A fun Sunday is on the way. Two playoff games to decide who plays Super Bowl XLVI (personally I'm most looking forward to Super Bowl L, or even Super Bowl C).
The NFC Championship game features two teams few expected to see. The New York Giants went 9-7 during the year, but they have gotten hot at the right time, brushing aside the Atlanta Falcons and taking down the 15-1 Green Bay Packers last week. The San Francisco 49ers went 6-10 last year, but under new coach Jim Harbaugh rode a dominating defense, great running by Frank Gore, and solid QBing by Alex Smith to a 13-3 record and victory over the New Orleans Saints.
I picked the Giants to win the Super Bowl this year upon the start of the playoffs, a pick of which I am increasingly proud. I saw them play against the Cowboys in the final week of the season and was immediately reminded of the 2008 Giants team that got hot at the right time and shocked everybody by beating the New England Patriots for the championship. I picked them this year because I saw the same look in their eyes and believed them to be the most balanced team in the NFL. All other great teams this year had glaring weaknesses. The Patriots, Saints, and Packers all had very bad defenses (although the Pats D has really stepped it up), the 49ers had Alex Smith as their quarterback, the Ravens had Joe Flacco as their quarterback. I picked the Giants because they had a fantastic defensive line: Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul. At QB they have the experienced Eli Manning, who is having a career year. At running back they have Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, who are solid with over 1,000 yards this year between them. Jacobs is excellent at punishing tired defenses at the end of games. And at receiver they have record breaker Victor Cruz (fantastic!) and UNC alum Hakeem Nicks. There are no weaknesses on the team. Balance wins championships.
The 49ers I did not pick to be here. I underestimated them. Alex Smith came through in the clutch last week in a big way and here they are. I am holding to the Giants in this game, but I do see a path to victory for the 49ers. Their defense is fantastic. They could easily shut down the Giants running game, but the key will be stopping the pass as well, no team has done that to the Giants in awhile. If the 49ers can stop both the run and the pass, then Alex Smith will have to go to work. Frank Gore will have a reliably good game, but they need Smith to step up, and they need the offensive line to hold off the ferocious pass rush of the Giants, who will be gunning for Smith, trying to make him uncomfortable from the get go.
I'm predicting a close, but solid victory for the Giants. The Giants will not turn it over 200 times in this game like the Saints did last week. I do however see a path to victory for the 49ers if their defense holds them, forces turnovers, and Alex Smith gets it done. But I'm betting on the more experienced and balanced Giants to make it to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years.
Giants: 24
49ers: 14
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