Football Predictions: Championship Games

Ok...so here it goes: I'm not going to watch the NFC Championship game. I can't. Maybe I'll take a peek. But since the football season began, I've been sitting in my couch every Monday night and all-day Sunday (and recently Saturdays). I need a break. I can't watch this game. I hate the Eagles with a passion (I only hate the Cowboys more in football)...and the problem is that the Eagles are following the EXACT formula the Giants followed last season: especially the fact that I thought they would lose in each and every game. So I'm going to sit that game out...but it doesn't mean I can't pick it. (actually, if you go based on the ridiculous rules that ESPN or NBC has on people broadcasting games can't pick them online...well...I just don't understand that rule or how it applies, so let's forget that).

3 p.m. ET, FOX

Philadelphia (9-6-1, 2-0) at Arizona (9-7, 2-0)

Yeah...I screwed this one up. I never saw those two games last week coming. I though there was no way this game wasn't going to be Giants/Panthers and now neither of those teams are here (Michael Lombardi lists 5 things that still bother him from last weekend...worth a read). I listed 5 reasons why the Eagles could win and so did Erik. So let's go through those now and figure out what happened and how that applies to this game...

1) The Eagles are the only team left in the playoff who have beaten the Giants this season. It ended up being a huge factor. The Eagles went into a loud and windy Giants Stadium and beat them. You think they'll be intimidated by the University of Phoenix Stadium? Nope. They already beat the Cardinals once this season...and they really beat them. (Need to link to this article again here...wow.)

2) The Eagles are hot and the Giants have been sitting. This proved to be huge in the Eagles last game (the Giants were really flat and the Eagles controlled the energy). This could prove to be a factor because of the closeness of the games the Eagles have played while the Cardinals coasted through the last round.

3) Brian Westbrook. I'm still amazed at how ineffective Westbrook has been in the playoffs and how the Eagles have managed to win two games. I think he needs to be a little more effective in this game to win, though if McNabb can throw for 4 TDs again, it won't really matter.

4) Special Teams. Yeah...well. The Giants couldn't score a TD on that first kickoff because Bradshaw wouldn't run down Akers. They had two huge penalties on punts. And they missed two field goals. I think I was dead on. DeSean Jackson is a big weapon to use again Arizona in this game.

5) Because the Eagles have that "underdog that no one believed in" feeling among them. This one is probably in both teams in this game. This is my one worry for the Eagles...I think they're too confident. McNabb thinks he's amazing, the team is favored on the road in the playoffs, and the city of Philly is rolling right along. This is usually when they get kicked right in the nuts. We'll see what happens this time.

and from Erik...

1) Philly DBs are better than the Giants WRs. Yeah...he was dead on here. This game, however, it may be switched. The Eagles need (NEED) to do a good job of covering Larry Fitzgerald and getting pressure on Kurt Warner. Warner will fumble and throw INTs if you can get some contact with him. The key is getting there. Jim Johnson will probably throw some DBs on blitz packages. They need to make sure when they do, Fitzgerald is adequately covered.

2) The Eagles will blitz and get in Manning's face. Yup...and this is the KEY for the Eagles: get in Warner's face.

3) Tuck has not been playing to his potential. Erik hit this right on the head. Tuck has been injured for a while but has been able to play through it...mostly because of inferior offensive lines. The Eagles did not allow a sack to the Giants all season and the 3rd and 20 the Giants let up to the Eagles was because of a lack of pressure on the QB. The Cardinals need to make sure to get to McNabb so he doesn't feel comfortable in the pocket. The Ravens were able to kill McNabb this season because they were able to get to him. The Cards need to make it there too...

4) Philly Special Team: got this one too...

5) David Akers: He kicked it straight through and John Carney had trouble. Enough said.

So I'm going to pick the Eagles. Big surprise. The Giants last year beat a tough team in the first round, their division rivals and the #1 seed in the second round, and then went on the road again in a noisy stadium against a veteran QB in the 3rd round...sound familiar? I'm hoping the Eagles don't do it. I really am. But their defense has been great and they've been getting enough on offense to win. Arizona certainly has a chance in this game, but they need to do it on the air and get to McNabb on defense. And I figure I'm probably jinxing Philly by picking them... Final Score: Eagles 36 - Cardinals 28.

6:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Baltimore (11-5, 2-0) at Pittsburgh (12-4, 1-0)

If you think the Eagles are like the Giants--look at the Ravens. They played a close first round game, beat a division rival and 1st seed in the second round, now they're going on the road to a frigid, hostile environment to play a #2 seed...sound even more familiar? But I'm going to pick them to lose. Here's why:

The Ravens should never have won last week. The Titans handed them that game. On a silver platter. I don't believe the fact that Joe Flacco beat a very similar team in a similar spot last week. He had one good pass (a bomb to Mason) and otherwise was kept much in check. And Pittsburgh has Troy Polamalu who is a difference-maker. There are some injury concerns on Pittsburgh (Polamalu, "Big Ben", and a few others) but they all seem like they're going to play. It's supposed to snow in Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Steelers beat the Ravens twice this season...but both times by 3 points. It'll be interesting to see if they can distance themselves enough to cover.

But I think that a rookie QB, on the road, in the snow, on a team that's been relying on the passing game is not a winning combination. I've been wrong before. But Pittsburgh was the one team that I got right last week and since the Giants played them in Week 8 on the regular season, I felt that they should be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. Willie Parker is running as well as he has all season and if that continues in this game, Steelers should win easily. Final Score: Steelers 20 - Ravens 13.

*(No money-backed guarantee offered on these picks)