Picking With Heart
By Two very, very interesting games this week, both of which would be pick ’ems on a neutral field. So I’m even more likely to be wrong than usual, but:
In the AFC, while granting the folly of picking the Broncos at home (not to mention picking Cowher in a championship game) I’m going to pick the Steelers to upset. We know the Steelers can win on a tough home field, and just as atrocious officiating made the score of their demolition of the Colts a closer score than the game really was without the awful pass interference call I wonder if the Broncos beat the Patriots. Essentially, given the defenses I think the running games will be a wash–both are excellent rushing offenses going up against killer pass rush defenses–and I’ll definitely take Roethlisberger over Plummer. My gut says Steelers.
In the NFC, it should be noted that the Seahawks are the closest I have to a strong NFL rooting interest; on the other hand, having watched the Seahawks regularly for a couple decades makes it even harder to envision them in the Super Bowl. The thought of Smith against their soft secondary is pretty scary. But, still, I look at it this way: Seattle has a far deeper offense, so it comes down to whether Carolina’s defense is the one that shut down the Giants or the ones that allowed 3 TDs against the offensively feeble Bears. And I say that 1)the Panthers were able to shut down Barber by flooding the line and daring Manning to make a play. Since Hasselbeck is the best QB in the conference rather than one of the worst, that won’t work; and 2)Peppers is playing hurt. In addition, the Seahawks can generate an excellent pass rush without blitzing, crucial for containing Smith at least a little. I’m not terribly worried about Alexander’s injury. I can’t believe I’m typing this, but…the Seahawks will be in the Super Bowl.