NFL Conference Championships Recap

It was this shove from 49ers' WR Michael Crabtree that
apparently set off Seahawks' CB Richard Sherman.

Fireworks and controversy erupted in Seattle as Richard Sherman's rant became the topic of discussion following the Seahawks' win over the 49ers. Let's recap the conference championships!

New England Patriots 16 Denver Broncos 26

This was a rather easy victory for the Broncos, as the final score really doesn't indicate how much of a blowout this game really was. The Patriots couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half, while the Broncos moved the ball up and down the field the entire first half. Tom Brady was flustered in the pocket, while Peyton Manning was flawless. The Patriots almost looked helpless and lifeless, and it was evident and clear the talent on the Patriots didn't match the talent on the Broncos.

Manning is now headed to MetLife Stadium to win another Super Bowl. This is the exact circumstances Peyton's younger brother Eli faced in January 2012 when his Giants beat the 49ers to advance to Super Bowl XLVI. That Super Bowl was in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where Peyton was the quarterback at the time. Eli got his second ring after winning that Super Bowl, and Peyton has an opportunity to get his second ring by winning in Eli's home. The irony of it all!

There has been some speculation as to whether this could be Manning's last season in the league, as he is set to undergo testing on his neck during the offseason. Manning doesn't know right now if this is his last season, as we are almost certain he would like to keep playing for a couple seasons if he can physically do so at a high level. There's no doubting he can perform at a high level, as he set the single season record for passing touchdowns and passing yards this season. Ahead awaits a very physical defense with the Seahawks. Let's see how it all goes.

San Francisco 49ers 17 Seattle Seahawks 23

This was a great football game, but the obvious story to come from this game was rant provided by Richard Sherman in his postgame interview with Erin Andrews. The rant took all the attention away from the real story, and that was the stellar play of the Seahawks' defense, most notably Kam Chancellor. Chancellor had 11 tackles and a key interception in the fourth quarter that helped stifle the 49ers' offense.

Sherman obviously received criticism for his rant, and as expected, some of the criticism went too far. There's no doubt Sherman's rant was classless, but Sherman does not work for JP Morgan Chase or Merrill Lynch. He's an NFL player, and emotions run high when playing the game of football. One should not expect a football player to act with class on the football field. Sure, the game was over when he made the rant, but the interview happened immediately after the conclusion of the game. Sherman, however, should of kept his opinions and trash-talking to Michael Crabtree between he and Crabtree. When you run to the media to tell the country, it's sort of a cop out.

Now that I've stated my peace about the Sherman rant, let's get back to the game. The 49ers blew several opportunities to score points, but the Seahawks did as well. Colin Kaepernick had success running the football, so the 49ers should've went to that more. The Seahawks would've been better prepared, but it still would've gained solid yardage from time to time. If the Seahawks would've given up a game-winning touchdown to the 49ers, it would've been the second consecutive season this defense would've given up a game-winning score to end their season. That would've been something to ponder.

NFL Conference Championships Preview

Broncos' QB Peyton Manning and Patriots' QB Tom Brady
will meet in the playoffs for the fourth time. Brady is 2-1.

The four remaining teams are the teams many of us expected to be the last standing. Let's preview the conference championship games!

New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday January 19, 2014 3pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

These two teams were the top two teams in the AFC last season, but the Broncos lost in an upset to the Ravens in the Divisional Round, preventing a Tom Brady-Peyton Manning matchup in last year's AFC Championship Game. This time around, both teams took care of business at home in the Divisional Round, so the matchup everyone expected back in training camp and throughout the season is coming. The Broncos should definitely remember their regular season game against the Patriots in Foxboro, when the Broncos took a 24-0 lead only to lose in overtime.

Brady believes the world is against him and the Patriots, believing the Patriots doesn't have what it takes to get by the Broncos. Brady is probably the only one who believes that, as many fans know both teams are very similar in talent and have an equal shot at winning. Brady has had to deal with a lot this season as his receiving targets has been a revolving door. When they got Rob Gronkowski back in the middle of the season, fans were excited because Brady was getting his main target. However, a torn ACL weeks later put Brady in a tough spot, having to rely on Julian Edelman and new faces to win games.

The Broncos will be without their best cornerback, after Chris Harris Jr. tore his ACL in last week's game against the Chargers. The Broncos replaced Harris Jr. with former Chargers' cornerback Quentin Jammer, and he was exposed. If Jammer gets the start against the Patriots, look for Brady to attack him all day. Manning will look to attack the side that Aqib Talib isn't on. Talib is a big, physical corner who will definitely look to jam his receiver at the line of scrimmage. Therefore, he can throw off the timing if Manning goes to his side frequently.

These are the two best quarterbacks in the game, and both are sure to be in the Hall of Fame when their careers are over. It's the matchup we've all been waiting for. I believe the Broncos will learn from their regular season collapse, and win a narrow one and advance to the Super Bowl in MetLife Stadium, the house Eli Manning built. Remember, Eli Manning won a Super Bowl in the house Peyton Manning built in Indianapolis. Time for Peyton Manning to do the same.

New England Patriots 24 Denver Broncos 31

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday January 19, 2014 6:30pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

This game is similar to the AFC Championship Game, where both teams were expected to be the last two teams remaining in the NFC. For the 49ers and Seahawks, it was just a matter of where the game would be located. The Seahawks finished as the NFC West winners, so they'll have home field advantage in this one and that is obviously huge. The Seahawks aren't necessarily a strong road team, even though they've only lost two road games all season.

The 49ers are coming in hot, winners of their past eight games and last two playoff games on the road. Playing against the Seahawks' defense has been an insurmountable task for Colin Kaepernick, so he'll have to play the best game of his life to get a win. Just like the Patriots, the 49ers are appearing in their third consecutive championship game. Could this be the year they see each other in the Super Bowl?

The Seahawks' offense hasn't been sharp as of late, so the 49ers' defense hope that continues. Russell Wilson lacks weapons on the outside. As much as Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin would like to believe they are good wide receivers, they just aren't explosive and don't help in making big plays. Marshawn Lynch has gotten a lot of carries, but he hasn't been able to find holes. Still, in this game, the Seahawks will need to force-feed Lynch in order to win this game. If it gets into a situation where Wilson is passing the ball a lot, it could mean trouble for the Seahawks.

Whoever loses this game would be heartbroken, as these are two teams who simply don't like each other. This could've been the NFC Championship Game last year, as the Seahawks rallied from a big deficit to take a late lead against the Falcons in the Georgia Dome. However, Matt Ryan was able to get the Falcons into field goal position, where they were able to win the game. The Seahawks were a surprise to the league at that point. They're not a surprise anymore. With the crowd noise the 49ers will face, I don't see how the Seahawks lose this game.

San Francisco 49ers 16 Seattle Seahawks 20

NFL Divisional Round Recap

49ers' QB Colin Kaepernick celebrates his touchdown by
mocking Panthers' QB Cam Newton's touchdown celebration.

The four remaining teams standing are the four teams many predicted would be the final four teams competing to advance to the Super Bowl. Let's recap the Divisional Round!

New Orleans Saints 15 Seattle Seahawks 23

I wonder what was going through Marques Colston's mind when he decided to attempt that lateral across the field. It most likely didn't have that much of an impact on the game, but had he stepped out of bounds, the Saints would've had a shot at a Hail Mary. If they somehow would've scored a touchdown on the Hail Mary, they still would've had to score on a two-point conversion to tie. The likelihood of that happening probably were slim, but at least they would've had that chance.

The first half of this game looked a lot like the first half of their regular season matchup. The Saints couldn't get anything going offensively, and even tried to go for it on fourth down to no avail. Jimmy Graham was shut down the entire game, only catching one pass. There was a mixup between himself and Bruce Irvin, and another between himself and Richard Sherman before the game even started. The Seahawks got the last laugh, culminating in Michael Bennett calling Graham overrated. The Saints aren't scheduled to play the Seahawks next year, so they'll have to wait awhile for revenge.

Indianapolis Colts 22 New England Patriots 43

It appeared as if the Patriots were going to run away with the game early. Alfonzo Dennard caught an interception on the first possession of the game, returning it inside the five-yard line. The Patriots eventually went up 14-0 before the Colts scored a touchdown. It was back and forth from there until Andrew Luck started throwing more interceptions. The game got out of hand in the fourth quarter, securing a third consecutive AFC Championship Game appearance for the Patriots.

It was the last game for analyst Dan Dierdorf, who spent almost 30 years as an analyst after retiring from football in 1983. CBS hasn't announced who will join Greg Gumbel next season, but it's much too early for that. They'll probably do that at some point this upcoming summer. Meanwhile, the Colts probably thought they had a comeback in them after doing so against the Chiefs last week. You simply can't keep playing from behind. Had the Chiefs been in this game, they probably could've won.

San Francisco 49ers 23 Carolina Panthers 10

You would've thought these two teams were division rivals the way they were jawing at each other after every play. The first half had a lot of questionable calls against the Panthers, but it was not a factor in deciding the outcome of the game. After the two teams played each other well in the first half, the 49ers simply dominated in the second half, holding the Panthers scoreless. The Panthers' defense did all it could, but it was the inability of Cam Newton to move the offense that cost the Panthers this game.

If this game was this chippy, we are all awaiting next week's matchup between the 49ers and Seahawks. Both teams do not like each other at all, which means there will be a lot of jawing, shoving, and probably a couple of personal foul penalties. Anquan Boldin was certainly pushing the limits with his trash-talking to the Panthers defense after every play. He even head-butted Mike Mitchell on one play, drawing the ire of the Panthers' defense. Captain Munnerlyn was flagged for head-butting earlier in the first half, so the Panthers believed Boldin should've been flagged as well. We'll see how Kaepernick performs in Seattle. It has been the location of his worst games of his career.

San Diego Chargers 17 Denver Broncos 24

The way the Chargers played in the first three quarters, it was a surprise the Broncos weren't up by more. In the fourth quarter, things got a little too close for comfort for the Broncos, especially after an onside kick from the Chargers was recovered by the Chargers. The Chargers, who were once down 24-7 in the fourth quarter, were able to cut the Broncos' lead to 24-17.

It appeared to look even worse when the Broncos were faced with a 3rd and 17 deep in their own territory, probably not wanting to punt the ball back to the Chargers so soon. The only way the Broncos could've avoided that was to somehow get a first down. The odds were stacked against them getting a first down, but a coverage bust from the Chargers' defense left Julius Thomas wide open. Another first down later in that possession sealed the win for the Broncos. Peyton Manning will face Tom Brady for the fourth time in postseason play. The home team has won each game, so Manning and the Broncos will be the favorite. However, anything is possible between those two teams.

NFL Divisional Round Preview

49ers' QB Colin Kaepernick was harassed and stifled by
the Panthers defense the last time these two teams played.

The Divisional Round may not match the crazy Wild Card Weekend, but there's some good action coming this weekend. Let's preview the Divisional Round.

New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks
Saturday January 11, 2014 4:35pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch

I wonder what FOX is doing with their broadcasting lineups. We've usually expected the team of Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa to cover the divisional round game that Joe Buck and Troy Aikman aren't covering. However, last year, they went with Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick in the divisional round game between the Seahawks and Falcons. They were miserable to listen to, but they still aren't going back to the Albert team.

I digress! These two teams played on Monday Night Football in Week 13, and the Saints were spanked. At that time, however, it was thought these two would see each other in the NFC Championship Game, as it was generally thought the Saints would win the NFC South. However, the Saints struggled down the stretch and lost control of the division. The Seahawks should not expect this game to be as easy as it was in Week 13. The Saints are looking at a lot of film from that game, and are probably looking at film of the Cardinals beating the Seahawks in Seattle. That would be wise.

New Orleans Saints 17 Seattle Seahawks 27

Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots
Saturday January 11, 2014 8:15pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf

The last time these two teams played in the playoffs was the 2006 AFC Championship Game, a game in which the Colts came back from a 21-3 deficit to advance to the Super Bowl. The Colts had Peyton Manning back then. They no longer have him, but they have Andrew Luck now, who engineered a comeback from being down 38-10 just last week. Playing against the Patriots is a different animal, but it's a game the Colts can win. How good is the Patriots' offense without Rob Gronkowski? That'll be the biggest factor in this game for the Patriots.

This will be the final game for Dan Dierdorf, who announced during the season that this season will be his last. Dierdorf has partnered up with Greg Gumbel, Dick Enberg and Verne Lundquist during his time at CBS after leaving ABC's Monday Night Football. It'll be interesting to see what CBS does to replace him.

Indianapolis Colts 20 New England Patriots 34

San Francisco 49ers vs. Carolina Panthers
Sunday January 12, 2014 1:05pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

These two teams met in Candlestick Park earlier this season, and the Panthers made a statement to the rest of the league in that game. They stifled Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers' offense, holding them without a touchdown and narrowly getting a win. However, the 49ers are hot now, and I'm not convinced the Panthers are playing their best football now. They struggled a little in beating the Jets and Falcons late, so there's opportunities for the 49ers to take advantage of.

I believe the 49ers will take advantage of those opportunities and walk out of Bank of America Stadium with a win. It does help to have Ric Flair on your side as well. Flair is a North Carolina guy, so Steve Smith and the Panthers' community and fans aren't happy about Flair's allegiance to the 49ers.

San Francisco 49ers 16 Carolina Panthers 13

San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday January 12, 2014 4:40pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

These two teams played on the final Thursday Night Football game, and the Chargers stunned everyone by beating the Broncos. In the past month, the Chargers have handed the Chiefs their first home loss of the season, the Broncos their first and only home loss of the season, and the Bengals their first and only home loss of the season in last week's playoff game. However, Peyton Manning is never really burned by the same team twice, so the adjustments he makes for this game will go a long way.

The Chargers' defense has improved a lot from where they were earlier in the season. Philip Rivers is completing a lot of his pass attempts, and not turning the ball over either. This game will be close and make Broncos' fans sweat a little. I still believe Manning will get them over the top.

San Diego Chargers 24 Denver Broncos 31

NFL Wild Card Round Recap

Colts' QB Andrew Luck scores a touchdown off a fumble
recovery in a wild comeback win.

It was an incredible Wild Card weekend as the Colts made a huge comeback, and the Saints and 49ers won with game-winning field goals as time expired. Let's recap Wild Card Weekend!

Kansas City Chiefs 44 Indianapolis Colts 45

The first game of the 2013 NFL Playoffs turned out to be the best game of the playoffs. This will probably end up as the best game of the entire playoffs as well when it's all said and done. Even though the Colts thoroughly beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium two weeks ago, many people knew the Colts didn't want to play the Chiefs. That theory proved right in the first half as the Chiefs built a 31-10 lead, then quickly increased it to 38-10 after Andrew Luck's interception on the first play of the second half.

What happened after the 38-10 lead was legendary from Luck, as the Colts scored five touchdowns, including a fumble recovery by Luck in one of the best plays of the year. The Chiefs' season ends in disappointing fashion, as it has been 20 years since they've won a playoff game. It'll take Chiefs' fans a very long time to get over this latest loss.

New Orleans Saints 26 Philadelphia Eagles 24

All the Saints heard from the media was their inability as a franchise to win a road playoff game. Furthermore, it was going to be cold in Philadelphia, as temperatures were in the 20s. Many people felt the Saints were doomed, but the Saints went out and toughed out a victory. The Seahawks is next on their playoff schedule, a daunting task considering they were embarrassed in Seattle roughly a month ago.

The Saints will be more competitive this time around, but will it be enough for the win? They struggled in beating the Eagles, who aren't that good of a team compared to the Seahawks despite being in the playoffs. Every team presents its own matchup issues, so it isn't fair to compare this game to next week's game.

San Diego Chargers 27 Cincinnati Bengals 10

The Bengals lost to the Texans the past two seasons in the Wild Card round, but much wasn't made of it because the Bengals were on the road. Now that the Bengals won the AFC North and secured a home playoff game. They were expected to get past the Chargers, who barely got into the playoffs as the final Wild Card team.

For Andy Dalton and the Bengals, it simply wasn't meant to be as Dalton threw two second half interceptions that proved costly, and the Chargers got their first playoff win since the 2008 season. Now that Dalton lost at home and is 0-3 in the playoffs, he'll be faced with a lot of criticism and questions surrounding whether he should be the guy going forward. I don't understand how the Bengals would give up on him now. It isn't as if there are excellent starting quarterbacks floating around to pick up. Dalton gives the Bengals the best chance to win without a doubt.

San Francisco 49ers 23 Green Bay Packers 20

It was cold in this game, but I thought it favored the 49ers because of their ground game. They didn't get a whole lot from their ground game, but they got just enough out of Frank Gore and Colin Kaepernick had key scrambles that made the difference. Michael Crabtree's ability to catch in frigid temperatures was very impressive, and the praise he received from head coach Jim Harbaugh was well deserved.

The Packers, on the other hand, just couldn't muster enough offense against the 49ers' defense to win. Aaron Rodgers was able to make plays sometimes, including that incredible escape job on fourth down in the second half down by three. However, enough plays weren't available as the 49ers stymied their offense and won their fourth straight game in the past two seasons against the Packers.

NFL Wild Card Round Preview

It will not be this nice and sunny in Lambeau Field this Sunday
when the 49ers and Packers battle in the Wild Card round.

The 49ers will battle the Packers in frigid temperature, and the Colts will look to beat the Chiefs for the second time in three weeks. Let's preview the opening round of the NFL playoffs!

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Indianapolis Colts
Saturday January 4, 2013 4:35pm
NBC -- Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock

The Chiefs are 0-5 against AFC playoff teams, and are 11-0 against everyone else. They played this Colts team just two weeks ago and thoroughly beat them in Arrowhead Stadium. The Colts also have wins against the Seahawks, 49ers and Broncos on their resume. However, the Colts have struggled since Reggie Wayne tore his ACL, and the Chiefs seem to be getting Justin Houston back. The Chiefs are primed to return the favor and win this game in Lucas Oil Stadium.

Kansas City Chiefs 24 Indianapolis Colts 20

New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Saturday January 4, 2013 8:10pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

The Saints seemed destined to win the NFC South for the majority of the season. However, they lost road games late, while the Panthers kept winning. Now the Saints have to play a road playoff game in Philadelphia, where it'll be cold. The Saints also have not won a playoff game on the road in franchise history, but that has very little to do with this team. The Saints should be able to beat the Eagles. I just have a feeling that won't do so.

New Orleans Saints 27 Philadelphia Eagles 30

San Diego Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday January 5, 2013 1:05pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

The Chargers have Philip Rivers, who's the most consistent important player in this game. It's hard to trust Andy Dalton, but he's played well at home and the Bengals won all of their home games this season. Rivers has had some great playoff moments in the past, but I don't think they'll have enough for the win.

San Diego Chargers 20 Cincinnati Bengals 31

San Francisco 49ers vs. Green Bay Packers
Sunday January 5, 2013 4:40pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

It is being reported that it will be 15 below zero on gameday, so both teams will probably struggle to score points. Even though the Packers play in cold conditions more than the 49ers, the 49ers probably have a team more built for this weather. They like to run the ball and play sound defense, whereas the Packers like to throw. The Packers will adjust because they have no other choice, as they know they can't throw it as often as they would like with the cold weather. Eddie Lacy has been effective, however, so he'll be the difference maker. Still, the 49ers should be able to edge them.

San Francisco 49ers 20 Green Bay Packers 17