NFC and AFC CONFERENCE TITLE GAMES - I HAVE THE ANSWER WHICH TEAMS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!

NFL PLAYOFF GAMES - NFC AND AFC CONFERENCE TITLE GAMES

CAROLINA PANTHERS VS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - UPSET SPECIAL!! - Panthers win by 3 points because of Steve Smith!! That's right, I picked the Panthers over the Seahawks for this NFC Championship game. This will be a classic match-up between two teams that deserve to be in the NFC Championship game and each team is playing their best ball! Yet I still have to go with the effect and impact of Steve Smith who has single handingly put the Panthers on his back and carried them this far and now to the Superbowl. There is no defensive back or defensive scheme that can control Steve Smith now!! He is unstoppable whether in open space or double-covered. He makes things happen and no defensive backs are playing up to his level. In particular, the Seahawks defensive backs will not be able to stop him. Granted, they do play a physical corner and cover pretty well, yet when it comes to covering Steve Smith, they will not be able to contain him throughout the game. As you know, it will only take that one play for Steve Smith to break it for a long touchdown!! Oh yeah, there are other players on the Panthers team like Jake Delhomme! Jake must come into this game with a level head and not get too hyped about this game. I believe he will and it appears that Jake is more confident than ever and executing his passes much better. Although Deshaun Foster is out the rest of the year at running back, Goins will step up and take his place and execute on most of the running plays! So don't dismiss the Panthers running attack. As for the Panthers defense, it is GOOD!! They are very strong on the front line with Peppers leading the way!! The linebackers are solid and their secondary makes the hits and the picks!! All in all, Headcoach John Fox has truly stepped this team up BIG TIME and he is taking calculated chances to get this team to the Superbowl. Well guess what -- it's paying off!! That's why I give the edge to the Panthers.
Yet the Seahawks are definitely the team that is the favorite. The Seahawks are playing at home and the Seahawk fans are great!! They truly have a major advantage playing in this rowdy stadium with nothing but Seahawk Green!! Headcoach Mike Holmgren has done a masterful job of getting all his players to believe in themselves and elevating their game. Perhaps the best example of Holmgren's philosophy and style is Matt Hasselbeck!! Hasselbeck truly impressed me last week when Stephen Alexander went down and Hasselbeck carried the team for a win! Hasselbeck executed when the Seahawks desperately needed him to step up and he did!! Additionally, the Seahawks defense has been very impressive and they have one of the most impressive rookie middle linebackers!! Tatupu (?) is already and will become a major Superstar in this league!! Wow -- this guy is real good! Keep an eye on Tatupu to make a pivotal play in this game! Yet the Seahawks secondary is their weakspot and that will cost them in the end!!
This will be a great game even better than all of us think it will be!!

PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS DENVER BRONCOS - Broncos win by 3 points because of homefield advantage. Now this will be a superclassic game between two of the best well-known coaches in the league -- Mike Shanahan verses Bill Cowher! First, I have to say that Cowher and his staff did an excellent game plan against the Colts last week and surprised me with an outstanding game plan offensively and defensively! I'm sure this week Cowher and his staff will have another excellent game plan against Jake Plummer and the well-balanced Denver Broncos offense. The Steelers offense has stepped it up and my boy Big Ben Roethlisberger, (Go Miami U - Oxford, OH) will execute again with an air of confidence!! Ben has matured even more this past few games and is getting the ball where it needs to be!! He is showing signs of a true veteran quarterback and makes the plays again and again just when you think he can't do it!! Well, Big Ben will do it again. He will give the ball off for the running attack and then hit Hines Ward and my boy Randle El for the controlled passing attack. Then there is the Bus -- Jerome. The Bus is Mr. Dependable (yet last week he almost blew it on the goal line if it wasn't for Big Ben's tackle!) and of course Jerome will make a couple of crucial first downs for the Steelers!! -- No doubt about it!! Yet all in all will the Steelers score enough points to win this game!! I don't think so! The reason why --- THE BRONCOS DEFENSE!! As for the Steelers defense, they are a very good bunch who know how to put on the hits -- particularly with -- Joey Porter and Troy Polamalu!! Watch for these two guys to get to Jake Plummer on several occasions!! Talk about blitzing from the edges -- the Steelers will attempt to contain Plummer on his roll-outs!! Yet it will not be enough!!

As for the Broncos, it will all come down on Jake Plummer's shoulders. This is the game and the year for Jake Plummer. This veteran quarterback looks very comfortable in the pocket and particularly when he is rolling out left and right!! In the middle of season, I didn't know if Jake could continue this run, yet now he has proven it a bit and looks even more comfortable in the Broncos offense. Headcoach Shananhan believes in Jake to make big plays and now with a very solid running attack (Anderson and Bell), Jake can do. Of course, my boy Rod Smith will do some serious damage as well as Lelie!! The key for the Broncos offense is movement right, left and screen passes!! If the Broncos keep their offense diversified, they will move the ball down the field!! If not, it maybe a long day for the Bronocos offense. The most important thing for the Broncos is not to press, if their offense doesn't click at first. Be patient and wait for the game to come to them. As for the Broncos defense, there will be two guys who will make a difference -- JON LYNCH and CHAMP BAILEY!! Jon Lynch is playing his best safety in several years and will be in mixing up the blitzes and coverages to confuse Roethlisberger on several occasions!! Lynch will be that X factor on the defense!! Lynch is in a groove right now and he playing with alot on instinct!! That's scary! In addition, another player who playing with alot of instinct is my boy and distant cousin --- CHAMP BAILEY!! YES, CHAMP BAILEY WILL GET ANOTHER INTERCEPTION IN THIS GAME AND TAKE IT TO THE HOUSE!! Champ is playing out of this WORLD so watch him cover either Randle El or Hines Ward and make a play! Yes, there will be a time where Champ gets burnt, but before you know it, Champ BAILEY WILL MAKE A KEY PLAY!!

In the end, the Broncos kicker -- Jason Elam -- will kick the final 3 points to win the game for the crazy, wild Broncos fans!! CLASSIC GAME NO MATTER WHICH TEAM YOU PICK!!

LET'S GET THE GAME ON!!!
NOW ENJOY THE GAMES THIS WEEKEND!! I KNOW THAT I WILL!!