My Analysis Of The AFC And NFC Championship Games

San Diego Chargers At New England Patriots (3:00 p.m.) - I'm sick and tired of analyzing New England Patriots games. Every week I sit here and try to find some excuse as to how the opposing team could possibly beat them. Let's get real here. The Patriots just don't lose. The Colts would have been more of a challenge than this Chargers team who is so hurt and banged up they are the equivalent of having patients from a nursing home play the Patriots. There, I guess that's my analysis.

New York Giants At Green Bay Packers (6:30 p.m.) - All right. This game is more interesting. I never would have expected the Giants to make it this far, but they have. The running attack on both of these teams is about equal. Ryan Grant has emerged into an amazing running back and Brandon Jacobs is so fast and huge he can pound the ball through. Also, the back up running backs on the Giants are decent as well, so if they rotate their running backs they'll have a consistent attack. The receiving core on both teams, again, is almost even, but I would take Donald Driver and Greg Jennings on the Packers over Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress.

So what is going to be the deciding factor(s) in this game? 2 things. First, as far as defense, the Packers not only have the better defense, but they are healthier too. Second, keeping the Packers' better defense in mind, think about where Eli Manning is playing.....in 0 degree weather. While Favre thrives on this kind of weather for some crazy reason, Eli Manning absolutely can not play in cold weather. I mean, think about how he got this far in the playoffs. He had the luxury of playing in warm weather states like Florida and Texas. Can't get hotter than that. Therefore, I'd pick the Packers over the Giants.

Whatever the outcome, I'm excited to watch these games, but bummed there won't be football for 2 weeks after tonight.

The Green Bay Packers Advance In The Playoffs

This game was by far one of the more memorable ones of the playoffs thus far. I picked the Green Bay Packers to win AND cover the spread....and at first they were such a big disappoint. Two fumbles by Ryan Grant led to two quick TDs for Seattle. At this point I was screaming at the television for Favre to start passing. Why stop doing what was working all year? Luckily, he must have heard me.

Brett Favre somehow spun free from the Seahawks' clutches and stumbled ahead in the snow. Ever the gambler, he flipped a wobbly, underhanded pass that he had no business trying, let alone completing.

Green Bay ended up destroying the Seahawks 42-20 because the Packers resorted to the passing game in the second half and Ryan Grant started running like a beast. He just couldn't be tackled.

With Lambeau Field looking like a snow globe, Favre frolicked in the flurries, throwing three touchdown passes as the Packers beat Seattle 42-20 Saturday, the highest-scoring postseason game in Packers' history.

Ryan Grant made history, too, recovering from two fumbles that put the Packers down 14-0 after only four minutes to set a Packers' postseason record with 201 yards rushing. He scored three times; Greg Jennings caught a pair of TD tosses; and Favre tied his personal best for touchdown strikes in a postseason game.

Perhaps the biggest factor in this game was the amount of snow falling. In the first half the screen on my television showed a mint like greenish-white field. In the second half, however, my television screen just showed one big white mess. The Green Bay Packers took advantage of their home field by getting off to an early lead and running the ball most of the second half. It was impossible for the Seattle Seahawks to come back in that weather.

The Packers (14-3) will take on the winner of Sunday's game between the New York Giants and Dallas. If the Cowboys win, they'll host Green Bay; if the Giants win, they'll visit Lambeau. After watching the Packers in this game, I believe they have a great shot at defeating the Cowboys no matter what stadium they play in. They would certainly destroy the Giants. Anyway, we'll just have to wait and see.....