Predicting Two Peyton's

Today is the day of the Conference Championships games in the NFL. Many households across America will gather in front of their TVs for basically the entire day watching the AFC tilt between the Colts and the Jets, and then the NFC's own version with the Vikings and Saints. Though I'm not a fan of any of the 4 teams playing today, I'm still hoping to to catch some of the games. Will I watch all 6-7 hours of football, absolutely not, my wife is not going to go for that - and honestly I don't blame her. If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn't want to watch Discovery Health or the Surgery Channel for 6-7 hours straight, I'd go crazy.

I love sports (which includes football) not just the games themselves but all the storylines and analysis leading up to the games. I like listening to all the writers, reporters, and even the nonsports people give their perspective of what's going to happen in the games and why. I've heard so many thoughts and opinions that it's crazy; from Doug Gottleib to Mel Kiper Jr to even Elizabeth Hasselbeck, everybody chimes in. I think if a lot of sports fans are honest, much of their own thoughts are formulated from something they've heard or read from "an expert." With all that surrounds the games, whether it's injuries and statistics or players, sets, and schemes, it usually comes down to 1 or 2 points. In the AFC's game, I see coming down to whether or not Peyton Manning will be able to disect and breakdown the Jets defense or not. Peyton Manning is considered by the some as the greatest quarterback of all time and Rex Ryan is one of the best defensive minds this era of football has seen. On the other side of the fence, the NFC game is about Brett Farve practically taking on the entire City of New Orleans. I really believe that the Saints have a home field advantage like no other. The way this city has really rallied around the Saints is crazy. I know a lot of people have lost respect for Brett Favre over the past couple of years the way he's retired and unretired and retired and come back again. That being said, I respect the competitor in him and what he's done on the field this year. At the same time, Sean Payton and Drew Brees are as classy as they come. I'm not sure there is a better fit for the city, the team, and everything they've been through in New Orleans than Drew Brees.

The results: Plain and simple I think Peyton Manning is too good and too smart a quarterback to lose this game today. The Jets are going to take the ground and pound approach (if i can use an MMA term) of running the ball all day, try to keep the ball out of Peyton's hands, and clamp down on defense - which happens to be their MO. The thing that makes Peyton Manning so great is the way he makes no-namers into household names. If you had asked me (or anybody else for that matter) who Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon where a few months ago - the response would have been that of chirping crickets. So maybe you can stop contain Reggie Wayne, or hold Dallas Clark in check, but the fact is he's going to make you respect a guy like Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon and that means trouble. Too much Peyton, sorry Rex. Colts 24, Jets 13
My analysis on the NFC game isn't going to be as detailed (i dont think). There are a lot of people who want to see 40 year old Brett Favre take the Vikings to the 'Ship. But I just don't think it's going to happen. The Saints high octane offense is just going to be too much today. Yes, the Vikes have Jared Allen and the Williams, but Drew Brees has perfected the Saints offense and as big as this game is for the City of New Orleans, I don't see New Orleans losing today. I think we will see a lot points, but when the final horn sounds, the Saints will have more than the Vikings, and that my friends is what we call a victory in sports. I expect the Superdome to be rocking and we might actually see the doors get blown off that place. Saints 38, Vikings 34

Super Bowl Sunday is two weeks away and I'm predicting it will be a Tale of Two Peyton's -- Proverbial player/coach Peyton Manning and his Colts taking on Coach Sean Payton and his Saints.