National Football League Conference Championship Sunday

After today, let the football withdrawal begin.  Yes we have Super Bowl Sunday, but that’s more of an event than a hardcore day of real entertainment.  Conference championship Sunday is where everyone is laying it on the line just to be a part of the Super Bowl festivities, an honor that no one can take away from these guys.  Just ask Dan Marino, you better enjoy the experience while you’re there.  With the exception of the NFL’s model organization, the 49ers (5 wins and zero losses in the Super Bowl), most teams that make it have ended up on the short end of the Super Bowl stick.  You never know if you will ever return.  The Patriots for example have had a great 8 year run, but the dynasty talk is nothing short of hilarious.  Let’s see, the first Super Bowl win is a farce because of ‘the Tuck rule’. It continues to be a sham with their documented cheating prior to that game.  Fast forward to last year’s ‘perfect season’.  It’s perfect for the rest of us because now we never have to hear your organizational wide Mercury Morris act for the rest of our lives.  Instead, the 2007-2008 Pats are firmly planted as the 3rd best 18-1 team of all time behind the 1984 49ers and the 1985 Bears, two teams that could close the deal.  Enough of the dialogue, let’s get on with some selections.

Your team at picks4players likes the following selections in today’s Championship games:

Game 1, 3 pm EST: The Philadelphia Eagles are a 3 1`/2 point favorite over the home team Arizona Cardinals.  Kurt Warner has been praying extra hard this week and that along with the 3 1/2 points makes us like the Cardinals.  We do think that the Eagles will most likely win the game, but that extra 1/2 point, or ‘hook’, strongly sways us to the home team.  The Cards played great last week and we don’t expect Kurt Warner to be phased by any Eagle blitz packages.  For Warner this will be back to the Arena league where he mastered the quick read and was dominant as an Iowa Barnstormer.  The real pick here is the OVER the total of 47.  Our Selections:  Arizona + 3 1/2, OVER 47

In the nightcap at 6:30 pm EST, the Baltimore Ravens visit the Pittsburgh Steelers as a 6 point underdog.  What more can be said about this game?  Yes these two teams hate each other.  Yes it will be exteremely physical and hard hitting.  Baltimore has had an unreal season and they will go down fighting today, but the Steelers have a healthy Willie Parker running well for the first time all year which will only complement Big Ben’s play action opportunities.  While this will be a great defensive battle, 34 is too low a number.  The Steelers will get out in front and the Ravens will have no choice but to take the reigns off of Joe Flacco.  He will put up some points, but it could be a Flacco mistake late in the game that seals their fate.  In the AFC Conference Championship, your consultants at www.picks4players.com recommend: Pittsburgh - 6, OVER 34

Enjoy the festivities and look for our postings throughout the lead up to Super Bowl Sunday and look for our upcoming postings on Pro and College Basketball along with the National Hockey League.  Your team at www.picks4players.com has you covered.  Have a great day Players!!!