Championship Preview

Can't wait for the final four in NFL action later today.  So pumped to see the results of these two intriguing games.  All four teams have great storylines surrounding them and anyone of them is capable of winning a well deserved Superbowl.  With New England you've got a team that's been excellent the past couple seasons but did not finish the deal in the playoffs.  There's an awful lot of young talent there that now has playoff experience and of course Tom Brady one of the greatest QBs of all time leading the way.  New England was my pick to win the Superbowl prior to the season because of all these factors.  If the Pats have a downside though they aren't at full strength without Gronk.  The guy adds a different dimension to their team and without him they just aren't the same.  Baltimore comes in with some momentum and their own great storylines.  Before the Ray Lewis news came out Baltimore was already a special team.  Since Harbaugh and Flacco have been there the Ravens have won a playoff game every year.  Impressive!  But, like the Pats they have not been able to close the deal.  Then you add the Ray Lewis retirement factor, the fact they knocked off a very good and hot Bronco team last week, and what we have here is a dangerous Ravens team.  What an AFC matchup fellas!!!  The NFC will not disappoint though either my friends.  Atlanta is very similar to Baltimore in the fact that since Mike Smith and Matt Ryan showed up all Atlanta has done is produce winning seasons.  However, the playoffs haven't been kind and even last week looked very scary there for awhile.  They have their own retirement player in Tony Gonzalez and plenty of motivation being the #1 seed on their home turf and being the underdog!  Are you kidding me??  Bulletin board material for sure.  No respect while the California prima donnas from SF get all the SI coverage this past week.  The dirty birds will be difficult to beat today.  And then there is San Francisco.  Can you imagine a team winning the Superbowl after switching QBs mid season?  Well it's difficult for me but then I considered some of the following names...Doug Williams, Jeff Hostetler, Kurt Warner, Trent Dilfer, and yes Tom Brady.  Wow, I guess it is possible.  Maybe it's because I will be rooting for the Niners that I'm so realistic and somewhat pessimistic but who actually believes Kaepernick will look like he did last week?  That's ludicrous.  So SF will have to win a much closer, defensive struggle if they are to advance. 

Who do I like?  Well just before I chose Detroit and New England prior to the opening kickoff of this 2012 NFL season I had Atlanta as my NFC representative.  Then I talked myself out of it since they have two new coordinators this season.  So I should go Pats/ Falcons right?  Pick against SF?  Pick against destiny in Baltimore?  Too tough to call people.  So I'm going with my heart.  San Francisco and Baltimore advance. 

Kieth