NFC Championship Game – San Francisco 49ers v. Atlanta Falcons – Sunday, 3:00

The Falcons and 49ers went about obtaining their victories last week in decidedly different fashions. I may as well begin with top-seeded Atlanta, whose performance was a dichotomy that, though startling, proved victorious against a Seattle team that made a mistake or two too many. The Falcons played very much like a top seed in the first half last week, rolling on their way to a 20-0 halftime advantage. The second half turned out to be a much different story. Atlanta’s containment of shifty Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson vanished in the second half as a whole, but especially in the fourth quarter. A two-yard Marshawn Lynch touchdown plunge with 31 seconds remaining completed an improbable Seahawk comeback, or so it seemed. Long passes from Matt Ryan to Harry Douglas, then Tony Gonzalez set up a 49 yard Matt Bryant field goal that won the game for Atlanta.

The Falcons have experienced extraordinary luck in regards to coming out on top in close games, and that continued last week. Much of the narrative crafted following the game focused on the removal of the proverbial monkey from the back of the Falcons in the wake of their first significant playoff win in quite a while. Advocates of this theory would tell you that, relieved of the pressure of failing to win a playoff game, Atlanta could enter this week’s with clarity and a sense of new life.

I don’t buy it. The team I saw play in the second half is a team due for a harsh wake-up call when the new-look 49ers, led by ultra-shifty quarterback Colin Kaepernick, comes to town. Kaepernick’s record-setting performance against the Packers last week surprised many, and enlightened myself. Green Bay’s defense looked utterly baffled about how to contain this superior athlete, and if Atlanta had issues containing Wilson, Kaepernick should wreak absolute havoc on the Falcons. Atlanta’s offensive line did a great job against a banged-up Seattle front seven, but San Francisco is sure to put more pressure on Matty Ice. San Francisco’s balanced offensive attack and gritty defense should give Atlanta fits. I like the 49ers to win and advance to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

AFC Championship Game – Baltimore Ravens v. New England Patriots – Sunday, 6:30

Do the Baltimore Ravens have the magic this year? That’s a fair question to ask after their improbable, thrilling victory at Mile High last Saturday. Those who tuned in were treated to one of the most exciting playoff games in recent memory, one that saw the Ravens carried by a strong performance from Joe Flacco. Flacco played exceptionally well in the frosty conditions in Denver, and came through with big plays when the Ravens needed them most. His fourt- quarter bomb to Jacoby Jones is sure to go down in playoff lore, but I’m confident in saying that he and the rest of his teammates are far from satisfied. Ray Lewis and the Ravens have all the looks of a team on a mission, and their performance against the Broncos suggests that the Patriots are in for a fight come Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Baltimore faithful, a juggernaut awaits in Foxboro. New England absolutely thrashed the Houston Texans, considered the league’s best team for much of the year, last Sunday. The surprise of that game was the success of New England’s multifaceted running game, as the excellent ground defense of Houston was trampled by New England’s various backs. The loss of Rob Gronkowski does hurt the Patriots, but Bill Belichick and Tom Brady should have no problem coming up with ways to utilize their many other weapons. Defensively, New England has been inconsistent, but a strong performance against the Texans suggests that Baltimore will need to bring its offensive A-game to Gillette Stadium.

These two teams have dueled many times over the years, with most contests being quite close. This one shouldn’t be much different. Baltimore has been playing inspired football for their leader, Ray Lewis, but it’s difficult to believe that anyone can slow down the Patriots offense right now. The addition of a great running game to New England’s typically excellent aerial attack leaves the Baltimore defense with an unenviable task ahead of them. Baltimore will keep it close, but in the end, I expect the Patriots to win and return once again to the Super Bowl.