Steve O’ vs the All Pro – Championship Week!!

The NFL Championship Round is here and we are down to the final four! The Colts, led by their high power offense that includes the league MVP Peyton Manning faces off against the leagues number one defense in the New York Jets. In the NFC, the Vikings and their ageless wonder Brett Favre take on Who Dat Nation the New Orleans Saints. All of these teams have one thing in common, they are all dominant at something. The Colts, Vikings and Saints it’s offense and for the Jets it’s running the football and defense.

For our little contest La’Roi Glover has all but wrapped up his crown as the better man at picking games. He is up 3 games with only 3 to go and the best Steve O’ can hope for is a tie. Fortunately, they don’t see eye to eye in the Championship Round! Here is how they see it playing out!

Sunday Jan. 24th 3:00pm EST

New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts

In the first game, the Colts face a team that they had a chance to eliminate from the Playoffs back in Week 16 of the regular season. It would be very ironic if the decision to rest players comes back to haunt them. This matchup will be an interesting chess match between Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan and Colts QB Peyton Manning. The Jets, while on Defense, have blitzed 80 percent of the time. Peyton Manning meanwhile is excellent at exposing defenses that blitz him. He is a tireless master at film study and it would be a shock if he wasn’t prepared for everything that the Jets are going to throw at him. However we feel it would be a mistake for the Jets to abandon what has gotten them this far. The key to this game will rest at the feet of the Colts defense. If they are able to shut down the running attack of the Jets, which is tops in the league, and force Rookie Mark Sanchez to throw more then he wants to it could mean a big day for edge rushers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. The Jets will look to control the clock and keep Peyton on the sideline. Another big key will be Red Zone efficiency. If the Jets get into the Red Zone they must convert those opportunities to Touchdowns and not Field Goals. The Colts will score points so the Jets offense has to capitalize on their opportunities.

Sunday Jan. 17th 6:40pm EST

Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints

This just may be the best game of the year! The Vikings looked great on both sides of the ball in a dismantling of the Cowboys. Their defense looked fast and played most of the game in the Cowboys backfield. Brett Favre is continuing to prove that his acquisition this offseason was the biggest move in the league. The Vikings have a top notch running game with Adrian Peterson, speed on the outside with Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian and Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin. Their defense has perhaps the best front four in the league led by Jared Allen and the Williams Wall. Defensive End Ray Edwards had bit of a coming out party against the Cowboys as he harassed Tony Romo all day long. It gives the Saints just one more weapon to prepare for. For the Saints, all the talk leading up to last week was that they lost their edge. They had dropped the final 3 games of the season and frankly looked flat. Well they sure changed peoples minds quick after they shellacked the reigning NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals. Similar to Ray Edwards for the Vikings, the Saints Reggie Bush showed the world why he was selected number 2 overall in the draft by putting on a show. His speed and cutting ability shredded the Cardinals. With a dynamic passing attack that the Saints have, adding a rushing threat like Bush makes all the more dangerous. The key to this game however is Darren Sharper. The veteran Safety is having an All Pro type season and when given the opportunity to make some interceptions he delivers. If Favre makes a mistake and Sharper takes advantage it could be 6 going the other way in hurry. Those kind of things are magnified in games like this so error free football is of the most importance. The offenses are a push, both are equally good, but the edge in Defense has to go to Minnesota. The Saints are very tough at home but a veteran leader like Favre will have his team focused and ready to perform on the road.

………….Steve O’

Headed to the Super Bowl
New York Jets
Minnesota Vikings

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………..La’Roi Glover

Headed to the Super Bowl
Indianapolis Colts
New Orleans Saints

Are you ready for some Championship football!!!