NFL Conference Championship Predictions

Arizona 31 Philadelphia 27

I am about to break the two biggest rules of NFL game playoff picking. Don't pick against a team that beat the other team in the regular season, especially when said team destroyed the other in that game and the game was less than 2 months ago. The 2nd rule is not to pick the Cardinals. I'm breaking both. Brian Westbrook doesn't look quite right and with him goes the team. He goes down, so does the rest of the team. The Cardinals may have lost to the Eagles on the road earlier this season, but they were a completely different team for most of the season at home, where this game is being played. I'm chalking that Thanksgiving game up to being a fluke. The Cardinals are clicking at all the right moments right now. The Eagles just look like they are. All they have really done is barely beat Tavaris Jackson and then they had the Giants hand the game to them last week. They haven't looked as good as the Cardinals, who knocked out Matt Ryan and then stole the game and the ball from Jake Delhomme and the Panthers last week.

Pittsburgh 20 Baltimore 13

While Pittsburgh has no commanding victories over Baltimore this season and while historically the team who has lost the first 2 matchups have the advantage in the 3rd, I'm still taking them. Ben Roethlisbergr I trust to lead a team down field and score late, which is likely what will be necessary for someone to win this game. I do not trust Joe Flacco to do that. Baltimore also hasn't had a bye week since week 2. They are getting tired right now. This is a veteran team. A veteran team, playing this long without a rest, with a rookie quarterback, is probably not going to beat someone as complete as the Steelers. I pick the Steelers in a close one.