Championship Weekend 2014

New England Patriots (13-4) @ Denver Broncos (14-3)

The Chargers were still walking dejectedly off the field in the background and there was already a reporter with a microphone to QB Peyton Manning's face asking about the significance of his rivalry with QB Tom Brady. The look at Peyton's face was priceless, but he rattled off the boilerplate "well, it's not Peyton vs- Tom it's Broncos -vs Patriots" answer. True, but he knows, this is big.

It is true that this is a Patriots -vs Broncos game. These Patriots are not the seasoned champions generally associated with the Manning/Brady rivalry. In fact, there are no Patriots on the active roster that have a Patriot Super Bowl ring besides Brady. The Broncos, clearly, are an entirely different team to this rivalry than the usual Colts. Truly, the other 88 players are playing just a normal AFC Championship between #1 and #2 in the AFC.

But doesn't that just make the rivalry all the more interesting? Here are in-arguably two of the top five QBs in NFL history meeting a full 10 years after the Colts/Patriots 2003 AFC Championship. Since then, they have combined for 3 Super Bowl wins, 3 Super Bowl losses, 7 MVP awards, and have traded the passing touchdown record from Manning's 48 TDs in 2004, to Brady's 50 in 2007, to Manning's 55 this season. Everything around them has built up, fallen down and rebuilt but here they are, yet again, with two entirely different rosters competing at the very top of the AFC and a chance to solidify themselves as the best QB in NFL History.

I know some will bristle at that, maybe muttering 'Joe Montana', 'Terry Bradshaw' or 'Brett Favre' under their breath right about now. Really though, this is a chance at best QB in NFL history for both of them. A Super Bowl victory by Brady or Manning would make overwhelming cases. It would give Brady 4 championships, two other appearances, and much better stat-lines and longevity than the other 4-time champs (Montana and Bradshaw). For Manning, a 2nd championship with another team would sit impressively beside the 5 MVP awards. This game will provide one with that shot.

The game is about the two quarterbacks, it just is, whether you like it or not. These are guys who get teams to the Super Bowl. And there is only one thing that is clear between  the Broncos or Patriots., Neither team is going  to the Super Bowl without a big performance from their Hall-Of-Fame Quarterback.

KEYS FOR NE: After all the hyperbole I just wrote about legendary quarterbacks it's hilarious to come back to keys of the game and talk about the running backs. It's true though. I don't know if it will be RB LaGarette Blount, or if the Patriots will unleash another weapon in typical Patriot fashion. If there was a game for DE Chandler Jones to emerge this would be it. Nobody is going to cover all those receivers for very long and a pass rush is the formula to victory.

KEYS FOR DEN: In their previous OT loss in New England, the Broncos offense was about as hindered as it had been all season. In the bitter cold, they relied on turnovers and RB Knowshon Moreno to an early lead and collapse late to lose in OT. This game will need to involve WR Demaryius Thomas, WR Wes Welker and TE Julius Thomas much more. The Broncos main advantage will be in these players in the skill positions on the outside.

San Francisco 49ers (14-4) @ Seattle Seahawks (14-3)

The two best teams in the NFL play two weeks before the Super Bowl. It's hard to argue with the power, strength and speed these two young teams have. In the last two years a red-hot rivalry has exploded on the west coast. These teams dislike each other intensely. They have split 2-2 in the last two seasons, each won the division once, and will now meet in the NFC Championship for a shot at the Super Bowl.

Coach Pete Carroll and Coach Jim Harbaugh do not like each other. They may respect each other, they may even admire the other's success but as Pete Carroll added after another coachspeak session about respecting your opponent "...but we are not friends". From their 'whats your deal?' Stanford and USC days, they are epic contrasts in sideline style. Harbaugh will throw his tempter tantrums at the referees throughout the entire game and Carroll will cheer, smirk, and smack his Bubblicious. It will make for good TV between plays. During the actual plays we will see two very similarly built teams.

Both teams are young, absolutely bursting with speed and talent on defense and offense, Before and throughout the season they have made convincing cases as the top two teams in the league. The reason is their overall roster depth and their under-rated skill players. Two of a dying breed, the workhorse backs, RB Frank Gore and RB Marshawn Lynch will wage war on the formidable front sevens. Two of the new age, QB Colin Kaepernick and QB Russell Wilson will look for the big game-changing plays through the air, or on the ground. The top two defenses in the league will search, stretch, scratch and pummel for a big turnover or stop.

The nature of the last four games has been knock-down, drag-out, wars in the trenches but both teams have enough firepower to open it up if they need to as well. Seattle's offense has struggled for the last month while San Francisco's has been red hot. Then again, San Francisco;s offense has been absolutely slaughtered in Seattle 16 total points in their last two trips. The lack of momentum on Seattle's side, the deafening noise jamming San Francisco's side. I'm willing to chalk these two factors to a draw.

KEYS FOR SF: QB Colin Kaepernick likely will need a quick start to take Seattle's crowd down a notch. Although he has insisted it is "not that loud" and that the team simply "didn't execute", he has been visibly rattled and thrown 4 interceptions to 1 garbage-time touchdown. The 49ers are up against their younger selves, they don't win without a big game from Kap.

KEYS FOR SEA: Fans, media, pundits alike are worried sick about the offense. It's the way we are. Fantasy football, offensive records, Madden games, they all revolve around what the offense is doing. With these kind of eyes, the 9-yard reception is worth a thousand times more than the 9-yard pass defended. CB Richard Sherman, S Earl Thomas, LB Bobby Wagner, DE Red Bryant, these are names that are just as important as running backs, quarterbacks or wide receivers. This is one of the best defenses of all time, and this is their biggest stage so far to prove it.