Intriguing as that all is, at day's end two teams will go home losers. We can write all we want about the importance of these games, and we can get ourselves in a frenzy of hysteric fandom - creating fight songs, etc - but there are no consolation prizes. You lose, you go home. There will be no next week. Just a quiet locker room and an awkard, abrupt ending to another season that could have been great.
As an Eagles fan, I know this all too well. I have been the guy who follows the sportswriters religiously in the weeks leading up to the NFC Championship game. I have been the fool who actually believes this year will be the year that Andy and Donovan prove their legitimacy - that we will WIN the game, and that the long suffering eagles fans will have another shot at the beguiling Lombardi trophy. And the result? More heartache, more longing. Nelson Algren once wrote of his beloved city: Loving Chicago is like loving a women with a broken nose. I think that's a perfect way to describe being an Eagles fan. Or a Vikings fan. Or a Jets fan. Or a Saints fan. Fans like us love teams despite their flaws. We see the subtle beauty in an otherwise homely appearance. We keep coming back to a relationship that consistently fails us, expect this time will be different. Well, that's plain insanity. But who said you need to be sane to be a fan?
I do not mean to discredit the Eagles' success over the past decade. We have been a consistent contender. Not many other teams have had 5 appearances in the conference title game over an 8 year span. But therein lies the problem: We've been to 5 title games in 8 years, and we only have 1 super bowl appearance to show for it. And we lost.
So what does that mean? It means that the NFL gods don't particularly care about your brand of long suffering fandom - whether that means getting consistently blue-balled in big games (Eagles, Vikings), or having just an atrocious team history of the past couple decades (Saints, Jets). You can work yourself into full-on apoplectic shock over these games, and at the end of the day the clock will run out and your team will either kneel in victory or stare on in disbelief. And if they lose, what will you have to show for it? A stupid jersey you want to burn and a stomach full of pork products, peanuts and (probably) beer.
Here's what years of being let down has taught me: Don't expect miracles, great players play great in big games, you can't win if you can't run the football, and defense makes all the difference.
With that in mind, here are your realistic picks for Championship Sunday...
COLTS 28 - JETS 6
The jets are a great Cinderella story, but they are going to get beat down today. I love Rex Ryan, and I love Darelle Reevis, but the fact of the matter is that they simply won't be able to keep up with Indy's offense. The Jets are an old-school team with a great running game and a first-rate defense. They are a pain in the ass team to beat because they will punch you in the mouth and keep punching until your jaw is hanging on by a single piece of cartilage. But, and this is a big BUT, Mark Sanchez is not an elite passer. In fact, some say he's worse than Jamarcus Russel. I know I just said you have to be able to run the football to win - and that's true because you have to be able to control the clock - but you also have to be able to get quick strike TDs when you play against a team like Indy. Because with Peyton Manning behind center, the Colts will score. Whether he's throwing to Dallas Clark or Reggie Wayne or some unheard of fullback from the practice squad, he will find the one guy who can get the ball into the end zone against your defense. Peyton Manning is Rain Man when it comes dissecting defenses. I don't care if you're the '85 Bears. Peyton Manning will go to the sideline, flip through his chart, discover a disparity between the backup TE and the weakside linebacker, and will exploit it ALL DAY LONG, and unless you can respond with some scores of your own, you will lose. Badly. And that is what will happen today. JETS fans, I love you and I sympathize with you, but you just have the offense to compete with Peyton Manning and gang. Also, your pro shop totally jinxed you!
VIKINGS 34 - SAINTS 27
I know, I know. New Orleans is the home team. They have their savior in Drew Brees. They have a young, no nonsense, maverick of a coach in Sean Payton (what's up Marple Newtown Junior Bengals!). And they have the ultimate X-FACTOR in Reggie Bush.
Well, all that's fine and dandy. But think about this. The New Orleans defense ranks 21st in the NFL against the run and 26th against the pass. Sure, Darren Sharper has had a career year down there, but he's only dude. Who's gonna cover AP in the flat? Scott Fujita? I don't think so. The Minnesota offense has too many weapons for the New Orleans defense to stop. Oh, and the running game. . .
New Orleans game plan is simple: Score quickly, run up the points and force the opposing team to abandon their game just to keep up. Problem is, the Vikings can score quickly, too. And they have a two-headed running beast named Adrian Taylor that can easily control tempo and wear down a defense. Plus, Brad Childress is a stubborn prick. He will not let you force him to abandon his game plan. Unles Brett Favre has a complete and total meltdown and throws 3 picks in the first half, the Vikings are headed to the Super Bowl. Expect Visanthe Shiancoe to have HUGE game.
Drew Brees is an excellent passer with great field vision and a corps of talented receivers who have the ability to make him look even better than he is through their extreme feats of individual effort. But, as Tony Romo gave evidence last week, you can't throw with a D Lineman sitting on your face. Sorry, Saints fans, I just don't think it's your year.
One note, though: The Vikings defense is not so great on the road. See for yourself here. Compelling as that may be, the Saints will lose today.
INTERESTING FACT NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT: Domes. The NFC is becoming the dome league. Of the 6 NFC playoff teams, 4 of them are dome teams: Saints, Vikings, Cards, Cowboys. The other 2 teams, Philly and Green Bay, both lost in the first round. Is this an insignificant observation? Maybe. The Rams play in a dome and they suck. But it's "interesting" to think about, especially when your team is out of the race and your only solace is conspiracy theorizing.
Enjoy the games.
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