of unlikeliest foes when you look at the final week of the regular season. It looked like the Eagles would miss the Playoffs, and Arizona was playing like garbage. Now, they are the last 2 standing and both playing very well. My call: With Arizone at home, they use their red hot passing game, decent enough running game and speed to edge the Eagles. Both defenses play well, so I see this as 24 - 20, a Cardinal win.
What's your call?
Conference Championships
Moderator: JDR720
Conference Championships
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ohara
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Re: Conference Championships
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Rooster
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Re: Conference Championships
I had Panthers/Eagles and Steelers/Ravens as my conference finals before the playoffs began! Oh well, almost.
Steelers/Ravens will be a joy to watch. Two teams that truly despise each other, who've already had two heated tilts this season and who are easily good enough to be in the Superbowl. If you don't believe they're the two best teams in the AFC, look at their schedules. I am going to be glued to this. I like them both, although I like the Steelers a bit more so I'll be rooting for them but not heartbroken if the Ravens win. I hope it's close.
The key in that game will be which quarterback can get anything going. I love both of these guys, not to mention they had arguably the two most successful rookie seasons for quarterbacks in NFL history. Roethlisberger went 15-1 as a rookie and got to the AFC Final, Flacco went 11-5 and became the only rookie quarterback to win two playoff games. Tough call, and I should say the Steelers, but I have a weird feeling here. Can any team beat the Ravens three times in one season? Also note that the Steelers are historically better on the road in AFC Final games. This one is as much of a toss-up as there is.
Ravens 16, Steelers 13 (and this might be high, or switched)
Cardinals/Eagles is a bit clearer to me. I think Cardinals/Vikings would've actually been the least likely matchup, as opposed to this one. The Eagles shouldn't be viewed as an underdog, and should never have been at any point in these playoffs. They're the logical extension of a team that's been getting it done for almost a decade now. The Cardinals have some nice pieces, but 48-20 wasn't a fluke. The Falcons' and Panthers' secondaries were burned, but the Eagles' won't be. It's arguably the best in the game, and is headed by arguably the best secondary player of the past decade.
If the Cardinals want to win, they'll have to establish the balanced offence they did against Carolina. Lucas, Harris and Gamble are solid NFL starters, but if Samuel, Dawkins and Brown sniff a long ball, it's a pick. Warner has to tread very carefully in this game and look to make the completion rather than to make the big play. For the Eagles, they just have to keep doing what they're doing. A big game from Westbrook could end Arizona's Cinderella run.
Eagles 34, Cardinals 21
LOCK OF THE WEEK (third straight I've picked against Arizona - this can't be good...
)
Fun fact: Any combination of teams except Cardinals/Steelers will produce either an All-Pensylvania or All-Bird Bowl.
Can we have an all-#6 seed Superbowl? If so, I hope my case against the realignment that happened a few years ago is heard loud and clear. Not to mention all the tanking.
Steelers/Ravens will be a joy to watch. Two teams that truly despise each other, who've already had two heated tilts this season and who are easily good enough to be in the Superbowl. If you don't believe they're the two best teams in the AFC, look at their schedules. I am going to be glued to this. I like them both, although I like the Steelers a bit more so I'll be rooting for them but not heartbroken if the Ravens win. I hope it's close.
The key in that game will be which quarterback can get anything going. I love both of these guys, not to mention they had arguably the two most successful rookie seasons for quarterbacks in NFL history. Roethlisberger went 15-1 as a rookie and got to the AFC Final, Flacco went 11-5 and became the only rookie quarterback to win two playoff games. Tough call, and I should say the Steelers, but I have a weird feeling here. Can any team beat the Ravens three times in one season? Also note that the Steelers are historically better on the road in AFC Final games. This one is as much of a toss-up as there is.
Ravens 16, Steelers 13 (and this might be high, or switched)
Cardinals/Eagles is a bit clearer to me. I think Cardinals/Vikings would've actually been the least likely matchup, as opposed to this one. The Eagles shouldn't be viewed as an underdog, and should never have been at any point in these playoffs. They're the logical extension of a team that's been getting it done for almost a decade now. The Cardinals have some nice pieces, but 48-20 wasn't a fluke. The Falcons' and Panthers' secondaries were burned, but the Eagles' won't be. It's arguably the best in the game, and is headed by arguably the best secondary player of the past decade.
If the Cardinals want to win, they'll have to establish the balanced offence they did against Carolina. Lucas, Harris and Gamble are solid NFL starters, but if Samuel, Dawkins and Brown sniff a long ball, it's a pick. Warner has to tread very carefully in this game and look to make the completion rather than to make the big play. For the Eagles, they just have to keep doing what they're doing. A big game from Westbrook could end Arizona's Cinderella run.
Eagles 34, Cardinals 21
LOCK OF THE WEEK (third straight I've picked against Arizona - this can't be good...
)Fun fact: Any combination of teams except Cardinals/Steelers will produce either an All-Pensylvania or All-Bird Bowl.
Can we have an all-#6 seed Superbowl? If so, I hope my case against the realignment that happened a few years ago is heard loud and clear. Not to mention all the tanking.
Schadenfreude wrote:Not going to lie, if I found out that one of the seemingly illiterate morons we'd banned on the Raptors board was Primoz Brezec, it'd pretty much make my decade.
Re: Conference Championships
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ohara
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Re: Conference Championships
Give it up to the Arizona Cardinals! Up 24 - 6 at half, Philly stormed back to take a 25 - 24 lead in the 4th. And Warner leads them down on a long time burning drive for a TD and 2 pt conversion. Cards win 32 - 25 and go to the Super Bowl! Very entertaining game!
Re: Conference Championships
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ohara
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Re: Conference Championships
What a vicious game. The Steelers take out the Ravens for the 3rd time this year. And now you have your Super Bowl set: The Arizona Cardinals vs The Pittsburgh Steelers.
Re: Conference Championships
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Rooster
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Re: Conference Championships
I changed my AFC pick right before the game, but whatever. I wouldn't have taken credit for picking that thing right no matter what had happened.
I am mortified by the presence of the Cardinals in the Superbowl. I hope the Steelers tear their heads off. I think they will too, although picking against Arizona hasn't exactly done me well.
I am mortified by the presence of the Cardinals in the Superbowl. I hope the Steelers tear their heads off. I think they will too, although picking against Arizona hasn't exactly done me well.
Schadenfreude wrote:Not going to lie, if I found out that one of the seemingly illiterate morons we'd banned on the Raptors board was Primoz Brezec, it'd pretty much make my decade.