The Patriots host the Ravens on Sunday with the winner headed to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
Championship Sunday: Picks And Predictions From SB Nation Bloggers


FOXBORO MA - OCTOBER 17: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots gains yards as he is chased by Haruki Nakamura #43 of the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on October 17 2010 in Foxboro Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) Getty ImagesThe Patriots and Ravens will meet in Foxborough for Sunday’s first game at 3:00 p.m. (ET). The game will be aired on CBS. Following that we’ll have the 49ers hosting the Giants, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (ET) on FOX. For those of you already planning a trip to Indianapolis, here’s the 2012 Super Bowl schedule.
In the early game, the oddsmakers have the Patriots as favorites over the Ravens, as high as nine points in some places. Prior to last week, the Patriots hadn’t won a playoff game in four years and they last played Baltimore in the postseason two years ago, a game in which the Ravens embarrassed them, 33-14, on their own home field. Despite their recent postseason history, there are plenty of reasons to pick the Patriots and that’s the direction most people seem to be going.
Read Article >Ravens Vs. Patriots, AFC Championship 2012: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms To Call Title Game
For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to the 2012 AFC Championship, visit Ravens blog Baltimore Beat Down, Patriots blog Pats Pulpit and SB Nation Boston. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.
Read Article >NFL Playoff Schedule For Sunday: AFC, NFC Championship On Tap


Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants warms up prior to the NFC playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. The Giants play in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 22, 2012. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Getty ImagesRavens Vs. Patriots, AFC Championship 2012: Game Time, TV Schedule And More
Date & Time: Sunday, January 22nd, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Read Article >Ravens Vs. Patriots, AFC Championship 2012: New England Favored By CBS Experts
For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to the 2012 AFC Championship, visit Ravens blog Baltimore Beat Down, Patriots blog Pats Pulpit and SB Nation Boston. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.
Read Article >Tom Brady’s Injury Not Expected To Keep Him Out Of Thursday’s Practice
The Boston Herald asked Brady about missing Wednesday’s practice and he said, “It’s not the first practice I’ve missed.”
The Patriots are favored over the Ravens in New England which is a good sign that the oddsmakers aren’t concerned about Brady’s injury.
Read Article >Ed Reed Injury: Ravens Safety Limited In Practice But Expected To Play
So far, Reed is the only injured Raven. He was limited in Wednesday’s practice with the ankle injury and he was also the only player to appear on Wednesday’s injury report. The Ravens shouldn’t have any injury concerns heading into Sunday’s game.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick thinks very, very highly of Ed Reed and praised him on Wednesday. Unfortunately for Belichick and the Patriots offense, It sounds like Reed will be out there.
Read Article >Bill O’Brien On Penn State, The AFC Championship And Replacing Joe Paterno
Via Sports Radio Interviews, here’s O’Brien with Atlanta’s 790 the Zone:
How exciting it is to be Penn State’s head coach and New England’s offensive coordinator:
Read Article >AFC Championship Game, Ravens Vs. Patriots: Vince Wilfork ‘Good Won’t Get The Job Done’
For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to the 2012 AFC Championship, visit Ravens blog Baltimore Beat Down, Patriots blog Pats Pulpit and SB Nation Boston. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.
Read Article >2012 AFC Championship Game: Patriots’ Offense Vs. Ravens’ Defense

Getty ImagesWith the advent of new rules that protect quarterbacks and defenseless receivers over the middle, 2011 was shaping up to be the season where old football adages came to die. Running the ball, playing good defense, and controlling the time of possession were always what it supposedly took to win. This season, the 15-1 Packers, 13-3 Saints, and 13-3 Patriots thumbed their nose at those adages.
Think back to the first game of the 2011 season, Saints at Packers on Thursday night. Defense was nonexistent. Both teams combined for 76 points and 876 yards of offense. Nearly 900 yards of offense, points aplenty, and superstar quarterbacks showing off their multimillion dollar arms.
Read Article >Who’s Going To Super Bowl XLVI? Early Predictions For NFC, AFC Championship Games

Getty ImagesThe San Francisco 49ers beat the Saints on Saturday and the New York Giants were able to beat the one-loss Packers on Sunday. The NFC Championship game will take place next weekend in San Francisco between the 49ers and Giants.
Both games will be played on Sunday afternoon and the winners will advance to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. But who will those two teams be? We have our early predictions on the AFC and NFC Championship games.
Read Article >AFC Championship Game: Ravens’ Joe Flacco Wants To Rectify Road Woes Vs. Patriots

Getty ImagesFlacco righted the ship against the Texans, to an extent, throwing for 176 yards and two touchdown passes, but that came in front of a friendly Baltimore crowd. Traveling to Gillette Stadium will be a different sort of test, though it will bring with it a chance to throw against a terrible Patriots defense.
For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to the 2012 AFC Championship, visit Ravens blog Baltimore Beat Down, Patriots blog Pats Pulpit and SB Nation Boston. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.
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