The Championship Weekend
Are There Enough Reasons There Will Be No All-PA Super Bowl?

Good gawd, was that Cardinals beating of Carolina and Jake Delhomme's 5 interception bloodshed one of the most unexpected things in recent NFL post-season memory? Let's face it, even if you detest the success of the QB Jesus as much as I do, the Cards look like they're coming together a bit both defensively and with respect to their running game. I simply can't support them. It's the joke card.

The Titans beat themselves against the Ravens thus in some ways you have to believe the Ravens are sort of here by default.

The Jints, as I suspected, folded. Yes, the Iggles were tough. Yes, the Iggles are on a great run since Donovan was McBenched but let's face it, they didn't really stop the run (one senses the myth of the Iggles defence is overblown) and it was really more a matter of how much Eli sucked than how good the D was.

The Steelers were saved in a way by the football bouncing off a helmet, Charger Luck, let's call it. But they won fair and square and they're home again against a Raven team they've lucked out again twice already this season.

Still, a better result last week picking winners, 3-1.

IGGLES @ CARDINALS

So what's on about these Cardinals then? The league laughingstocks all season long are suddenly looking ominous and formidable? Everyone is on about Fitzgerald this week, but the real tough guy of this Cardinals receiving corps is Anquan Boldin, who made the four tough guys list:

Anquan Boldin suffered such an injury in Week 4 against the Jets in the Meadowlands. When Boldin was hit from behind by Kerry Rhodes it drove his head into the oncoming helmet of Eric Smith. The collision was so violent it made Kurt Warner start thinking seriously about stepping away from the game.

Boldin was left with a concussion, two facial fractures and a jaw that had to be reattached using eight plates and 40 screws. Upon leaving surgery Boldin refused post-op analgesics, declaring simply, "I don't do pain meds."

Aye, funny man, calling who, all the people in Philly who wanted to dump him into the river two months ago?

*I made the mistake of calling for an All-PA Super Bowl a few years ago. Philly made it but the Steelers lost to the Patriots and McNabb ended up puking on the field in the Super Bowl.

*The Eagles are really the only team left to root for, so I will. Which means they will lose. The Steelers and Big Ben have had their Super Bowl, ditto the QB Jesus, ditto Ray Lewis and the Ravens. I mean, the Eagles - Ravens is the Super Bowl matchup I want to see which means there's like zero chance of that ever happening now. That's the results gods for me. Pick a team to like and guaranteed they will lose.

*The Phillies have already won the World Series for Philly. Do you REALLY think Philadelphia is going to be the host of TWO World Championship teams?

Yeah, the Iggles beat the piss out of the Cards on Thanksgiving to a 48-20 tune but we all know that means nothing now. The Cards defence has been a turnover machine, forcing 9 in their two playoff games. Turnovers are often a secret of success. That and of course, their suddenly invigorated running game. In fact, if the Cards are able to beat the Iggles, it will be down to the running game keeping the blitzing Iggles defence off-balance.

Another factor to consider is how miserable the Iggles have been historically in NFC Championship games. They've won only once in four tries so far.

I'm riding on one thing and one thing only, Kurt Warner and his obnoxious wife nauseate me. Even god is sick of the pair of them by now.

That, and the Iggles having outscored opponents by a 20-0 margin in the 4th quarters of the playoffs.

The Cardinals are the biggest underdog in this round since the 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were getting 3½ points from the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game. The Rams won and covered, 9-0. The previous year, the Rams were 4-point home underdogs to the NFC title game to the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas prevailed, 28-0.

The Cardinals receivers will definately cause some problems for the Philly defensive backfield but the difference between this and last week may be that Warner isn't going to have sufficient time to look at all his receivers. He's going to be harried and he's going to make a few mistakes this time.

The key will be to take the game away from the crowd early on - say, a Philly interception and an early Philly score. Momentum shift to the Cards for the most of the rest of the game before a big, big Philly comeback in the 4th quarter.

PHUCK IT: PHILLY 33 Arizona 28


*****

RAVENS AT STEELERS
The Ravens at the Steelers is certainly just going to be one side smashing the other smash smash smash smash smash. The Ravens have a rookie QB and a rookie coach, neither of which has mattered one iota since the start of the post season. The Ravens are Rollin and that's all there is to it. Not striking fear in everyone's hearts like they did a few years back whilst mauling the Jints in the Super Bowl, but nobody wants to see this defence.

IF the Steelers can run on the Ravens, they will win, simple as. That's what they did to the Chargers, demoralised them with their running game and that's what they'll have to do this weekend.

WILLIE PARKER HAS NEVER RUSHED FOR MORE THAN 63 YARDS VS. BALtimore.

Fewest yards allowed by conference title foes
Season Teams Average
1973 Oakland at Miami 230.0
1971 Baltimore Colts at Miami 232.6
1978 Dallas at L.A. Rams 246.9
1969 Kansas City at Oakland 247.6
2008 Baltimore at Pittsburgh 249.1

Something else to think about: Ben Roethlisberger was sacked an NFL-high 46 times in the regular season. Think blitz-happy Ravens aren't excited about this? That's why the Steelers MUST run the ball with success to advance.

The Steelers have won 7 of the last 8 games they've hosted the Ravens in.

Steelers were lucky in two meetings this season. Baltimore had more yards, time of possession and first downs than Pittsburgh in the first game and in the second game, the Ravens led almost the entire second half, until the Steelers scored on a controversial touchdown with 50 seconds left. They were lucky against the Chargers last weekend and Big Ben isn't likely to help hand the game to the Ravens like the Titans did last week.

So the way I see this game developing is that the Steelers will try and run and they probably won't have alot of success and Big Ben will throw a pass or two and get beaten up good every time he does.

The Ravens offence, I think, just doesn't have the tools to take on the Steelers' LBs and overall defence.

STEELERS 17 RAVENS 13