Pittsburgh Steelers vs New England Patriots

Tonight sees the return of the NFL as the road to Super Bowl 50 begins and we have a mouth-watering encounter for opening night with Ben Roethlisberger's Steelers heading to Gillette Stadium to face an old foe in the form of Tom Brady and the defending champions New England.

The Steelers will look to gate-crash tonight's party at Foxboro as the Patriots unveil their fourth Super Bowl winners banner before giving the team a heroes reception as they step on to the field especially Tom Brady who has an to endure a troublesome offseason with the drama of 'Deflategate' and he more than anyone will be glad to get back to playing football. The last time the Patriots were involved in controversy was back in 2007 with 'Spygate' which seemed to ignite a spark in Bill Belichick's team and saw them finish the regular season 16-0 so who would bet against Bill and Tom pulling off one more masterclass this season just to rub further salt in to the wounds of Roger Goodell.

An undefeated season is a long way away and admittedly talking about one is crazy especially in week one plus as we know going unbeaten doesn't guarantee you a Super Bowl ring as the Pats found out back in 2007 (ask Peyton Manning too) but those demons were put to rest back in February so now its onwards and upwards. The quest for a fifth championship will be very tough especially against a Steelers team that has a powerful offense led by their two time Super Bowl winning quarterback. Big Ben and Mike Tomlin are quite the force themselves and they will have prepared their game plan very well for tonight looking to exploit a Patriots secondary that has seen Revis and Browner depart which I am sure will take a few weeks to sort out.

There are suspicions that Devin McCourty will move to corner but as the linchpin of the teams secondary at his normal position of safety taking Devin back to his old position at corner where he endured some struggles early in his career could be a risk especially as he himself has said that if he is moved to the outside that he hopes it isn't permanent. It will be interesting to see how Malcom Butler kicks on after his Super Bowl heroics especially as he will see a lot more snaps this season following the departures mentioned above.

With there being concerns regarding New England's secondary the Steelers will look to use Big Ben's rocket arm to exploit any holes downfield and he could well do so as he has arguably the most dynamic receiver in the NFL at his disposal in Antonio Brown. Brown is poised to have a fantastic year but without Martavis Bryant opposite him for the first four games of the season due to suspension as well as the fact that the brilliant Le'Veon Bell is suspended tonight as well so the Steelers’ game plan could become rather predictable.

When coming up against Bill Belichick it is very hard to spring a surprise on the Patriots head coach and considering that without Bell the Steelers will lack any real threat in the running game it will be interesting to see if Mike Tomlin has anything up his sleeve. Wide receiver Markus Wheaton will get a chance in these first four games to prove his worth to the Steelers offense without Bryant as he will step up to WR2; Roethlisberger will have to release his passes quickly which does basically sound like using a recipe for success that has worked so well for Tom Brady and the Pats over the years against themselves tonight.

That will be key to any success the Steelers have offensively tonight especially as the Patriots front 7 on defense this year looks incredible so running the ball on them will be extremely difficult as well as passing in the middle of the field as Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins are three incredible linebackers who know how to get the job done. The loss of Mayo to a season ending injury last campaign appeared to be troublesome for New England at first but in fact it increased the responsibility for Collins and Hightower which sky rocketed their development with the two excelling in pressure situations which ultimately gave the defense a new identity and was truly influential in helping the Pats win the Super Bowl last season.

On the flip side of things the Steelers defense is not what it once was in terms of your typical hard defense that themselves and the Baltimore Ravens are known for over in the AFC North. The Steelers are going through a transitional stage on that side of the ball and despite the fact that Tom Brady won't have former Steeler Lagarrette Blount to hand the ball of tonight everyone knows that Brady is more than comfortable in throwing the ball 35-45 times tonight and getting the job done through the air. If anything that will suit Brady as I am sure he is so pumped up and fuelled with the fire inside to get on the field tonight to just get back to playing football and show why he is the greatest quarterback of all-time.

The 4 time winning Super Bowl QB is also without wideout Brandon LaFell but his rapport with Julian Edelman is impeccable so you can expect the two to have a great season together. Danny Amendola will look to kick on following his impressive postseason and establish himself in the offense. The most exciting sign for Patriots is Scott Chandler being paired with superstar Rob Gronkowski as this could be the new two-headed monster that the team has longed for at the tight end position. The Patriots will be incredible in the red zone tonight with these two on the field especially with Edelman and Amendola running the slants and then when Blount is back you can add a power running game in to their arsenal which will only make the red zone offense more devastating.

The Steelers will try their best to catch the Patriots off guard and may even throw in some surprise nickel and dime packages on defense but a New England win appears to be well on the cards tonight. With the red zone threat mentioned above despite the Patriots having some uncertainties in their own running game they'll be able to pass their way through the Steelers as they don't have the personnel to jam the Patriots weapons at the line and stop them. With opening nights there are usually fireworks but they are also prone for error as during the early weeks the teams get a feel for the new season with what is working and what isn't but with this old rivalry being renewed I think we can expect more fireworks than anything else with Tom Brady bringing home a victory to a crowd of happy Patriots!

Prediction: Steelers 17-27 Patriots

Big Ben has two wins to Brady's 5 in their head to head

New England Patriots: Super Bowl XLIX Champions!

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks contested arguably the greatest Super Bowl of all-time. It had everything from hard hitting defense to brilliant offense and just pure drama as the two teams battled it out until literally the last seconds of the game. With 23 seconds to go Russell Wilson threw an interception to Patriots rookie defensive back Malcom Butler on the one yard line sending the New England Patriots players and fans around the world to go in to a frenzy of celebration as well as disbelief that they had finally captured their first Super Bowl championship since 2004.

Brady's reaction to Butler's intercepted summed it all up for anyone associated with the Patriots

After Jermaine Kearse's catch down at the goal-line it appeared that New England would surely suffer a third straight Super Bowl defeat as it seemed once again that the football gods were once again going to snatch victory away from the Patriots with a David Tyree/Mario Manningham type play. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in particular needed this victory more than anything to quieten down all the doubters and finally get this massive weight off of their shoulders. Despite all Brady and Belichick have achieved if Wilson had indeed completed that pass to Lockette or if the Seahawks had just run the ball with Lynch like 99.9% of people would have done then Seattle would have surely won this game and left the Patriots franchise in devastation.

But the beauty of sport is that it is all swings and roundabouts and that is none truer than in the National Football League. When Brady started his career he was a young kid fighting tooth and nail to make it in the NFL and under the guidance of Belichick the Patriots won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years thanks to a a fantastic defense, great coaching and the heart as well as the desire of a young quarterback. Some would say that at that time Brady was just a game manager, some would say that despite having the best win ratio in NFL history he hadn't won the big one since 2004 and that it was just because of that great defense that Brady had 3 Super Bowl rings. People would even dare to call Brady a choker and bring up the lack of Super Bowl success since SpyGate despite guiding his team to the big one two more times since 2004. The 2007 team almost pulled of perfection, in 2011 the Pats just couldn't get the job done and it appeared that the 4th championship may never come around.

The Patriots roster this season was the best since 2007 and all the pieces were in place for a championship. After a sluggish start to the season and the humiliation at the hands of the Chiefs in week 4 the Pats steamrolled through the regular season to finish 12-4. They pulled off a memorable comeback win over the Ravens in this years divisional round before blowing out the Colts in the AFC Championship but then the deflate-gate drama happened. Since the Pats' AFC title victory people have tried to unsettle New England just a fortnight before Super Bowl 49 but in fact deflate-gate was possibly the best thing that could of happened to the Patriots heading in to this Super Bowl matchup against the Seahawks.

To be branded cheaters and have their integrity questioned once again must have stung and team owner Robert Kraft's speech proved that when he came out and defended the franchise in emotional fashion. It inspired the team and probably gave them the final push they needed to get the job done this past Sunday. If Brady and Belichick had failed to guide the team to Super Bowl victory this time around then to be honest despite all the success of this franchise would the Patriots have been able to bounce back from a third heartbreaking Super Bowl defeat? Knowing the Patriots obviously they would have still been successful but I think three defeats in a row at a time where the window on a 4th championship is closing more and more year by year may have indeed been two much even for this masterful duo and a franchise that has been at the top of the NFL mountain since 2001.

On Sunday Night it did appear that the Patriots may lose in the big one once again. Following a brilliant drive that ended in a Brady to Gronkowski touchdown just before the half the Patriots looked in control but Seattle snatched all the momentum back when Russell Wilson put a quick drive together in under a minute to tie the game at 14 each going in to the half. Then Seattle took control leaving New England down by 10 points at 24-14 against the best defense in the league and arguably the greatest defense of all time. Tom Brady and the Patriots had it all to do especially as no team had ever come back from a deficit larger than 7 in the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl but they put together a fantastic drive which included a fantastic play on 3rd&14 which saw Brady fire a dime to Julian Edelman who had a fantastic game; the drive ended in a Brady to Amendola touchdown with just under 8 minutes to play in regulation.

Then New England's defense came up big straight away to get the ball back by forcing Seattle to a 3 and out. 24-21 4:47 left on the clock, 2&11 Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for the first down as the Patriots forced their way in to field goal range and it looked like they would at least tie the game but against this Seattle team it needed to be a touchdown especially given the circumstances. So then on 2nd and goal the Patriots scored the go ahead touchdown as Brady hit Edelman after he pulled off a spin move to put the Pats up 28-24 but then as we know it seemed Seattle would break the hearts of all Pats players and fans before Malcom Butler pulled off one of the finest plays in Super Bowl history to stop Seattle's comeback attempt and leave the Patriots in ecstasy.

The Patriots had finally avenged the demons of the past and laid to rest the painful defeat to the Giants in this same stadium back in 2007 as well as the other Super Bowl loss to New York back in 2011. Tom Brady and Belichick have now appeared in 6 Super Bowls with 4 victories and both have the most playoff victories for a quaterback/head coach. Brady's stellar offensive performance which saw him complete 37 of 50 passing attempts for 4 touchdowns and 328 yards earned him his 3rd Super Bowl MVP award leaving him tied with his childhood hero Joe Montana. In the game he surpassed another one of his idols old records as Brady ended the game with 13 Super Bowl touchdowns with the record previously standing at 11. Many now, including myself personally, consider Brady to be the greatest quarterback of all-time now that he is tied with Super Bowl wins on 4 with Montana and Terry Bradshaw and the fact that when you total up all the records Tom has and all the success he has achieved with Bill Belichick and the Patriots it is clear to see why he has a very strong case for greatest of all-time.

The Brady and Peyton Manning debate for greatest of an era is now over as Brady as 4 Super Bowl rings to Peyton's one. I'm not taking anything away from Peyton but Tom has all the postseason records whilst Peyton has all the regular season ones. Tom has played with only 9 pro bowl wide receivers to Manning's 27 and yet Brady is the one with 4 Super Bowl championships. Of course it is a team effort and the fact that this Pats team had so much determination as well as skill to capture this championship helped Brady but in the NFL the quarterback always seems to get too much of the praise or too much of the blame which is why we have so many debates about QB's and all in all who is the best ever. The greatest of all time debate will be even more heated than ever unless Brady and Belichick can win a 5th championship then that would kill any argument from anyone ever.

But for anyone associated with the Patriots whether that be the players, the coaches, anyone linked directly with the franchise or anyone in the fanbase from across the globe the debates can wait because the Super Bowl is coming back to Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Patriots are 4 times Super Bowl Champions and have established themselves as the greatest dynasty in NFL history. This team showed all the passion, heart, desire, skill and motivation it takes to win an NFL Championship. Tom Brady dethroned a devastating Seattle defense, this offense came up big when it mattered most. The offensive line that stood up strong against a devastating Seattle frontline to play a big part and players like Julian Edelman (some people's MVP choice), Danny Amendola (an unsung hero who came up big this postseason), Brandon LaFell (Brady's comfort blanket and a big contributor) and finally superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski all did their jobs.

I did say if he stayed healthy Gronk would be the difference this season with the result being a Patriots Super Bowl win and that was the case. The Pats offense defeated the legion of boom and the Pats defense came up big all season long to write their own story and establish their own greatness in New England's football folklore. Malcom Butler will be receiving Tom Brady's MVP truck after his game winning play, which I myself did indeed suggest during my celebrations on Sunday night via Twitter, and the likes of Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower, Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones, Vince Wilfork, Brandon Browner, Devin McCourty, Darrelle Revis among many others all get to wake up feeling on top of the world after becoming champions and deservedly so after they all played fantastic on Sunday. All 53 players on the Patriots roster earned their Super Bowl ring as they all played a part in the team becoming champions, they all did it for themselves personally and they all helped cement Brady and Belichick's legacy which is something all Patriots fans have been wanting since 2007. Everyone associated with the New England Patriots will be smiles from today's parade and throughout the entire off-season before the hard work begins ahead of the 2015 season and their title defense which will begin on the 10th September but until then let us say it one more time... The New England Patriots are Super Bowl Champions!

Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots vs Seahawks

Destiny, rising in the face of adversity and desire; these are the things that great teams believe in, do and aspire too which is something both the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks possess.

These two NFL heavyweights will lock horns come Sunday evening for arguably the biggest prize in sport, the Lombardi Trophy. The Patriots are looking to capture their 4th championship in franchise history and more importantly their first since 2004. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will also be looking to exorcise demons from previous Super Bowls as it was in this exact stadium back in 2007 where the Patriots were minutes away from pulling off the perfect season before losing to the Giants and finishing the campaign 18-1.

Despite all their achievements and all the success the Patriots organisation has achieved it appears that Sunday's game is going to define a legacy. If Brady and Belichick win then it is a 4 Super Bowl win and 6 appearances, both have the most playoff wins for a QB and for a head coach and both hold numerous other records that help stake their claim as the greatest ever. If they don't defeat Seattle then other fan bases will continue to jibe the Pats with "Spygate", "Deflate gate" and about any other gate they can think of.

The Patriots are usually the masters of rising up in the face of adversity and punching it right in the throat which is something you could say they've done more so than ever this season but Seattle have had to combat this themselves. After a lacklustre start to the season the defending champions were heavily criticised including the almighty legion of boom and despite the fact that many experts were touting a possible return to the Super Bowl for these Seahawks secretly I believe and from what I saw about 90% of people really did feel that Dallas or Green Bay would knock off Seattle in this postseason but it never happened.

The Seahawks rose from the ashes last week to pull off one of the greatest playoff comebacks in NFL history as they rallied back from 16-0 down to take the game to overtime at 22-22 before Russell Wilson finished off the game to Jermaine Kearse with a beautiful touchdown leaving Green Bay shell shocked and wondering what if (I doubt any of their players will be watching the game tomorrow). So now Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and this amazing Seattle Seahawks defense, who came up big especially in the red zone last week, will have a chance to repeat against a team who were in fact the last NFL franchise to pull off such a feat.

It's that among many other factors which makes this game so exciting and so damn hard to predict! This will arguably be Seattle and New England's toughest games of the season. The Patriots themselves pulled off a memorable playoff comeback against Baltimore in the divisional round so we know how much heart and determination both of these teams have. They also put in a stellar performance in last weeks AFC Championship game against the Colts to blow out the opposition 45-7 with LeGarrette Blount running wild and the Pats defense coming up big with huge intensity and fantastic play for near enough the entire 60 minutes.

The Patriots defense is probably the second best in the league and the truth is that they are not that far behind Seattle's but with this Seahawks D being so tough and so nasty it just puts them head and shoulders above the rest. Now Tom Brady has faced many great D's in the past and he will have been studying Seattle night and day for the past fortnight so he will be prepared and he has the tools to defeat the legion of boom.

The LOB's and this Seattle defenses kryptonite for me is Rob Gronkowski as despite how good the likes of Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Jeremy Lang and Bobby Wagner are they've never come up against a player like Gronk as this man can do anything. Now despite Gronk's abilities to block, catch and just about to near enough anything my key to the game is this Pats o-line protecting Tom Brady as well as whether they can be effective enough to help get the run game going.

In Brady's past two Super Bowl losses the Giants front 3 was able to create tons of pressure to force a collapse in the pocket and get to Tom. If that happens again on Sunday it will be hard for the Pats to win especially as we've seen how brilliant that the likes of Bruce Irvin and Michael Bennett are in the pass rush. They have the skills to crash up the middle and replicate the success the Giants had against Brady but this Pats o line ranks 4th in giving up the fewest sacks this season so them doing their jobs will be crucial.

If they can indeed hold up strong and give Brady time in the pocket as well as create a successful run game with Blount also being a key factor then the Pats have the tools to win this game. The recipe to New England's success on offense this season has been quick passes, slants and the abilities of their small, nibble receivers creating plays after the catch so Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola will have big roles to play. This is something that Seattle have sometimes struggled against in the past with TY Hilton of the Colts being an example. Edelman, Amendola can both run similar corner routes to this one and because all are so good but with different qualities it makes for an exciting head to head when this Pats offense goes against the Seattle defense. Add Gronk in the mix as mention previously along with the big bodied Brandon LaFell who's having a breakout year at wideout for the Patriots, he has become one of Brady's most trusted weapons, and this Patriots offense will be giving the Seattle defense a few sleepless nights of their own. (Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fans will appreciate the pun).

The Pats defense will be having a few restless nights of their own as they know how devastating Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch can be. Beast mode is the best running back in the league and thrives for the big games whilst Wilson always seems to keep calm in high pressure situations and also always manages to pull out a big play when needed. Doug Baldwin for me is a very underrated receiver and will pose the Pats defense threats but because of his slant running type nature New England will be well equipped for this. 

Despite Russell Wilson's ability to use his legs and considering how underrated his throwing ability is at times which was something the Broncos underestimated in last years Super Bowl I feel this Patriots defense has all the tools to combat the Seattle offense. Just like Wilson is a new type of QB these Patriot linebackers in the form of Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower are new breeds of linebackers and are equipped to disrupt as well as get after Russell Wilson. whilst the likes of Vince Wilfork, Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich definitely have a chance of frustrating beast mode.

Add the Pats secondary to this defense which includes brilliant safety Devin McCourty along with Darrelle Revis wanting to prove he's the best corner in the game on the biggest stage of them all when he goes against Richard Sherman tomorrow and you can see why this is the best Patriots defense since 2007. Remember the last time the Pats were in a Super Bowl Julian Edelman played at corner; now they have key contributors such as Brandon Browner, Logan Ryan, Kyle Arrington and Patrick Chung who all have risen to the occasion thanks to the inspiration and leadership from the likes of Revis and McCourty. For the Seahawks to win they'll need to run the ball effectively through Lynch so that Wilson can try to deceive the Pats D by using his own legs and with his throws but if that doesn't happen they'll become a bit more predictable which will help the Patriots in attempting to stop this Seattle offense.

Now everyone is talking about Seattle repeating or the fact that this is the game to cement Belichick but more so Tom Brady's legacy and to be quite honest it is a little bit. It is incredible that he would have to win this to make on Sunday to have 4 Super Bowl wins from 6 appearances in the big one just to prove the doubters wrong but personally I see this as being the career game for Rob Gronkowski who will help Brady, Belichick and the Patriots achieve their dreams once again. Gronk, the man who played for the university of Arizona, has waited 3 years for this since the Super Bowl loss to the Giants when he hobbled around on one ankle and has missed the past two playoffs with other injuries so it's only fitting that the biggest game of Gronk's career will be played in Arizona, a place he loves and a place where he hopes his dreams will be fulfilled come Sunday night. Seattle may be favourites and I do agree with that assessment but I've been adamant all season that if Gronkowski stays healthy the Patriots will win the Super Bowl so despite the fact that Pete Carroll is up against his former team as well as that the all mighty legion of boom are the best defense to come along since 1985 Bears I am standing by that prediction now more than ever.

Prediction: Patriots 27-23 Seahawks

        

AFC Championship: Colts vs Patriots

Tonight sees the Indianapolis Colts travel to Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship. The winner will go on to Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona in 2 weeks time to face either Seattle or Green Bay. By the time the Colts and Patriots game kicks off the winner will know who their opponent will be in the big game but the question is who will represent the AFC in that game?

Well in a playoff game with the stakes so high it is tough to predict and that's despite the fact that the last 3 times these teams have met have ended in victory for the Patriots by a margin of 21 points of more including last years playoffs when the Pats walked over their opponents 43-22. The key to New England's last two wins against the Colts have been the running game with LeGarrette Blount torching the Colts for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns in that playoff game last year and back in week 11 of this season when we saw the emergence of Jonas Gray who's 37 carries went for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Since then though Indianapolis' run defense has got much better and besides a crazy 4th down run completion by C.J. Anderson last week when they faced Denver the Colts did a great job of stopping the run which forced the game on to Peyton Manning's shoulders. That was the key factor in last week's win for the Colts as unfortunately for Manning in spite of Manning's undeniable greatness when it comes to the bright lights of the postseason he does falter with last weeks loss being his 9th one and done appearance in the playoffs.

Now if the Colts want to send the Patriots home packing just like they did to the Broncos last week then there will have to be a different game plan as forcing the game on Tom Brady's shoulders will just end in disaster. That was the scenario that Brady faced last week when the Pats rallied back from two 14 point deficits to overcome the Ravens in one of the greatest playoff victories in the franchises history. If New England do go on to win the Super Bowl then that game will be a defining moment in this teams history and in the dynasty created by Belichick and Brady as despite all the adversity they have faced this year and in last week's game in particular when it matters most they know how to come up trumps.

For the Colts to indeed have a chance of causing an upset then they have to limit their turnovers. Andrew Luck threw 2 interceptions last week and in his career versus the Patriots he has thrown 8 interceptions in 3 games which is the most against any opponent he has faced during his 3 year career. Luck has the potential to pull off magic and gets better year by year and also game by game; a player like him thrives in moments like this and he himself could go down as one of the best to play the game when his career comes to and end but going up against Tom Brady who is making his 9th appearance in an AFC Title game with the chance of playing in a 6th Super Bowl is going to be one of the biggest challenges of this young mans career.

Down 21-14 halftime last week after throwing an interception just before the half which resulted in a Ravens touchdown to put them behind Baltimore then went 28-14 ahead with another touchdown after the break. Tom Brady had to come up with something big, something magical against an opponent who have been a thorn in the Patriots' side in recent years gone by and he did just that. Brady orchestrated a touchdown drive which ended with a 2nd and goal touchdown pass to Gronkowski to put the Pats within 7 and just over 6 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter and that's when the Patriots started to pull out all the stops.

Belichick used his genius to pull out new formations that frustrated his opposite number Jim Haubaugh so much that he ran on to the field which resulted in a 15 yard penalty. That inspired offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to dial up the trick play and play of the game when Brady threw behind the line of scrimmage to Julian Edelman who threw a dime to Danny Amendola down field for the 51 yard touchdown to tie the game. Amendola was the standout performer for me especially after his fumble at the beginning of the first quarter, it appeared that he would struggle once again but he stepped out of the wilderness to play the best game of his NFL career to date when it mattered most.

On 3rd and 6 down 31-28 he got crucial yards after the catch with brilliant play to break a tackle and make the key conversion with just over 7 minutes left in the 4th in that touchdown drive which won the game for New England. That drive was the career defining moment when Brady pulled in to that bag of magic one more time to lead the Patriots down the field and finish the drive with a perfectly thrown pass to Brandon LaFell in between 2 defenders to put New England 35-31 ahead with 5:13 remaining (that touchdown put Brady ahead of Joe Montana for the most touchdowns of all-time in the playoffs with 46) .At the time the Pats didn't know that it would be that score which would win them the game but it was. Brady and Belichick had done it again and the Patriots have a fantastic chance to end their 10/11 year wait for a Super Bowl victory.

Now I have to say that offense gets not all but the vast majoirty of the praise especially when you have a first ballot hall of famer under centre putting up points. After all Tom Brady has the most playoff wins of any QB ever and Bill Belichick is now tied with the most wins amongst any head coach in NFL history which obviously helps but after a shocking first half performance last week the Patriots defense stepped up when it mattered most with the likes of Devin McCourty who intecepted Joe Flacco to give the Pats defense some momentum, Jamie Collins who was a beast and showed why he has the talent to become of the best linebackers in the league, Patrick Chung (3rd and goal he broke up a pass to Owen Daniels to hold the Ravens to a field goal and only go ahead by 3 points: 31-28) and Duron Harmon who's late interception in the final quarter essential killed the game are all unsung heroes. Even Darrelle Revis had a torrid time against Steve Smith in the first half but in the second half he proved why he is in the top 3 best corners in the league with a bounce back performance.

Defense doesn't completely win championships like the cliche goes but you need your D to come up big when it matters most which is what New England's did last Sunday and come today's game they will need to up their play for the entire contest in order to help give this Patriots team a shot at another Lombardi. The same goes for the Colts defense as they will have to maintain the high level of play they pulled off last week against Denver which showed physicality and passion in order to stop this Pats offense. In their last encounter back in week 11 when the Patriots won 42-20 the run game as well as Rob Gronkowski tore the Colts defense apart simply because they were more physical and just outright stronger than their opponents. Vontae Davis is one of the best 3 corners in the league so he will need to be at his best to inspire this Colts defense if they are to pull off victory and that is exactly what he did last week as he inspired his partner Gregg Toler to put in a stellar performance which made the Broncos offense look ordinary.

Doing that against the Patriots will be a slightly more challenging task but after winning in Mile High last week the Colts have the momentum that all teams need when it comes to the postseason. The same goes for New England as they will feel they have the momentum required to go all the way. For me the key to this game again is Rob Gronkowski; as I've said for weeks now if he is healthy the Patriots will win the Super Bowl but of course productivity comes in to play as well. His blocking will help the run game when the Patriots attempt to do so and they will hope it will work better than last week considering Brady thew 50 pass attempts and dragged the team out of a tough spot but here is the key for me: When Gronk has 40 plus receiving yards the Patriots are 11-1 including the postseason and 2-2 when he has been held to less. If Gronk gets going then this one is over especially as this season Indianapolis main weakness has been tight ends so when going up against the best in the league it could be the difference maker.

Of course we know Andrew Luck has 40 touchdowns and is having a career year, he has TY Hilton, Moncrief, Nicks along with fellow wide out Reggie Wayne who can still make plays and Boom Herron who has taken the running game in to his own hands in the past two weeks but in playoff games of this magnitude home field advantage is a big thing and despite the Colts' brilliant performance last week versus Denver I think a win over Belichick and Brady in their own back yard with a Super Bowl place at stake is too big of a task for the Colts to overcome in this stage of Luck's career. Luck is a brilliant quarterback and Indianapolis will have to score at least 30 points to win this one but I don't see that happening; Under Andrew Luck the Colts will have great moments and in his career he will raise the Lombardi trophy on probably more than one occasion but the Patriots are prepared for this situation, Brady and Belichick have striven so much for this moment and are determined to lead the franchise to a 4th Super Bowl title to cement their greatness in NFL history... A win tonight gives them that chance and they'll be sure to capture it.

Prediction: Colts 27-37 Patriots

Preview: Ravens vs Patriots

The New England Patriots will host the Baltimore Ravens in another high stakes playoff game with the winner heading to the AFC Championship game in 8 days time. The Ravens are one of the only teams in recent memory to walk in to Foxborough and enjoy great success with two playoff victories over the Patriots in the 2012 season when they went on to win the Super Bowl and back on the 10th January 2010 when they dismantled New England 33-14. 5 years later and these two teams are going to lock horns once again with both hoping that today's game will be the catalyst for a run to the Super Bowl.

Both Baltimore and New England have faced adversity this year and both have shut up their critics which is what makes this game so exciting as well as so tough to predict. The Ravens went in to Pittsburgh last week and knocked off their biggest rivals in the wild card round 30-17 when many predicted they would fail. In recent years we've seen how wild card teams get hot at the right time and go on a run whereas teams with a bye sometimes struggle to shake off the rust of not playing and pay the price with a sluggish performance. This was something that happened once or twice to the Indianapolis Colts in the Dungy-Manning era but for Belichick's Patriots you can be assured that his team will be fired up and ready to go.

Tom Brady said the other day that this is the 2014 Patriots vs the 2014 Ravens each with their own unique identity and whilst I completely agree with that assessment let's be honest Brady himself, Belichick and the whole of the Patriots locker room definitely won't be short of motivation when it comes to facing Baltimore. The thought of defeating an old enemy one more time is something that Brady and Belichick will be eager to do but it won't be easy and even 'Terrific Tom' himself hasn't been particularly terrific in past meetings with the Ravens as he has thrown 3 touchdowns to 7 interceptions in the teams last 3 playoff meetings.

Flacco on the other hand has been a worthy adversary for Brady and co as you can see from the stats above so it is safe to assume that today's game will be a close duel once again. The difference this time round for New England is that this is the best defense hands down since 2007/2008 and in my opinion this is the best overall roster since then as well which is what makes me believe that New England will find a way to get the job done tonight. Joe Flacco has been incredible in the post season and since he entered the league in 2008 he has proven himself to be a very good quarterback but the physicality and natural ability of this Patriots defense that possesses so many game changers will be something Flacco hasn't faced before in Foxborough.

We're talking about Flacco facing past defenses that have had Ras-I Dowling on the roster, Sterling Moore who basically made a once in a lifetime in the Patriots' lone win against Flacco in the postseason and that year Julian Edelman even lined up as a corner in the Super Bowl which says it all about how the Pats were struggling on defense as they did rank 31st that year too. The defense now has Devin McCourty excelling after switching to safety and is one of the best in the league with Patrick Chung, Brandon Browner, Logan Ryan and the gem of the secondary Darrelle Revis who has proven himself to be the best corner in the league not named Richard Sherman. Up front you have Vince Wilfork who has bounced back from a season ending achilles injury last season with Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich both capable of generating a pass rush as well as stopping the run and then at linebacker Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins are phenomenal young players with so much potential who are already two of the main players and leaders of this New England defense.

Jamie Collins is one of the best young players I've seen in recent memory and number 91 can do practically anything from man coverage to zone, dropping back to cover the pass as well as stopping the run. He makes big plays, sniffs out the danger, forces turnovers and quite frankly he has the speed, talent and intelligence to be one of the best linebackers in football. With a physical secondary along with other players we've mentioned including the tandem of Collins and Hightower the Patriots can disrupt the Ravens offense just like their old defenses have done in the past to Tom Brady. Defense wins championships and although it is an old sporting cliche quite honestly more often than not it is proven to be true but when you have an offense led by Tom Brady and a healthy Rob Gronkowski well that does certainly help.

The Patriots will be raring to go and I stand by my bold statement that if Gronk is healthy the Pats will win the Super Bowl. He is an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses and I'm sure coordinators lose sleep over thinking of ways to try and stop him or if it is even remotely possible. Gronk's ability to make big plays, draw double coverage which makes Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell become so effective and his ability to block in the running game proves why he is the most valuable player to the Patriots. The running game will be key tonight as if the Patriots get it going it will make the passing game run more effectively which will give Tom Brady the opportunities to pick holes in a Ravens secondary that has obvious weaknesses. History may not bode very well for New England against Baltimore but the past is the past for a reason as the 2014 Patriots are equipped to go all the way this year and end a 10 year wait for a 4th Lombardi; if they do their jobs tonight they'll be one game away from a 6th Super Bowl appearance in the Brady-Belichick era.

Prediction: Ravens 23-31 Patriots

Belichick could get his 20th win in the postseason tonight which would leave him tied for 1st all-time

Patriots vs Packers: Is this a Super Bowl preview?

Today sees the 9-2 New England Patriots take their seven game winning streak to Lambeau Field where they will face off against the Green Bay Packers in a clash between what many consider to be the two best teams in football right now. This is the first time ever that Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers' teams will go head to head which is something that somehow adds more spice to what is already the most mouthwatering affair of this 2014 NFL season to date.

In their last 3 games the Patriots have faced all division leaders and defeated all 3 in comfortable fashion. Before their bye week they hosted the Denver Broncos and blew them out of the water with Tom Brady putting on a passing clinic in a 43-21 victory and after the bye week they went to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Colts where they wore down the defense of the Colts with ground and pound football in a 42-20 win.

That game saw a new starlet in the form of Jonas Gray who scored 4 touchdowns that night to deflate Indianapolis just as they did in last years playoffs when LaGarrette Blount did the same in another blowout victory. Blount has sinced resigned with the team and celebrated his return with a touchdown in last weeks 34-9 victory against Detroit at Gillette Stadium where the Patriots frustrated the Lions' offense with brilliant defensive play. They mixed up the schemes and showed different coverages to limit Calvin Johnson and frustrate Matthew Stafford.

The Patriots recipe to success many times during the Brady-Belichick era has been playing 60 minutes of smart football and that is what they will need tonight when they come up against Aaron Rodgers and co. Just like New England the Green Bay Packers started the season at 2-2 and came under intense scrutiny from many but following a blowout defeat on the road in New Orleans 44-23 before their bye week the Pack have come out all guns blazing and have scored a combined 132 points in their last three outings giving them huge wins at home over Chicago and Philadelphia before winning a close one against Minnesota on the road 24-21 last weekend.

The fact that the Patriots have also scored over triple digits in total with 119 points in their past three games just shows how breathtaking today's game could be and with Brady and Rodgers at the QB position it is very unlikely that these two teams will disappoint us. With the two best offenses in football at their disposal Brady and Rodgers will both be looking to put their best work on display under the lights of prime time football. Terrific Tom has 26 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions on the year with 2,998 passing yards to his name too and a QB rating of 101.0 which is very impressive considering how poorly the Pats started the year.

A-Rod better known as Aaron Rodgers well he has been in devastating form this season and has accumulated 30 touchdown passes to just 3 picks and is also just short of the 3,000 yard passing mark with 2,957 yards on the year. He is way ahead passer rating wise of all the other quarterbacks with a ridiculous overall rating of 119.3 which just explains how great Rodgers is. Tonight personally and what a lot of people have suggested already is a matchup between the two best quarterbacks of their respective eras and between two QB's who will definitely be in the conversation for greatest quarterback of all-time for years and years to come.

Who will lead their team to victory in today's game?

Now despite the Packers early season woes besides a rusty opening season game against Seattle where Green Bay looked scared they have bounced back very well to get to 8-3 and as mentioned previously their displays in recent weeks have been amazing but the Patriots troublesome times early on in 2014 are almost incomparable. It has been said time after time but after that Monday Night madness against the Chiefs back in week 4 the Patriots came under so much scrutiny in particular Tom Brady.

After that huge bounce back win against Cincinnati the Patriots have been on a hot streak steamrolling through everyone in their path. Despite his supposed woes Brady still managed to rarely turn the football over even during this offenses poor start to the year now when you combine the fact of Brady's intelligence with how well this New England offense is doing then you can start to see as well as appreciate why this team is so devastating. The return of Rob Gronkowski has been unquestionable one of the main ingredients for how effective this Patriots offense has been and it has been brilliant to see Gronk return to the superstar level that only a handful of other players in the league can reach. He continues to dominate opponents and will be a real handful for the Packers and it will be interesting to see if Clay Matthews stays as an inside backer especially given the resurgence of the Patriots run game.

The prospect of a Gray-Blount one two punch gives Shane Vereen the ability to do what he does best which is catch passes out of the backfield and cause mismatches for opposing defenses. As we know this Patriots offense has been in devastating form with everyone contributing to its success which has helped Brady and Gronk have such a devastating affect just because they don't have all the pressure to get it done themselves now that everyone else is stepping up and a lot of that credit should go to the offensive line who, now that it has a settled starting line up, has brought the stability and great lineman play needed in order to make this New England offense tick once again.

Having a mad scientist-coaching mastermind in the form of Bill Belichick helps the Patriots offense because with the players they have on the other side of the ball it has given them the opportunities needed to make plays and both the defense and offense are helping each other out. This is especially true this season as this Patriots defense is probably the best we have seen since 2007 when New England almost pulled off the perfect season. Bill Belichick is having lots of fun defensively this year and he along with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are thriving with the talent they have on this side of the ball with the likes of Revis, Browner, Arrington Hightower, Collins, Chung, McCourty, Chandler and Chris Jones, Ninkovich and even the new additions of Ayers and Casillas coming to mind.

They'll need whoever is on the field tonight to be at their best when they come up against Rodgers and co as they have a stellar receiving core with Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson leading the way along with a supporting cast of Boykin and rookie wideout Devante Adams who has slowly worked his way in to the offense. Add running back Eddie Lacy to the mix who despite some personal on-field troubles himself at times this season still is considered to be one of the best backs in the league and you can see why this Packers offense is equipped to succeed. In a pass heavy team Lacy's stats sometimes don't reflect well on him but with his obvious talents it gives a different dimension to Green Bay and a running back that has the ability to succeed where maybe in years gone by this is something they've lacked.

As I mentioned before tonight sees, in my opinion, the best quarterbacks of two generations/eras whatever you like to call it go head to head. Brady and Belichick have not only won three Super Bowls together but they have also combined to pick up numerous accolades along with the respect of many for their many achievements over the last almost 15 years. Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers if anything are both the next generation of Brady and Belichick. They may only have one ring to their name but surely at some point in their careers in Wisconsin at least a second championship will follow but the same regarding a fourth has been said about Brady-Belichick yet that hasn't happened as of yet.

Belichick and McCarthy both teased the media this week with the pair both asked to compare the two quarterbacks early in the week. Belichick's reply was "They both wear No. 12," before ending the media session and McCarthy's response to the same question was that "They're both from California," before he ended his session too. With both these franchises in prime positions to make a run at a championship under the guidance of brilliant head coaches and fantastic quarterbacks stemming down to well equipped offenses that know what it takes to win games in any way shape or form it is no wonder that this is being hyped up as a preview of Super Bowl XLIX come February 1st. 

Personally I don't see both of these teams making the big game and if I had to choose one to make it I would go with the Patriots just because they seem to be more well rounded overall of these two teams but in regards to tonight's game going to Lambeau Field is no easy task and that is what makes the prospect of tonight's matchup so gripping with the winner of tonight's game probably the hardest choice to make. Will the Patriots assert themselves as the best team in the NFL by making it 8 wins straight in one of the toughest places to play in football or will Rodgers and co derail the Brady led New England train and rack up their 4th straight win to take a step closer to getting a bye going in to the postseason... We'll find out in a few hours!