NFL Championship Weekend

Here we go again.  The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are a game away from going back to the Super Bowl.  Seattle players, coaches, and the media have talked all season about how difficult it is to make it back to the Super Bowl the following year.  Earlier in the season, when Seattle was 3-3, I asked my coworker what was wrong with them.  I couldn’t figure out why they didn’t have a better start to the season with their key players returning.  My coworker said that Seattle is overrated and really not that great.  Now that they are in the NFC Championship game with a 12-4 regular-season record and home-field advantage, I say Ha!  Overrated!  Tell that to the Carolina Panthers who lost their divisional playoff game by 2 touchdowns.

Ah, the Patriots.  You can’t beat them with a stick.  Let’s recap their divisional playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens.  Ravens 14, Patriots 0.  Ravens 14, Patriots 14.  Ravens 28, Patriots 14.  Ravens 28, Patriots 28.  Ravens 31, Patriots 28.  Ravens 31, Patriots 35.  Oops, did Joe Flacco just throw an interception?  Well, there’s not enough time left for them to get the ball back.  Patriots win.  Again!  The Patriots started the season 2-2 before going on a long winning streak resulting in their 12-4 regular-season record.  They also have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.  It has been three years since the New England Patriots played in a Super Bowl, but they go so often, that’s why I said “…going back to the Super Bowl.”  New England is also the last team to win back-to-back Super Bowls, so they know what it takes to get there.

Personally, I hope the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts win this weekend.  I really like Green Bay and since Indianapolis got past the Denver Broncos, I’d love to see them have an opportunity to play for the championship.  I think the home teams really do have an advantage, but this is the NFL.  No one expected Indianapolis to go into Denver and win that game.  No matter what happens, it will be exciting to watch.  The battle to get to Super Bowl XLIX begins tomorrow.