Trying to think if there is a football fan in America having more fun than me during this 2010 season. The college team from my hometown makes the BCS title game, I get to go and get paid for doing pre and post game work. My lifelong NFL team has qualified for the Conference Championship. Pretty nice 1-2 punch. Early in Sunday's Jets/Pats tilt, I had that growing feeling of frustration seeing NY blow some golden opportunities to assume control. Seems they spent most of the 1st half in New England territory but had only carved out a small 7-3 edge. Then the very questionable punt fake by NE gave the Jets solid field position and they cashed in to go up 11 heading into the half. The defense lived up to their upside reputation by denying Tom Brady those shots down the field. The longest completion was to Deon Branch for 10 yards. They'll square off with the Steelers who were fortunate to escape with a victory against the Ravens. Neither team could run the ball. Pitt averaged 2.3 a carry but held Baltimore to just 1.9 per. It was obviously Troy Polamalu was far from 100%, nursing a bum ankle all week. He was barely noticable with just 2 tackles, but the rest of the gang more than picked up the slack with 5 sacks and just torturing Joe Flacco all afternoon.
In the NFC. Aaron Rodgers thumbed his nose at those naysayers who slighted him for his lack of post season success. This was one of the best playoff performances in recent memory. With a so-so running game at best, he was dazzling with 366 pass yards, 3 Td's and only 5 incompletions. He's serving carved Falcon for dinner at his place tonight!
Jay Cutler had a very nice playoff debut and saved the league the embarassment of having a .500 team vie for the NFC crown. The 35-24 final is misleading as Seattle scored 21 mostly useless 4th quarter points. Da Bears outgained them 437 to 276 and chewed up the Seacluck rush attack to the tune of 12 carries for 34 yards. If not for a cement head RB option interception thrown by Matt Forte, this thing looks like the lopsided romp it truly was. So Green Bay and Chicago play for just the 2nd time ever in the post season. A week after the attack on Pearl Harbor Chicago's Sid Luckman led the way in a 33-14 home romp on their way to the NFL championship. Great rivalry, on this kind of stage for the first time in the Super Bowl era. Sweet!
The Pack hits the road as a 3 point chalk while the oddsmakers have installed the Steelers as a field goal favorite to reach their 8th Super Sunday.
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