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AFC/NFC Conference Championships Open Thread

Time is ticking down on the NFL season as we have reached the final four of the NFL playoffs.  If you missed it on Friday, check out Josh Branco's preview of both games.  Also, if you missed (or chose to skip) Bill Simmons' Friday column, he made a good point about the potential Super Bowl matchups.  As much as I don't want to see the Vikings and Jets in the Super Bowl, any of the four possible Super Bowl matchups would be intriguing football matchups with a whole lot of storylines.  I'm rooting for Saints-Colts (it'd be the first 1 vs. 1 SB since 1993), but I can live with the Jets or Vikings being involved.  I'll just avoid the hype leading up to it (meaning watching nothing anywhere I'd imagine).

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New York Jets (9-7) at Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
12:00 PM PST, CBS
Jets coverage: Gang Green Nation
Colts coverage: Stampede Blue

The Colts are currently 8.5 point favorites, but given the work of the Jets over the last two weeks, the spread could easily prove meaningless.  The Chargers were 8 point favorites and absolutely stunk up the joint, while the Jets continued their solid play with a second straight upset.  As much as Rex Ryan annoys me, I have to give him credit.  No team should require additional motivation for the playoffs, but I'm convinced he's got them believing they could beat the 1984 San Francisco 49ers (those 49ers would whup them of course).  The Colts are no doormat of course, so we'll see if motivation is enough to spring a third straight upset.

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Minnesota Vikings (12-4) at New Orleans Saints (13-3)
10:00 AM PST, FOX
Vikings coverage: Daily Norseman
Saints coverage: Canal Street Chronicles

Although upsets can be fun, sometimes there's nothing quite so nice as a tradition 1 vs. 2 matchup.  Although the NFC had several talented teams in 2009, these two stood as the cream of the crop for most of the season.  The Saints sit as 4 point favorites, so the bookies obviously prefer them, but clearly aren't blown away.  It will be quite interesting to see how the Vikings stout defense handles the Saints high octane offense.  Of course, the Vikings can also put points on the board, so this could very well end up a shootout, which would seem to favor the Saints.  I don't know if he who shall not be named can keep up with Drew Brees in a track meet.