Green Bay Packers/Atlanta Falcons: both these teams excel offensively and neither has an outstanding defence. Aaron Rodgers looks unstoppable. The Giants and the Cowboys both had strong defences and Green Bay still scored a combined 72, 72, points, against them. Saw a Packers tuque on the bus yesterday. You see them around from time to time but not often in Montréal. I picked Green Bay to beat Seattle a couple of years ago based on the spotting of Packers gear and Green Bay blew it near the end of the fourth quarter, just as they almost did last weekend versus Dallas. That was last weekend though. I saw the tuque this week. I also heard the word 'falcon' mentioned in Patriots Day after the divisional round and when I clicked on _______ upon returning to my apartment a post had been made by a friend which mentioned the city of Atlanta. It would make sense that I would spot Packers gear years ago and make a false pick (that strategy often works for me [knock on wood]) only to spot it this year and make another false pick by not picking the Packers in a salute to cosmic punishment. I saw lots of Broncos gear around town this season but whenever I did that Sunday's outcome was dire indeed. The Pack. Always take the Pack. Unless. Unless they're playing a team that's never won the Super Bowl before. A team with its best shot at Super Bowl victory ever who has only won 8 times in the playoffs since 1966. 50 divided by 8. Man. So it comes down to this. The Packers defeated the Giants and the Cowboys in the wild card and divisional rounds respectively. That division, the NFC East, has won the Super Bowl 12 times. It makes universal sense that the Packers would prevail therefore. But, against a team from the NFC South, a division which has only won two Super Bowls ever, it also makes sense that the Pack would lose. Bearing in mind the vague metaphysical pluralities of justice. Therefore, I feel that I must pick Atlanta, cheer the Falcons on in their moment of triumph. Either way, if you like offence, this game should be exceptionally outstanding. And amazing. Taking Atlanta by 10. Caw caw caw. *If I had more leisure time, I could think more rationally about sports. But honestly. What fun would that be?
Pittsburgh Steelers/New England Patriots: Pittsburgh's 3 and 7 versus New England over the course of the last 12 years, losing 4 of their last 5, this doesn't look good. Oddly, Roethlisberger has never played Brady in the playoffs, meaning this Sunday's game is somewhat of a Clash of the Titans. It's looking like New England will win once more, but I think there is a way to beat them, or at least keep it close. There's the Ravens factor. The Ravens have beaten the Patriots in the playoffs twice in recent memory and this indisputable fact must be bothering the contemplative Steelers. And then there's Mr. Roethlisberger's legacy. When sitting back to think about great NFL quarterbacks who still happen to be playing, in the post-Manning era, I usually stop after considering Brees, Rodgers, and Brady. Then I think Matt Ryan played well this year, Trevor Siemian had a solid first season, and Wilson and Flacco are clutch in the playoffs. And then I remember two time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger and think, why didn't I think of him earlier, he's an outstanding quarterback? Wherein lies the pressure. The pressure to once again move up in the ranks of the North American NFL (and possibly CFL) loving consciousness that always thinks Brees, Rodgers, Brady, and forgets to include Roethlisberger. If Big Ben wins on Sunday he's back in. I'm confident he can do it. Still picking New England.
*It could be a Steelers/Packers rematch. That would be incredible.
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