Conference Championship Previews

Last week I went 1-3 on predictions and after spending most of the week cleaning my wounds I've dusted myself down and prepared my predictions for the AFC and NFC title games; even Elliot Harrison from NFL.com went 1-3 in his predictions... Just throwing that out there.

We are 2 weeks away from Super Bowl 47 and two teams will make the trip to New Orleans ready to fight it out for the Lombardi Trophy on the biggest stage of them all so let's bite our teeth in to the two mouth-watering match-ups

San Francisco 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons

Can Kaepernick help the Niners knock off Atlanta

Last week I predicted both of these teams to lose and in fitting fashion both have made it to the NFC title game but when the playoffs began I did say that if the 49ers made it past the divisional round they would win the NFC Championship then advance to Super Bowl 47 and lose.

Forgetting the Super Bowl for now though let us just stick to this game and yes the Niners will win. All you have to do is watch the performance of quarterback Colin Kaepernick last weekend to know that this guy is the real deal. He completed 17/31 passes for 263 yards in the air, 2 touchdowns and a pick then on the ground he tore it up just as much if not more by rushing for 181 yards on 16 attempts for 2 scores in the 49ers' 45-31 victory over Green Bay. The Kapernick interception was thrown within the early stages of the first quarter but after that he came to town and was instrumental in the Niners pulling off the victory. The San Francisco offense if just as dangerous as its defense now who welcomed back Justin Smith in the divisional round so Atlanta better watch out.

Now this is not to say that the Falcons don't have a chance of winning because in the national football league anything can happen but the one stat that stands out for me is that the 49ers put up 579 yards in total on offense last week but only gave up 352 yards on defense against an Aaron Rodgers lead Packers in comparison to the Falcons who gave up 491 yards in total on defense but did manage to put up 417 yards on offense against a tough Seattle defense. For me this shows that the 49ers will find a way to win because despite Atlanta's offensive weapons Matt Ryan does not possess the experience or the offense to cause the Niners defense the problems that Tom Brady did against them in week 15.

The most important factor though is how far Colin Kaepernick has come since becoming the 49ers quarterback. I don't think there is anyone in the NFL who can do what this guy can do because the way he runs the ball which is speed for a QB is unreal and makes his a threat to any opposing defense but more than anything he has a tremendous ability to throw the football which many have criticised and even doubted. Jim Harbaugh made the right call putting in this kid for Alex Smith as it has taken his offense and this football team to the next level. It will be hard going on the road and winning in the playoffs especially at the Georgia Dome but unless the Falcons can force some turnovers and hope that quarterback Matt Ryan stays as cool as ice then it will be San Francisco representing the NFC at Super Bowl 47.

Predicted Score: 49ers 38-24 Falcons


Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots

Brady vs Lewis the final episode

Ray Lewis' career in the NFL continues for another week as he inspired the Ravens to go on the road and knock off Peyton Manning and the first seeded Denver Broncos. Now Baltimore has a chance to redeem themselves for their defeat in the AFC Championship game last season against the New England Patriots with the rematch set up for Sunday night at Gillette Stadium bringing two of the greatest players in their respective positions head to head for once last time when Ray Lewis goes head to head against Tom Brady.

The two things that gives the Ravens a chance in this game is that their defense have returned to their nasty self and that Joe Flacco is now elite... Yes I said elite! The 70 yard touchdown pass he made against Denver in the fourth quarter to tie the game up and take it to overtime was absolute magic and proved he has the ability to potentially mix it with the best. The rejuvenated Flacco has emerged ever since Jim Caldwell has hired as the team's offensive coordinator for week 15 and since then Flacco has thrown 9 touchdowns and just one interception.

Now the Ravens will need to match the Patriots offense if they are to stay in the game as it could well become a shootout but their one concern must be running back Ray Rice as he looks like he is scared about fumbling the football. You can see it in the way Rice is holding the ball and he has already had a few errors during the post-season up until this point. This will be a real cause for concern for Baltimore considering the Patriots lead the league in turnovers with a differential of +25 which includes 20 interceptions and 21 forced fumbles.

Now that New England's defense has the ability to make big plays all over the field thanks to a reborn secondary which can cover the pass and a defense running game led by Vince Wilfork it is going to be hard to get past the Patriots. Combine that with an offense that is getting it done on the ground with Stevan Ridley and their backs love to come out and catch the ball which is what Shane Vereen did perfectly in the team's 41-28 victory over the Texans in the absence of Danny Woodhead who went down to injury in the first quarter. Vereen racked in 83 yards receiving for two touchdowns including a 33 yard touchdown reception from a beautifully thrown pass by Tom Brady as well as racking up 41 yards and a score on the ground.

The Patriots offense is on fire even without superstar tight-end Rob Gronkowski as they have the likes of Hernandez, Lloyd and Welker to go to. The team put up 457 yards in total against Houston in the divisional round and they also boats the number one offense in the league following outstanding performances during the regular season. All of the signs are there for New England to make it back to the Super Bowl and that is exactly what I think will happen. Tom Brady was masterful again last weekend completing 25/40 passing attempts for 344 yards and throwing three touchdown passes. It was a perfect performance by Brady and with the win took him to 17 playoffs wins overtaking the legendary Joe Montana.

The following stats also suggest that New England wins on Sunday:

1. Now it may not be playoff related but in his career as a starter Tom Brady is 136-39

2. Brady is 17-6 in his career as a starter in the playoffs.

3. He is also a very impressive 11-2 at home in the playoffs in his career as starter

4. Finally and probably the most applicable to this game is that Tom Brady is 3-0 at home as a starter in AFC Championship games.

So all in all despite it being pretty obvious that the Ravens do have a chance I fancy New England to win on Sunday and advance to the Super Bowl in New Orleans where if they win it will mark 10 years exactly to the day that they won their first Super Bowl which was also in New Orleans; 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams February 3rd 2002.

Predicted Score: Ravens 23-31 Patriots

NFL divisonal round

There are 3 hours until the divisional round of the NFL playoffs begin! Last week's wild card round brought us plenty of excitement with the Seahawks, Packers, Ravens and Texans all progressing. We'll take a look at each game now with predictions from yours truly.

Baltimore Ravens vs Denver Broncos

The Ravens are rejuvenated following the return of influential leader Ray Lewis. The linebacker returned from injury last week against the Colts are played incredibly well as he racked up 9 tackles and almost got an interception which would have capped off a perfect day for Baltimore. Last week they played the rookie Andrew Luck and no disrespect to him because he has all the talent in the world but last week the Colts just didn't show up but this week the Ravens have a huge task ahead of them when they go on the road to face Peyton Manning's Broncos.

Denver finished the regular season 13-3 with the join best record in the league and the best record in the AFC. They have won their last 11 games in a row and Manning has been spectacular in his first year as a Bronco. Many have the Bronco's down to win this especially after they knocked off the Ravens 34-17 three weeks ago but here I am about to give Baltimore some hope with two key points:

1. Peyton Manning despite being arguably one of if not the greatest quarterback to play the game actually does not have a great playoff record. While we all know his regular season success has been well documented over the years in the post-season Manning won 9 and lost 10 throwing 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. The stats are not great and you could compare him to Bronco's legend John Elway for maybe not being able to get it done in the "big games" although both are former Super Bowl champions so they are not exactly choke artists.

2. Now this may sound like I am clutching at straws but hear me out; when the weather is cold Manning freezes under pressure, sorry I couldn't resist it. When the temperature has been below 32 degrees Manning has only won 3/8 games now obviously when he was quarterback for the Colts they played indoors but Denver has high altitude and not the greatest of weather at this time of year. The temperature is predicted to be around 20 degrees in Denver when kick-off comes around so who knows what will happen and it is worth mentioning that Peyton Manning also lost his only two cold playoff games with both ending in defeat to the New England Patriots with him just throwing one touchdown and a costly five interceptions in those two games.

With that being said maybe the most important stat of all is that Manning is 9-2 against the Ravens in his career and even worse for the Ravens is that those two defeats came in his first two games against Baltimore so since that loss in 2001 Manning has won 9 straight against them. When the two teams go head to head tonight the league's number 5 offense takes on the league's number 16th defense and with the Broncos themselves ranked number 2 on total defense you can expect Denver to advance to the AFC Championship game.

Predicted Score: Ravens 24-30 Broncos


Green Bay Packers vs San Francisco 49ers

I think on paper this game is the most evenly matched out of the four we have for the divisional round and it really is so close to call. The 49ers pipped the Packers to the bye week and thanks to Green Bay's convincing win last weekend against the Vikings they now travel to Candlestick Park to play San Francisco. Both of these teams suffered the same fate in last season's playoffs when they were defeated by the New York Giants but this year with the two matching up against each other both will believe that with a win tonight they will be the ones to go on and represent the NFC at Super Bowl 47.

These are the two best teams in the NFC but both get things done differently. The 49ers offensive has taken a new lease of life since the emergence of second year quarterback Colin Kaepernick and with it now being dynamic in the air as well as being dangerous on the ground they are almost as scary on this side of the ball as they are on defense. The Niners defense is ranked 3rd in the league in total yardage giving up less than 300 yards a game but we saw how they almost threw away a big lead when they took on the offensive might of the New England Patriots during the regular season and how they were swept away by the Seahawks so there are signs that the Packers can get it done tonight.

Although their defense is improving Green Bay getting it done on offense will be the main factor tonight. If the likes of Greg Jennings, Randall Cobb and Jermichael Finley can get it done then the Packers have a chance. With that being said it will be down to quarterback Aaron Rodgers to get the ball to them but if he can continue his regular season form and put in another MVP like performance for the Packers then I fancy them to beat San Francisco in their own back garden. Jim Harbaugh made a tough call when he put in Kaepernick for Alex Smith and although the young kid has lot of talent I think a playoff run is a step to far this season and ultimately the decision to bring him in will haunt Harbaugh but only for now as from next season onwards the Niners will come out firing on all cylinders.

Predicted Score: Packers 30-27 49ers


Seattle Seahawks vs Atlanta Falcons

I wouldn't necessarily call the Seattle Seahawks a surprise package but let's just say I don't think nobody predicted this football team would look so complete in the 2012 season. Tomorrow they come up against a Falcons team that has looked like a complete squad for a couple of seasons but a win in the playoffs still eludes them.

The Seahawks finished the regular season 8-0 at home but were only 3-5 on the road. With that being said they went on the road last weekend and beat the Redskins 24-14 to move on to 12-5 this season. The team's defensive is ranked 4th best overall for yardage in the league and 3rd in the playoffs just trailing the Broncos and the 49ers. The Seahawks boast having the best defense in the league when it comes to their opponents scoring against them and out of the remaining teams in the NFC they have the best turnover differential along with none other than the Atlanta Falcons with plus 13.

The Falcons offense has been brilliant for the majority of the season but they haven't blown any teams out of shown that wow factor which some would require is needed to get to the next level. Nitty gritty wins are good as your team shows heart but it just seems like the Falcons may choke once again especially when you look back to when they played the Cardinals and Matt Ryan threw 5 interceptions.

This matchup for many comes down to the Falcons offense vs the Seahawks defense but for me I think the decisive factor will be how well Seattle themselves do on offense. They go to the Georgia Dome which is by no means the easiest place to play in and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson will have to show composure once again if he is to lead his team to a victory on the road. The rookie QB was efficient last weekend against Washington when he threw 1 touchdown pass for 187 yards and we know he can hit the next gear as he tied Peyton Manning's rookie touchdown record during the regular season when he threw 26 touchdown passes.

If Wilson performs and Marshawn Lynch gets it done like we know he can when he is called upon by this Seattle offense then I think the Seahawks knock off the number one seed Falcons and advance to the NFC Championship game. Oh and you can expect cornerback Richard Sherman to intercept Matt Ryan tomorrow night and add to his 8 interceptions this season.

Predicted Score: Seahawks 28-20 Falcons


Houston Texans vs New England Patriots

The last time these two teams played the New England Patriots destroyed the Texans 42-14. Tom Brady dismantled Houston's defense but now it's the playoffs and as we know anything can happen. The Texans will want revenge and will want to give what they feel to be a true account of themselves when they come up against the Patriots again tomorrow night but despite their wild card win over the Bengals the Texans once again looked lackluster on offense in comparison to the team we saw during the early stages of the regular season.

Texans quarterback Matt Schaub will feel he has a point to prove when he takes his team on the road as he looks to prove he has what it takes to be elite. Judging on his season to date especially looking at recent form the chances of him instigating a performance to shock the Patriots is unlikely but that was also said of Jets QB Mark Sanchez in the 2010 season, After New England humiliated the Jets 45-3 in the regular season Sanchez and Gang Green went on the road to knock off their rivals 28-21 in the divisional round.

So that brings us to the 2012 playoffs and the New England Patriots are in a very similar scenario. Whether they have the comparisons to the 2010 season in their mind is anyone's call but you could say that is unlikely as this football team is completely different to the 2010 Patriots. Last season New England just missed out on a 4th Super Bowl championship and you can see that Tom Brady and the Patriots are on a redemption mission this season to get back to the big game for another shot at the Lombardi trophy.

On offense Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has once again been in spectacular form as he finished the regular season with 34 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions. Tomorrow he could overtake the legendary Joe Montana for playoff wins and move on to 17 post-season victories if they can knock off the Texans. That looks likely now that they have tight end Rob Gronkowski back on offense, he didn't play in the blowout, and now that the running game has regained stability along with a defense that leads the league in turnover differential with +25 the signs are there for a New England win.

For the Texans to win J.J. Watt needs to rediscover his superstar form. You can expect Houston to throw a lot of blitz packages at Tom Brady tomorrow with Watt himself leading his group all in hope of getting to Brady. Any chance Houston has of winning though will depend on the offense's ability to get first downs and put points on the board; now that sounds obvious but they didn't do it last time and have struggled to do that of late.

You can expect this game to be much closer than the two teams first encounter but with the Patriots being at home again and their roster back to pretty much full strength ahead of the playoffs expect New England to start their playoff run with a win as they advance to the AFC Championship game next week.

Predicted Score: Texans 24-34 Patriots

NFL 2012/2013 Playoffs:

This year’s NFL regular season is over and now we know who has made it to the post-season. Week 17 gave us plenty of thrills and spills, mostly spills if your names Tony Romo. The drama and excitement that this week’s matchups brought us has given us high expectations going into the wild card week and the rest of the playoffs.

For this post we'll take a look at each team’s chance in the playoffs with a little hint of how they may do as well as a prediction for the NFC and AFC championship games.

NFC seedings:

1. Atlanta Falcons - South winners - 13-3-0 (Home field advantage and first round bye)

2. San Francisco 49ers - West winners - 11-4-1 (First round bye)

3. Green Bay Packers - North winners - 11-5-0

4. Washington Redskins - East winners - 10-6-0

5. Seattle Seahawks - Wildcard - 11-5-0

6. Minnesota Vikings - Wildcard - 10-6-0

Atlanta Falcons

Can Atlanta's three musketeers come up big when it matters most

During Matt Ryan's time as quarterback for the Falcons he and the team have lost three playoff games with the most recent coming last season in a crushing 24-2 defeat to eventful Super Bowl champions the New York Giants. This season the Falcons have finished the 2012 regular season with the leagues joint best record, 13-3, but despite that many have written them off. Ryan himself has had another productive year throwing 32 touchdowns to only 14 interceptions and with this being his 5th season in the league you can see he is improving but now he has learned the ropes this Atlanta team needs to step up when it matters. They will look to prove the doubters wrong by beating whoever they welcome to the Georgia Dome in the NFC divisional round out of the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. Despite their recent woeful playoff record Atlanta's offense also has two very good receivers in the shape of Julio Jones who has had a breakout season with 10 receiving touchdowns and Roddy White as well as a defense that finished the regular season sixth in turnover differential with +13. Matt Ryan can take inspiration from Eli Manning who lost his first two playoff games but won his first in his third appearance during his fourth year as a pro so can Ryan make it lucky number four in year number five and take the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC Championship game? Well out of the four teams in the NFL with a bye week the Falcons are the most likely to bust and regardless if they do manage a long awaited playoff win they don't have the type of defense the Giants did on two occasions to help Eli Manning get over the line so Matt Ryan and co will have to wait another year for a shot at greatness.

San Francisco 49ers

Will Jim Harbaugh's decision pay off in the playoffs

It has been an eventful season for the San Francisco 49ers and one mainly filled with positives. The team headed in to the 2012 season as one of the favourites to go to the Super Bowl and that view has not changed among many. The 49ers possess one of if not arguably the best defense in the league and statistically are third in total defense during the regular season giving up only 294.4 yards per game. They have 25 takeaways and a turnover differential of +9 which leaves them ranked 9th in the league in that field and as well as that the possess the likes of outside linebacker Aldon Smith who was in fine form during the regular season as he racked up 19.5 sacks on the season. The big question though still remains at quarterback but for Jim Harbaugh it has been a good dilemma with second year pro Colin Kaepernick coming in to replace Alex Smith following a concussion despite Smith starting to produce some of if not his best form as a quarterback since being drafted as the first overall pick by the 49ers in the 2005 draft. Smith finished the season with a passer rating of 104.1 which made him the third best rated quarterback in the league but young Colin Kaepernick has been considered more dynamic with his ability to move out of the pocket as well as scramble and has shown to have better arm strength. As well as this his abilities have shown in his statistics with the young QB throwing 10 touchdowns for 1,814 yards and just 3 interceptions along with 5 scores on the ground in his 7 games as the teams starter. Kaepernick has also been able to link up with veteran Randy Moss at times and has racked up a very good partnership with his main wide receiver Michael Crabtree who is now starting to look like the big time NFL player many predicted he could be. The decision to switch quarterback has paid off so far as San Francisco went on to clinch a bye in the playoffs taking them straight to the divisional round meaning they are one game away from the NFC Championship but despite us all seeing a season full of many surprises especially at the quarterback position this situation in San Francisco won't see the team replicate a Tom Brady- Drew Bledsoe type scenario in which Brady went on to win the Lombardi trophy in his second year as a pro following him becoming the starter due to an injury to Bledsoe. One way or another Harbaugh's decision will come back to haunt him somehow and the 49ers will fall at some point but when that will happen is a subject open for debate.

Green Bay Packers

Can Aaron Rodgers guide the Packers back to the Super Bowl

The Green Bay Packers were controversially defeated by the Seattle Seahawks on a Monday night game early in the season which saw the end of the replacement refs taking charge on the field. A win on that night would have given them a first round bye but following their week 17 defeat to divisional rivals the Vikings they only have themselves to blame after missing out on a week off. Despite that recent negative it is only a blip and overall Green Bay's season has been a success so far. Aaron Rodgers has led the way once again by continuing to get it done with an offense which doesn't possess as many weapons that the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have at their disposal. With Rodgers leading the league with an incredible passer rating of 108.0 as well as 39 touchdown passes to just 8 interceptions the quarterback could be the difference maker for Green Bay to make a playoff run. He's turned Jerry Jones in to a top receiver, he leads the league with 14 scores on the season, and the Packers also have their defense getting healthy again so everything mentioned makes them one of the favourites in the NFC to compete for the Lombard trophy in February. Their journey starts this weekend when they face the Vikings again but this time the game takes place at Lambeau field. Despite wide receiver Greg Jennings saying he would rather play indoors home advantage will set Green Bay on their way in the playoffs but will have a tough road to the Super Bowl as a win this weekend would mean they have to travel to Candlestick Park to take on the 49ers and then would have to beat whoever they face in the NFC title game to get to New Orleans. These days in the NFL nothing comes easy and a number one seed hasn't won the Super Bowl since the 2003 Patriots so don't be surprised in Green Bay are the team representing the NFC at Super Bowl 47.

Washington Redskins

Can RGIII and the Redskins continue to get it done in the playoffs

A seven game winning streak has seen the Redskins make the playoffs as NFC East champions. I bought in to the whole RGIII being black Jesus and he really has been Washington's saviour by guiding them to the post-season. The second overall pick out of Baylor has turned the franchise around and his clutch performance in the win or go home game against the Cowboys this past week has started off Griffin's legacy. Griffin is always graceful and shows veteran type skills on and off the field; he is also keen to praise his team-mates and rightfully so as the likes of Pierre Garcon and fellow rookie Alfred Morris have also assisted in the Redskins transformation. Morris' impressive rookie season has seen him rush for 1613 yards meaning he is second in the league leaving him only behind Adrian Peterson. His 13 rushing touchdowns again leave him second in scores this time only behind Marshawn Lynch so the stats show that the young running back is establishing himself as one of the best in the league. The running game has helped RGIII succeed and with him possessing various skills including his veteran like pocket presence and ability to scramble the options Washington have on offense are a headache for opposing defenses. Griffin's impressive season has put him in the running for rookie of the year; his stats include 20 touchdown passes to just 5 interceptions which is outstanding for a rookie and literally unheard of. He threw 3,200 passing yards and rushed for over 800 yards as well as 7 scores on the season. Washington will host the Seattle Seahawks this weekend who are a pretty similar football team to the Redskins which makes for an interesting matchup as both possess similar offenses and both have defenses that like to force turnovers; Washington are ranked third in the league with a +17 turnover differential and 31 takeaways. The Redskins are on a hot streak and the Seahawks don't have the best record on the road but now that their monster defence is fully equipped it’s pretty much too close to choose a winner. How far Washington can actually go is anyone's call but I think it is safe to say that whoever gets the win this Sunday will go on to knock off the Falcons at the Georgia Dome meaning that a rookie will be starting in the NFC Championship game.

Seattle Seahawks

Can Pete Carroll and his rookie QB help pull of something special this post-season

The Seattle Seahawks are an intriguing football team and have come a long way under head coach Pete Carroll's guidance. They are a surprise package in some people's eyes but from the start of the season it was clear to see that this team had talent. Seattle haven't lost a game at home his season and their 8-0 record at CenturyLink Field saw them knock off the likes of the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers. Despite being only 3-5 on the road the Seahawks have showed signs of improvement away from Seattle towards the end of the regular season with a win in Chicago and a blowout against the Bills both of which were part of the teams give game winning streak to end the season on a high. The Seahawks travel to the capital to take on the Washington Redskins for wild card week after narrowly missing out on the NFC West title and a first round bye. The game itself is close to call but Seattle have dangerous weapons on both sides of the ball; on offense rookie Russell Wilson justified his selection in the draft and Pete Carroll's decision to name him as the team’s starting quarterback over Matt Flynn. Wilson racked up a passer rating of 100.0 in the regular season throwing 26 touchdown passes which tied Peyton Manning's rookie record for touchdowns in a season and threw just 10 interceptions for over 3,000 yards and also scored 4 rushing touchdowns himself with his impressive performances putting him in the rookie of the year conversation. The ground game has helped the rookie with Marshawn Lynch putting on another great display this season rushing for 1590 yards and 11 touchdowns. The offense has got things going despite any major weapons at receiver but the team’s success has started from its foundations set on defense and the standards have been set high. The return of Browner and Sherman at cornerback is a huge boost as Seattle has had to cope without their two starters at the position but have actually managed fine. Seattle’s pass defense ranked sixth in the league allowing just 203.1 yards per game, finished 4th in the league in total defense only giving up 306.2 yards per game and was fifth in turnover differential with +13 and 31 takeaways. The statistics are all there to suggest that this Seahawks team could go far in the post-season and some do believe they have a genuine shot to reach New Orleans. Their first test will be against the Redskins and a road win will only boost their confidence; if they win and then go on to face the Falcons the pass defense will give the Falcons a torrid time and Seattle could well be in the NFC Championship game come the end of the month.

Minnesota Vikings

Can the one man wrecking machine continue to cause havoc in the playoffs

No disrespect to the Minnesota Vikings but Adrian Peterson has pretty much carried the team on his own this season. It was this time last year when Peterson underwent surgery on a potential career threatening torn ACL injury but he has come back and produced one of the best seasons ever by a running back in the history of the NFL as he racked up 2097 yards leaving him only 9 yards shy of Ed Dickerson's record; he also rushed for an impressive 12 scores on the ground. The Vikings and Peterson himself have been written off many times this season but the team rallied to win their last four games with the last coming against the Green Bay Packers ensuring they got the last NFC wild card spot ahead of the Chicago Bears. The Vikings will matchup against Green Bay again this weekend when the playoffs begin as Peterson and co look to pull off another shock as well as another win over the Packers. This time though they'll have to do it on the road where the team are 3-5 but it would be foolish to rule the Vikings out especially as Christian Ponder even produced in week 17 when he threw 3 touchdown passes in the win and notably no interceptions. Everyone likes a fairytale story but this one will end at Lambeau Field as a playoff run is most likely a step too far for Minnesota but they've made big strides this season and can look back on it with fond memories especially as Peterson should walk away for the regular season MVP award and deservedly so.

NFC title game prediction:

1. Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers
or 2. Washington Redskins vs San Francisco 49ers
or 3. Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers

Out of the six NFC teams these four are the ones to watch out for and those are my three predictions for the championship game. I reiterate the fact that the Falcons will crumble again in the playoffs meaning that a rookie quarterback will have a shot at the Super Bowl. If it's RGIII the Redskins will lose as a trip to New Orleans is a step too far for a team that is still rebuilding but they won't face the Packers because those two teams rely mainly on offense and one defensive team will be in the title game. I don't see the 49ers losing an NFC title game if they get there to anyone besides Seattle but to be honest the more I think about it the more I am convinced that on January 20th the 5th seeded Seahawks take a trip to Lambeau Field to take on the 3rd seeded Green Bay Packers in a repeat of that Monday night madness from week 3 with both fighting it out to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. All in agreement that the game ends on a last second touchdown again... I thought so.


AFC seedings:

1. Denver Broncos - West winners - 13-3-0 (Home field advantage and first round bye)

2. New England Patriots - East winners - 12-4-0 (First round bye)

3. Houston Texans - South winners - 12-4-0

4. Baltimore Ravens - North winners - 10-6-0

5. Indianapolis Colts - Wildcard - 11-5-0

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Wildcard - 10-6-0

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Denver Broncos

Can Manning and the Broncos go all the way

From the thrills of Tebowmania and a playoff win last season the Denver Broncos have gone that step further this season thanks to a rejuvenated Peyton Manning who has come back playing some of the best football of his career despite having neck surgery which ruled him out of the 2011 season. It was foolish for anyone to write Manning off and anybody who did has been proven wrong as Manning has thrown 4,659 passing yards this season; his second best season in his 15 years as a pro. As well as this Manning threw 37 touchdown passes and just 11 interceptions meaning he finished the regular season with a passer rating of 105.8 with the stats suggesting he is the frontrunner along with Adrian Peterson to win the NFL comeback player of the year award and possibly league MVP. The future hall of fame quarterback has turned receivers Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas in to big time players with the two hauling in 23 of his 37 touchdown passes giving Denver an offense to be feared as well as a defense that is ranked second in the league for total defense giving up only 290.8 yards per game overall. The Broncos defense also has Von Miller who has been a thorn in many opponents side as the outside linebacker went on to get 18.5 sacks during the regular season and even contributed for an interception which went for a touchdown. All there is to say about this football team is that they are well equipped all round and with them locking up the number one seed thanks to an 11 game winning streak you could forgive Peyton Manning for having one eye on going back to his place of birth for Super Bowl  47. It’s been an emotional ride for Manning and it could end in fairytale fashion with a win in New Orleans which could include a divisional round matchup against his former team the Colts and an AFC championship game against long-time adversary Tom Brady. With Manning at the helm this Denver Broncos team has the tools to go all the way and the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC will go through Denver but in the playoffs anything can happen so expect the unexpected and lots of drama.

New England Patriots

Can Tom Brady and the Patriots go a step further this year by winning their fourth championship

It's always eventful in New England and once again the Patriots are among the top contenders to win the Super Bowl. Quarterback Tom Brady is looking to win the elusive fourth ring which would quite possible cement his place as the greatest quarterback of all time. Thankfully for Brady head coach Belichick has formed a football team which knows how to win games and most of the time win in style. In the 12 games won by the Patriots during the regular season they outscored their opponents 452-215, yes I worked that out myself, which shows how dominant they have been. In the 4 games lost they were only outscored 105-116 so just 11 points were the difference with narrow losses to Arizona by 2 points, Baltimore and Seattle by a point and finally San Francisco by 7 points who lead by a 28 point deficit at halftime. This New England Patriots has all the pieces in place to go on and win a championship as they possess a devastating offense that is ranked first in the NFL with 427.9 yards per game in total offense along with a vastly improved defense and are even dangerous on special teams. The offense has continued to get it done despite injuries to the likes of Julian Edelman who suffered a broken foot in week 13 but key weapon Rob Gronkowski returned this week and with Aaron Hernandez returning earlier on in the season the two headed tight end monster will be on the field for the playoffs and has a bye week to prepare for its divisional round game. Brady threw for 4,827 passing yards in the regular season, second best in his 13 year career, and threw an impressive 34 touchdown passes making it only the fourth time in his career that he has thrown over 30 touchdowns in a season. He also threw just 8 interceptions making it the third time in his career that he has finished a regular season with under 10 picks which is very impressive. Unbelievably Brady is always improving as a quarterback but has the running game established mainly by Stevan Ridley to thank for this latest successful Patriots offense. The running game is something New England have lacked in recent years but now that they have one it gives opposing defenses something else to worry about as well as opening up play action. Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead and Brandon Bolden are also three very useful running backs who can come in and offer different options at running back so the position offers just as many alternatives to a passing game that includes Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd at wide receiver. This new running attack reminds me of when Terrell Davis joined the Denver Broncos and that helped quarterback John Elway win back to back Super Bowls following three defeats in his other big game appearances. As well as this the Patriots defense has come on leaps and bounds as the team have gone from being ranked 31st in total yardage last season to finishing the 2012 regular season first in turnovers with a differential of 25 and second in takeaways with 41 thanks to an improved secondary as well as good defensive play all round. This Patriots team will at least reach the AFC title game on January 20th with many predicting a New England vs Denver matchup but with this year being a Super Bowl or bust type season you can most likely bank on New England being the team representing the AFC come Super Bowl 47.

Houston Texans

Can Watt help stop the rot

The Houston Texans had hold of the number one seed in the AFC for weeks and still held it going in to the last week of the regular season but a defeat to their divisional rivals the Colts along with wins for the Patriots and Broncos saw the Texans slip in to the third seeded position which now means they will play this weekend. In wild card week the Texans will host the Bengals who have won their last 3 in a row and their last 4 out of 5 games as opposed to Houston who are on a 2 game losing streak and dropped to 12-4 following an 11-1 record after 12 games. It's hard to pinpoint Houston's recent decline but they need to fix the problem now that the playoffs are here especially as Cincinnati are a team that shouldn't be underestimated. They need their offense to click again and will look for quarterback Matt Schaub to rekindle his partnership with wide receiver Andre Johnson and will also hope Arian Foster can recapture the sparkling form he showed for the majority of the season which saw him rack up 1,424 yards on the ground and lead the league in rushing touchdowns with 15. Their main goal to recapture that winning formula though should be defense as it was their hard working efforts on that side of the ball that made them so hard to beat early on in the season. In a lot of their big games this season it’s almost as if the Texans have gone missing with defeats to the Packers 42-24 and the Patriots 42-14 standing out as well as the week 17 loss to the Colts leading to them having to play this weekend but if J.J. Watt can step up to the MVP type form he showed for the majority of the season Houston can stop the rot; the defensive end led the league in sacks with 20.5. Whilst the Texans did clinch the AFC South divisional title they and their fans will feel they should be resting this weekend and so will many experts as Houston were predicted as an early season Super Bowl contender. That's not to say they can't make the big game but recent form is not on the teams side but regardless of that the playoffs is a clean slate and anyone's game. A win over the Bengals will mean they travel to Gillette Stadium in the divisional round; that was where they were blown out by the Patriots in week 14 and although they will want a shot at redeeming themselves big defeats always remain in the back of your mind. Overall it is clear to see that Houston have the talent but this young franchise is still learning and will have to do it the hard way to reach New Orleans by going through two of the greatest quarterback's to ever play the game meaning that their task is almost certainly a step too far.

Baltimore Ravens

Can Ray Lewis and the Ravens get it together done one more time

It has been an emotional week for all those associated with the Ravens as it was announced Ray Lewis will retire at the end of the season. The 13 time pro bowler is one of if not the greatest linebacker to play the game and while the news is obviously devastating it was also revealed that he will return for this Sunday's playoff game against the Colts. Having their inspirational leader back on the field can only be beneficial for Baltimore and they need something to reignite them following a roller coaster of a season. The Ravens finished 10-6 and managed to clinch the AFC North but will host Andrew Luck and the 11-5 Colts in what will be a very close and exciting game. This game has all types of stories for Baltimore with Lewis playing and the fact that they use to be known as the Baltimore Colts. Can this team put a playoff run together? Who knows and given their unpredictability it is hard to hazard a guess to whether they can or not. Joe Flacco and the no huddle offense slowly declined week by week but despite injuries the defense still managed to finish 8th in the league for turnover differential and had 25 takeaways on the season. The Ravens are similar to the Texans in the sense that both were predicted to have a genuine shot at the Super Bowl but the regular season has thrown doubt over that and now both teams face young opponents this week end who are both in form. Despite Baltimore being able to rest some key starters in week 17 I think they won't get any luck against Indianapolis resulting in a disappointing end for Ray Lewis and his illustrious career.

Indianapolis Colts

Luck has been more than lucky as his amazing performances have guided the Colts to the playoffs

Last season the 'Suck for Luck' sweepstakes began and following a disappointing 2-14 season the Colts acquired the number one overall pick; via football not through the other type of sucking, I'm sure I am not the only one who thought that campaign name sounded weird. Back to football and one thing the Colts have not done this season is suck as the team have rallied together after head coach Chuck Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia to pull off a fairytale story by going 11-5 on the season with Andrew Luck putting in some spectacular performances as he starts off creating his own legacy in Indianapolis. By going 11-5 the Colts have made the playoffs and will go on the road to face the Baltimore Ravens this weekend with a very good chance of making the divisional round. A win for the Colts would almost certainly match them up against former quarterback Peyton Manning and his new team the Denver Broncos. Of course everyone knows Manning was released when injured to pave the way for Andrew Luck to start the rebuilding process for the franchise as the team's new quarterback. A 28-16 week 17 win over divisional rivals the Texans has proved they can compete against the best and on their day Andrew Luck and these young Colts could beat anyone. Fellow rookies T.Y. Hilton, Donnie Avery and Vick Ballard have also been very impressive for the Colts on offense in their first seasons as pros. The Colts offensive line has also held up and their defense has slowly improved week by week as well as producing big plays when it matters. The Colts are lucky to have Andrew Luck as he is something special and has come in to the league showing great pocket presence, arm strength and also great on the run to the surprise of some. He set a variety of rookie records this season such as the most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in a single season throwing for 4,374 yards. He threw 23 touchdowns on the season and scored 5 touchdowns himself. Luck also got the most game-winning drives by a rookie quarterback with 7, the most fourth quarter comebacks by a rookie quarterback with 6 including the last second touchdown in Detroit, the most wins by a number 1 pick in his rookie season with 11 and when the Colts got to 8 wins on the season he became the first rookie QB to achieve this feat. Will the pressure of the playoffs get to Luck well I doubt that as he showed composure all season long and even I predicted the Colts to get to 9 wins at the start of the season which many laughed at but as we know they surpassed that and have gone on to be the surprise package of the season. Come Sunday against the Ravens the Indianapolis playoff run will begin with a win over Baltimore and they may even pull off a shock in Denver with the emotion of a game against his former team getting too much for Manning setting up Luck vs Brady part 2 in the AFC title game.

Cincinnati Bengals

Will the smiles in Cincinnati continue in the playoffs

By going 10-6 the Cincinnati Bengals reached the playoffs for the second successive season and set up a wild card week matchup against the Houston Texans. The two met at this stage of the post-season last year and the Texans defeated them 31-10 but the Bengals go in to this match full of confidence following three successive wins. Houston on the other hand are have lost their last two and slipped from first seeds to third on the last week of the season so this matchup could be a close one. Any success the Bengals hope of having in the playoffs will come down to three players. First up is second year quarterback Andy Dalton who has had a very good season throwing over 3,500 passing yards for 27 touchdowns; Dalton became one of three players in NFL history with at least 20 touchdown passes in each of his first two seasons along with Peyton Manning and Dan Marino. Dalton continued his good partnership with wide receiver A.J. Green this season who also had a good second season as a pro as he racked up 1,350 receiving yards along with 11 touchdown receptions. Finally the third key player in this team is on defense and his name is Gino Atkins; the defensive tackle had 12.5 sacks on the season and can produce big plays when it matters. If these three guys can get it going the Bengals could get a road win against Houston. Regardless of the result this franchise has improved drastically over recent years and that is great to say as they can take a lot of pride away from this season as the team continues to grow.

AFC title game prediction:

1. Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots

or 2. New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos

It is bold to rule out three of the six playoff teams but the majority of people think that the AFC championship game will be contested in Denver at Mile High between the Broncos and the New England Patriots. The Colts and Bengals could easily pull off shocks that won't be so shocking in wild card weekend; if that was to happen then I see the Colts losing to the Patriots along with the Broncos defeating the Bengals to set up the dream matchup in the AFC. That is the most likely AFC title game but in the playoffs there is always some sort of shock and I see the Colts beating the Ravens this weekend then the apprentice Andrew Luck defeating the master Peyton Manning to take Indianapolis to an AFC title game at Gillette Stadium against the Patriots who in this scenario defeat the Houston Texans in the wildcard round. There are bound to be thrills and spills this post-season but I think most are in agreement that the most likely championship game we'll see will be between the Patriots and the Broncos giving Tom Brady or Peyton Manning another shot at another Lombardi Trophy.