Running NFL Conference Championships Thread

[KevinmH9]

AFC

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers - 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS (Sunday, January 18th)

NFC

Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals - 3:00 p.m. ET, FOX (Sunday, January 18th)


The Ravens/Steelers game is bound to be a classic, smash-mouth football game between two division foes. Seven points was the total score difference in both of their regular season games against one another. Should be a great game.

The Eagles/Cardinals game should be an interesting one, especially if Anquan Boldin is healthy enough to play. Both McNabb and Warner love to throw the ball so that'll make for a fun game to watch.

 

[zagoshe]

Ken Whisenhunt versus the team who wouldn't hire him for the Super Bowl.

Should be a wonderful two weeks of hype -- followed by a blow-out win by the Steelers as they become the first team to No. 6......

 

[93Devil]

Watch the line move when the health of McClain and Suggs starts to clear up.

 

[Beaker]

Looking forward to the Eagles-Cards. The other game, not so much.

 

[pallister]

I can't even venture a guess as to who will win either of these games. If the Eagles were at home, I'd say they roll. But the Cardinals are a much better team at home, and they're playing lights out on both sides of the ball. I suppose it comes down to the Eagles offense vs. the Cardinals defense. I can see McNabb falling apart, but I wonder if the Arizona defense can string together three straight good games.

In the AFC, that game will likely be unwatchable. No offense and a bunch of loud-mouth jackasses acting like every tackle redefines the game of football.

Interestingly, both underdogs are playing against teams with significant title-game failures under their belts.

Whatever happens, I hope the NFC wins the Super Bowl in three weeks. Unfortunately, that seems to be the least safe bet going forward.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Ken Whisenhunt versus the team who wouldn't hire him for the Super Bowl.

Should be a wonderful two weeks of hype -- followed by a blow-out win by the Steelers as they become the first team to No. 6......

... and Seachickens fans will whine incessantly that it should only be No. 5 ...

 

[zagoshe]

I can't even venture a guess as to who will win either of these games. If the Eagles were at home, I'd say they roll. But the Cardinals are a much better team at home, and they're playing lights out on both sides of the ball. I suppose it comes down to the Eagles offense vs. the Cardinals defense. I can see McNabb falling apart, but I wonder if the Arizona defense can string together three straight good games.

In the AFC, that game will likely be unwatchable. No offense and a bunch of loud-mouth jackasses acting like every tackle redefines the game of football.

Interestingly, both underdogs are playing against teams with significant title-game failures under their belts.

Whatever happens, I hope the NFC wins the Super Bowl in three weeks. Unfortunately, that seems to be the least safe bet going forward.

The Ravens have no prayer of winning this game, not with a future journeyman at quarterback, a mediocre running game and a middle linebacker who is 91 years old.

Steelers 24 Ravens 6

As for the second game the Eagles fascination with the short pass game and total lack of interest in the run game will haunt them and they will lose -- Cardinals 24 Eagles 13

 

[pallister]

The Ravens have no prayer of winning this game, not with a future journeyman at quarterback, a mediocre running game and a middle linebacker who is 91 years old.

There's no guarantee Flacco will be a good NFL QB, but give the kid some credit and a chance to develop. The "future journeyman" tag is a little premature. He's already won two more playoff games as a rookie than Peyton Manning has since 2006. That also means rookie coach John Harbaugh has two more wins this year than ... well, you know.

 

[outofplace]

The Ravens have no prayer of winning this game, not with a future journeyman at quarterback, a mediocre running game and a middle linebacker who is 91 years old.

There's no guarantee Flacco will be a good NFL QB, but give the kid some credit and a chance to develop. The "future journeyman" tag is a little premature. He's already won two more playoff games as a rookie than Peyton Manning has since 2006. That also means rookie coach John Harbaugh has two more wins this year than ... well, you know.

I agree on Flacco. He has shown potential this year. He really doesn't have much to throw to outside of Mason and he has had to make a major adjustment from playing in a spread at Delaware to the NFL. Give him time.

 

[zagoshe]

The Ravens have no prayer of winning this game, not with a future journeyman at quarterback, a mediocre running game and a middle linebacker who is 91 years old.

There's no guarantee Flacco will be a good NFL QB, but give the kid some credit and a chance to develop. The "future journeyman" tag is a little premature. He's already won two more playoff games as a rookie than Peyton Manning has since 2006. That also means rookie coach John Harbaugh has two more wins this year than ... well, you know.

Give you know who a defense like the Ravens and he'd have about five rings by now.

 

[D-Backs Hack]

The Cardinals are claiming the NFC game sold out in six minutes.

 

[KevinmH9]

The Cardinals are claiming the NFC game sold out in six minutes.

I'd believe it.

 

[pallister]

Give you know who a defense like the Ravens and he'd have about five rings by now.

Not with their head coach.

Speaking of the Cardinals, we always hear about the coldest championship games. Which one was the warmest? I'm hoping Cards-Eagles tops it. Go global warming!

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Give you know who a defense like the Ravens and he'd have about five rings by now.

Not with their head coach.

Speaking of the Cardinals, we always hear about the coldest championship games. Which one was the warmest? I'm hoping Cards-Eagles tops it. Go global warming!

I suspect the roof will be closed in Glendale.

 

[spnited]

Give you know who a defense like the Ravens and he'd have about five rings by now.

Not with their head coach.

Speaking of the Cardinals, we always hear about the coldest championship games. Which one was the warmest? I'm hoping Cards-Eagles tops it. Go global warming!

High today in Phoenix was 56. Expected to be upper 60s-low70s next weekend.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Give you know who a defense like the Ravens and he'd have about five rings by now.

Not with their head coach.

Speaking of the Cardinals, we always hear about the coldest championship games. Which one was the warmest? I'm hoping Cards-Eagles tops it. Go global warming!

High today in Phoenix was 56. Expected to be upper 60s-low70s next weekend.

Even so, they'll close it to increase the noise. That's what they did against the Falcons.

 

[Bubbler]

I can't even venture a guess as to who will win either of these games. If the Eagles were at home, I'd say they roll. But the Cardinals are a much better team at home, and they're playing lights out on both sides of the ball. I suppose it comes down to the Eagles offense vs. the Cardinals defense. I can see McNabb falling apart, but I wonder if the Arizona defense can string together three straight good games.

In the AFC, that game will likely be unwatchable. No offense and a bunch of loud-mouth jackasses acting like every tackle redefines the game of football.

Interestingly, both underdogs are playing against teams with significant title-game failures under their belts.

Whatever happens, I hope the NFC wins the Super Bowl in three weeks. Unfortunately, that seems to be the least safe bet going forward.

Word for word.

I'm leaning Cardinals-Ravens right now ... which makes me want to put a bullet in my brain just thinking about it. Roethlisberger can be mistake-prone and he's susceptible against Baltimore's defense.

 

[hockeybeat]

My picks for whatever they're worth:

Eagles: I think they are this year's version of the Giants. The team that got hot at the right time.

Ravens: I posted the following on the Divisional Thread but I think it bears repeating: A columnist or NFL talking head said, following last year's Giants-Cowboys playoff game, that it is almost impossible for one team to beat another three times in a single season.

I don't trust the Steelers O-line against Baltimore's plethora of blitzes. If Roethlisberger throws up a prayer while facing a blitz and Ed Reed's nearby, that will turn into points for the Ravens.

The Ravens offense is more explosive than it was in previous years. Baltimore's running backs (Le'Ron McClain, Willis McGahee and Ray Rice) have and have shown breakaway speed. Flacco has managed the games very well and has shown an ability to get the ball down field, to stretch a defense. And Derrick Mason has been as good as he ever was.

Just one man's opinion.

 

[zagoshe]

Give you know who a defense like the Ravens and he'd have about five rings by now.

Not with their head coach.

Speaking of the Cardinals, we always hear about the coldest championship games. Which one was the warmest? I'm hoping Cards-Eagles tops it. Go global warming!

No, Jeff Fisher coaches the Titans, not the Colts....

 

[spnited]

A Cards-Ravens SB could be the lowest rated ever...except for those of us who will tune in for the Bruce halfitme show.