NFC Championship

Submitted by Eli on January 20th, 2019 at 3:15 PM

Who’s watching? Who do you think wins? Who do you want to win? 

Broken Brilliance

January 20th, 2019 at 3:25 PM ^

If you ever go to New Orleans and talk to locals you'll find that the Superdome is really a de facto landmark after the events of Katrina. I enjoyed attending the sugar bowl a few weeks ago. Lots of sentimental value even in a city with centuries of rich history.

Ibow

January 20th, 2019 at 3:33 PM ^

I’d love to see a Brees/Brady matchup in the Super Bowl. ?

These two games & possibly the Super Bowl (if Brady gets in) will have been the only NFL games I’ll have watched all year. 

maize-blue

January 20th, 2019 at 3:58 PM ^

That fake saved the Rams. I think they were wobbling and if the Saints put up another TD they may have been knocked out.

MGoFunkadelic

January 20th, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^

if the saints can shut out the rams in the first half i think they can win.  rams are such a high powered offense that they can catch up usually but if the saints can own the momentum that will help.  gurley not being able to catch today is really screwing up the rams offense.  this would be a much tighter game without the interception and that last drop by gurley.

Moonlight Graham

January 20th, 2019 at 4:08 PM ^

Go through this every Championship Sunday, and my top pick rarely ends up being the Super Bowl match-up. 

Most desired Super Bowl, ranked: 

1. Chiefs-Rams: Love Tom Brady but just don't need the Patriots in there again. I like the idea of two new-blood QB's. You don't see that in Super Bowls that often. Marino-Montana, Joe was already a bit of a veteran. Same thing with Rothlisberger-Rodgers in 2010. Can't think of one where BOTH QB's were such young all-pro's. Plus that regular-season game was epic. 

(tie) 2. Patriots-Saints: On the other hand, I don't think there's been a matchup like this either. For Elway-Favre in '99, for example, Favre still went on to play quite a few more years. Brady-Brees would also have everyone talking about legendary Big Ten quarterbacks for a couple weeks. 

(tie) 2. Chiefs-Saints: On paper, the two best teams and probably the best matchup, dream QB head-to-head aside. 

4. Patriots-Rams: See above re: Brady and Patriots, and this would be a rematch, and so was last year's game. 

So I'm probably going to be happy with 3 out of 4 of these possibilities. 

Nervous Bird

January 20th, 2019 at 4:09 PM ^

I'm rooting for the Rams. I'd like to see all new blood in the Super Bowl this year with a Rams/Chiefs match up. 

The evolution of the Rams is quite fascinating. A team that used to be staunch defensively, and run-heavy on offense, has morphed into a team that is explosive on offense but can't stop anyone on defense. And, all of this has happened with virtually the same, or better (defensively) personnel, and a borderline Hall of Fame defensive coordinator (Wade Phillips).

The same has happened to the Patriots. Early in their dynastic run (2001-5), they relied on a good running game, and short passing offensively, while having a dominant defense. The better the passing attack got, the worse the defense got. Same with Nick Saban's Alabama team. They won National Titles with Heisman caliber running backs (Ingram, Henry), less than stellar quarterbacks, and all-time great defenses. The Rams, Patriots, and Tide won boring, low scoring games. Once they started throwing the ball all around the field, they got exciting, but the defenses became a weak point. 

My theory is that defenses naturally lose their focus to dominate when they know their offense can score 'at will'. It's a Catch-22. You either play ball control boring offense and staunch defense, or you open up the offense and hope that you can get some stops. 

For today's game, I think the Rams better run the ball, and tell Donald, Suh, Talib, and Peters to play to their reputations. Slow the game down, ugly it up, and revert to 2016. The Rams will not beat Brees in his house trying to shoot it out. It's a win ugly day. 

Hotel Putingrad

January 20th, 2019 at 4:13 PM ^

Growing up, my favorite non-Lions team was the Rams. I loved Flipper, Henry Ellard and Jim "don't call me Chrissy" Everett. I still have an oversized Rams mug from when I was eight.

I would love to see Suh win a Super Bowl.

However, I hate the white trim unis. Even though they're "original," I prefer the blue and yellow like they wore last weekend.

I think the white is bad juju. I expect the Saints to win.

 

ToledoWolverine

January 20th, 2019 at 4:19 PM ^

Just took the Pats and the points at the casino in Tahoe. ToledoWolverine Jr. in the championship game tomorrow. 2 shutouts and 3 wins in the round robin. The one goal he gave up was a PP goal. Not that I’m bragging.

Nervous Bird

January 20th, 2019 at 4:33 PM ^

I know CJ Anderson has played well since Gurley's late season injury (and rough start to this game), but Gurley is arguably the best back in football, and the Rams will need him in this game. Starting in the 2nd half, Coach McVay needs to dial up Gurley's best run plays and ride him to victory. The Rams got back into this game with their two-minute offense, now they need to impose their superior offensive and defensive physicality to win the game. 

ak47

January 20th, 2019 at 5:05 PM ^

Sean Payton is an asshole who somehow escaped a scandal of paying players to injure guys and the saints are pretty much OSU in the nfl. No thanks on that.

Sleepy

January 21st, 2019 at 8:19 AM ^

10,000% agree.  I don't understand why this isn't brought up more--in a league where (at the time) punching a chick in the face on camera got you a two game suspension, Payton managed to be a big enough piece of shit to get suspended for an entire season.  As a coach.

Seriously, fuck that guy.

ak47

January 20th, 2019 at 5:09 PM ^

Also both these teams have great running backs that they utilized a ton and still have fun open offenses. Weird you can do both