Championship Weekend 2013

San Francisco 49ers (14-3) @ Atlanta Falcons (14-3)

Yes, Atlanta was dangerously close to blowing a home game against a #5 seed while San Francisco just blew out the recent Super Bowl champions so most of the one-week-memory media are calling it for San Francisco. It's possible, though, that QB Matt Ryan and his slew of incredible weapons learned an important lesson on closing out. The press has been frothing that the Falcons lack a 'killer instinct'. Well how do you sharpen that killer instinct? Through scary experiences and leads lost in games just like their recent bout with Seattle, that's how.

This game is the best chance the read-option will ever have to go do the Super Bowl, the famous college football scheme is likely to be wide-spread in 2013 but defenses will catch up and it will pass. We all know this. Even San Francisco knows it. Ryan is tasked with defending the traditional style of  a dropback passer from the big stage, and WR Roddy White, WR Julio Jones and the feel-good run of surefire Hall-Of-Famer TE Tony Gonzalez, will give them a good shot. Especially in the Georgia Dome.

KEYS FOR SF: The defense in San Francisco has been so quietly elite that it can be surprising watching them on film. They are fast, big and strong at all levels. It is not a special scheme, it is not a brilliant master plan, it's just speed, strength and tackling. They tackle better than anyone in the league at all 3 levels and this will be their key.

KEYS FOR ATL: Atlanta's defense has been invisible to the media and average fan but perception counts for very little once the game starts. Still, it has to concern Atlanta fans that nobody is really talking, good or bad, about the Falcons D. The peg was set so low by Green Bay's over-rated D but avoiding another monster performance from Kaepernick is key, can the Falcons defense contain him?

Baltimore Ravens (13-4) @ New England Patriots (14-3)

It would be easy to copy and paste last year's summary of this exact same match-up in the AFC Championship but it wouldn't be accurate. Yes, QB Joe Flacco is still perceived (rightfully so, obviously) as a peg below QB Tom Brady and it's pointed out that Brady still doesn't have an elite RB like Ray Rice. Yet there's a different feel to the game. This time, it's the Ravens who are the hot team. They've taken an upstart underdog role rather than the year-to-year mid-level contenders they truly are. Momentum, a lot of media types and coaches hate the word, but nobody can deny the Ravens are playing with a swagger, a nothing-to-lose #6 seed going into New England, high off their conquest in Denver.

When they arrive, they will see the billboard counting down the days to LB Ray Lewis' retirement party. One week after double overtime, is there juice left in the Ravens? The important thing to keep in mind is that this is no shoo-in for New England like we thought Baltimore was for Denver, That's because of one word: Flacco. I believe I said this last AFC Championship too, but Joe Flacco needs to make himself a star in this game.

KEYS FOR BAL: I mentioned Joe Flacco, but his important work will be made much easier and comfortable if the Baltimore O-line can control the line of scrimmage. A healthy, dominating Baltimore O-line (which has surprisingly underachieved thus far) can dull the impact of Patriots DT Vince Wilfork, it can spring Ray Rice a few times, and most importantly, it can keep that more-myth-than-bite Baltimore D out of those ruthless no-huddle Brady drives.

KEYS FOR NE: Tom Brady's performance in last year's matchup was not legendary. He famously declared he "sucked" in the AFC Championship celebration that followed. New England was an incredibly makeable kick away from being defeated last year, and they know it. The running game for the Patriots, the defense, are improved. It will disappoint the fantasy football players but there's not as much need to go to the Aerial Brady Show, balance will improve the Patriots' chances of domination.