The Brothers Bowl Breakdown...

As impossible predictions came true we're facing one of the most improbable Super Bowl matchups in recent history. The 49'ers outlook was bleak near the end of the first half of the NFC Championship game when they gave up an astonishing 17-0 lead. The high flying Falcons looked poised to end their streak of bad luck, but fate had a different plan. After riding the hot hand of quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco finds themselves in the driver's seat with a great chance of actually winning the Lombardi trophy. Luck is on their side, as they have performed well when they reached the big game.

However, victory will not come easy for either team. Though the 49'ers they have a deep receiving core in Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, A.J. Jenkins, Vernon Davis, expect DB's Bernard Pollard, and Corey Graham to cover routes over the middle, and to the sidelines rather well. The Raven's secondary is unheralded but they stymied New England's strong receiving corps.

The same can be said about San Francisco, however. Last week, they made second half adjustments to shut down arguably the best receiving tandem in football: Roddy White and Julio Jones. Meanwhile they had to contend with legendary tight end, Tony Gonzalez. So, things will not be easy for Anquan Bolden, Tory Smith, or Dennis Pitta.

Both teams are equipped with stout run defenses. Key matchups to look for. Frank Gore against Haloti Ngata. Both players share multiple Pro Bowls. This will be a great battle that may contribute more than people give it credit for. If Gore is held in check and receivers are well-covered, a linebacker spy could make Kaepernick think twice about running.

Another matchup to watch is the formidable pass-rushers of the 49'ers. The Ravens offensive line is not the strongest and they have been moved around plenty. Flacco may not get the luxury of holding the ball waiting for the deep routes to develop, if Navarro Bowman and Patrick Willis put pressure on the offensive line.

In the end, will the Ravens rally around a grizzled veteran to give him on last shot at glory to send him out in style? Or will the 49'ers strike it rich and evoke the glory days once again? We will know soon enough...

Don't Crown a Super Bowl Champion Just Yet

We are down to an improbable four. However, far too many so-called gurus are ready to proclaim the New England Patriots, champions once again. Not so fast. First and foremost, the exciting divisional playoff weekend was stuffed with spectacular games. More importantly these games were phenomenal in terms of tension and upsets. Two games that very few people really saw coming were the Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos, and the San Francisco 49'ers vs. the Green Bay Packers.

If the Ravens, who were nearly 10 point underdogs, were able to pull off one of the most stunning road upsets in the history of the playoffs who is to say they can't repeat next week in Foxboro? There is a lot of animosity between New England and Baltimore going back to last year's heartbreaking AFC championship loss. There are 101 reasons why the Ravens have the right combination of talent and mojo to pull off the upset. Also, few people talk about the fact that New England has been playoff losers their last 4 postseason appearances. Of course this doesn't mean they are a bad team whatsoever. But it does make you wonder...


Not many suspected that the mighty, Aaron Rodgers would be bested twice by the same team. We were all wary of a suspect pass offense, and another read-option quarterback in Colin Kaepernick. However, how wrong us doubters were. He put up a searing 180 yards rushing, an all-time record for any quarterback in any game. Also, he routinely spread the ball to receivers and tight end Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, and Vernon Davis. All of this confusion made the Packers appear to be a second class team. If the Patriots advance and the 49'ers advance, look for a strong run contingency from Kaepernick and the 49'ers. If executed properly, it could result in the 5th straight playoff loss for New England's beloved Pats...

And Then There Were 8.....

Is it always good for a team to be on the bye week? Not necessarily. In the past three playoff seasons, teams who didn't have a bye week had more wins and more momentum going into the final games of the season. Yes, it helps the team recover from injuries, but it seems as though the risks far outweigh the benefits. As coaches, and team management begin to understand this, look for teams to aim for a valuable #3 seed. This will never be something that no team/coach will ever admit, but it will be done.

Case in point: Many people didn't feel like Green Bay played their hardest football in the final quarter of the final game of the season, vs. the Minnesota Viking. They were playing for a bye, but came up short. The Packers appeared nonchalant and unmotivated to win. Were they strategically aiming for the #3 sport, or were they outplayed? Now that the league knows more about the practice, look for sanctions to be put into play.....

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