Super Bowl Sunday

We are just an hour away from the biggest sporting event in North America: Super Bowl 47. Although I am upset that my New England Patriots fell short of making it back to the big game, I can't help but be excited about this matchup. Who could write a better script, a battle between two brothers each coaching in their first ever Super Bowl, both know for their defense. Defense, however, has not been the reason these two teams have made it all the way to New Orleans. It has been the impressive play of two young quarterbacks that has led each to one victory after another on their playoff runs. Joe Flacco has been in the league for only five years, but he has led the Ravens into the playoffs each year. This years playoffs have been different, however, as he has thrown for eight touchdowns compared to zero interceptions. Unlike past seasons, Flacco is protecting the ball a little better and throwing it down field with an increased confidence. 

On the other side we see a man who has only made ten career starts to this point, and in the process has taken the league by storm. Colin Kaepernick took over the 49ers starting job late in the season, and with it changed the way some offensive coordinators may look at their own play books. The pistol offense is now the main formation that San Francisco runs, and it has been surprisingly affective. Kaepernick started off the playoffs by tearing apart the Green Bay Packers defense, then went to Atlanta and led his team to an impressive comeback win on the road. 

Now although the quarterback matchup is an interesting one, the most intriguing part of this years Super Bowl is presence of Ray Lewis. He is, as many know, planning on retiring after the game and if he is to end his career on top it may be one of the more inspiring runs by a single player in recent history. After tearing his tricep many thought that he was out for the season, but he returned for his final home game in the wild card matchup with the Colts, and has since rejuvenated a veteran defense. He leads all players in both tackles and inspirational speeches this postseason, and he hopes to hold that Lombardi trophy when it is all said and done at the end of the night. 

NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

As the final seconds of the Houston Texans season ticked away, so did the final seconds of a wild Divisional round in the NFL playoffs. What started Saturday afternoon in Denver ended tonight in Foxboro as both the AFC and NFC championship games are now set, and just like last year the Harbaugh brothers are included. 

John Harbaugh took the field Saturday looking to keep Ray Lewis' career alive with a win at Mile High, but he did not know that it would take two overtimes to do it. Less than two minutes into the second overtime period Justin Tucker did what Billy Cundiff could not do for the Ravens last year, and hit a field goal. Tucker's 47 yard field goal sent the Ravens back to the AFC title game, and gave their leader Ray Lewis another shot at making it to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile in the Bay Area Johns brother Jim was attempting to stop Aaron Rodgers and he Green Bay Packers, and thanks to Colin Kaepernick they did. The 49ers set all sorts of playoff records Saturday night en route to a 45--31 victory over the Pack. 

The action continued this afternoon when Matt Ryan got his first playoff win by holding off the Seattle Seahawks. Ryan and the Falcons got out to a 20-0 lead at the half, and led 27-7 before the Seahawks came back to take the lead late in the fourth. Down 28-27 with 31 seconds and two timeouts, Ryan made back to back clutch completions to wide receiver Harry Douglas and tight end Tony Gonzalez to set up Matt Bryant for a game winning 49 yard field goal. The weekend wrapped up with a Texans Patriots rematch at Foxboro where the Patriots took it to Houston putting up 41 points in a home victory. 

This sets up a rematch of the AFC title game last year when Billy Cundiff (mentioned before) crushed many Ravens fans by missing a game tying field goal late. It's hard not to root for the Baltimore Ravens at this point as Ray Lewis has already announced that he will retire after this season, so everyone wants to see the future hall of famer end his career on top. However, I don't share this same feeling as a Patriots fan, nor do fans of the 49ers or the Falcons. Now I love Ray Lewis as much as the next football fan don't get me wrong, but at the end of the day I'm a Patriots fan, and I want another Super Bowl. 

No matter what I will be enjoying the championship games next Sunday, as should everybody else with a trip to New Orleans on the line.