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.