NFL Championship Picks

Ray Lewis and the Ravens will try their best to stop the Patriots' offensive attack. 

It all comes down to these two games. The winner of the Patriots- Ravens game becomes the AFC champion. The Patriots or Ravens will face either the Giants or the 49ers. Or more simply put, the winner of the NFC championship game. 

AFC Championship: 

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots 

The Ravens travel to Foxborough on Sunday to play the Patriots. The last time these two teams faced each other last year, the Patriots won 23-20 in overtime. In 2009, the Ravens and Patriots faced each other in the playoffs. On the first play of that game, Ray Rice ran 83 yards for a touchdown. The Ravens would score 24 points in the first quarter, and cruise to a 33-14 victory. Two years have passed. Joe Flacco has begun to develop more as a quarterback, and the Patriots have been grooming tight ends. The Patriots, as usual, are being led by Tom Brady. Brady has numerous weapons in his passing attack. Not just receivers Wes Welker and Deion Branch, but Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez too. The Patriots’ running game is a work in progress. The combination of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Kevin Faulk, Stevan Ridley, and Danny Woodhead, isn’t a great quartet. The Ravens are led by their core of defensive all stars. Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Haloti Ngata. Suggs led the team in sacks, Lewis in tackles, Reed was second in interceptions, and Ngata recovered the most fumbles. The Ravens’ offense is not as good as their defense however. The offense is averaging 23 points per game compared to the Patriots 32. 

The Pick: When the Patriots lost to the Ravens in 2009, Welker was out, and Gronk and Hernandez weren’t even members of the Pats organization. Since that game, the Patriots have developed as a roster, and have gone 27-5 in the regular season since that lost. The Ravens have developed as well. Their defense has continued to get better, but unfortunately older. This could be the last year of the Ravens stellar defense, as Lewis & Co., are aging. This game will be very, very close but the Patriots, led by Brady, will pull away with a victory. 

Patriots over Ravens 

NFC Championship: 

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers 

Osi Umenyiora will pressure Alex Smith as much as he can. 

The hottest team in football visits the most surprising team in football. The Giants have dominated their postseason opponents. Led by Eli Manning and their fantastic rushing defense, the Giants blew out the Falcons, and upset the defending champion Packers. If Eli Manning beats the 49ers on Sunday, he will have the opportunity to win another championship. If he wins the game, he will have more then his brother, Peyton. Will he be better than Peyton? We don’t know for sure. Alex Smith has renewed his career this season also. He, helped by Jim Harbaugh led the 49ers to a 13-3 record. Smith had a career year this year. He threw for 3,144 yards, the most in his career, as well as 17 touchdowns. His second most in his career. He also threw for an NFL low five interceptions. Running back Frank Gore finished  sixth in rushing yards, and also scored eight touchdowns. 

The Pick: The Giants have the momentum. After all, they beat the defending champs. Eli Manning wants to prove to the world that he is an elite quarterback. He wants to prove to the world that the Giants are an elite team, a team that will contend in the future. The 49ers want to show they belong in the playoffs. They want to show that this season is not a fluke. The Giants, because of the players’ experience will beat the 49ers and face the Patriots in a Superbowl XLII rematch. 

Giants over 49ers