2011-12 Picks - NFL - NFC & AFC Championship Picks

It's proving time. 

Whether you're the #1 ranked defense or #31; Whether you can put up 40 points in a game or not; you better bring your "A" game. Today's games are for a trip to Indianapolis. 

Make it count.

Saturday, January 22 
Baltimore @ New England | 2:00 pm CT 

We're here again. Tom Brady is one win away from playing in his 5th Superbowl. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed will have their say before it's all said and done. Whether it'll be more of a whisper than a lion's roar, well that's yet to be seen. I'm not saying it'll be a blowout, but I fully expect the Patriots to come out guns blazing. Gronk, Welker, Branch, etc...(And I had a vision that Ochocinco makes a big catch--prop bet?)

Note: How much do you think journalists actually influence the psyche of athletes before game day? Whether it's quite a lot or not at all, Skip Bayless likely motivated Terrell Suggs when he interviewed him on ESPN 1st Take.

My Pick: New England Patriots

New York @ San Francisco | 5:30 pm CT 
When I think of Mark Jackson, the former ESPN analyst/commentator turned Golden State Warriors head coach, I always think of his tag line, "mama there goes that man". When I see Eli Manning in a meaningful game, "mama there goes that man", comes to mind.

The guy always comes up big--he just does.

I can't say that I'm still not "sold" on the 49ers after last week, but I've never truly put any confidence in picking them to win anything this year. That said, "mama here comes that man".

My Pick: New York Giants


Thanks for reading!