I thought it might be fun to open up some dialogue talking about how each of us was feeling heading into this NFC Championship Game (Did I really just type "NFC Championship Game" in a NinersNation.com article?!?).
I've been sitting here waiting for inspiration to strike me on a number of topics this week, as I usually do (good storylines/talking-points generally present themselves, I find)...but I'm not getting a whole lot. I started to think about the game and if anything stands out to me...nothing does.
Is it weird?
In past games, I've either felt a modest confidence that we should be able to handle our business (Cleveland, Washington, etc.) but that we'd need to not do a bunch of stupid things. Then there's games where I honestly felt like it was going to take our best possible game to win...that we would have a hard time, maybe we couldn't win?
I know, how dare I ever feel like we might not be able to pull off a victory, right? C'mon...some of still have ticks from when the team was so bad we'd get blown out at home (Bucs '10, Falcons '09) and it's taking longer to get there. I'd say I now have full confidence we can go up against anyone and win...but will we? Let's jump.
This game is one where I'm thinking back to last game against the Saints. We beat the freaking New Orleans Saints, who were pretty much at full strength after setting multiple records on offense this year! I had no idea how that game was going to unfold. I knew we had a chance but once you start seeing it happen is the only time you know what kind of game it is/will be.
That's sticking with me heading into this game. I'm not sure what's going to happen. This is the NFL...parity is king nowadays. Now, this team hasn't really shot themselves in the foot by way of turnovers this year, so I really don't expect to see that. But what if we have a Cleveland-esque game? What if we're kicking FG's all day again? What if Manning really IS hot right now and doesn't matter who he plays?
On the flip-side...what if we come out and dominate like the Tampa Bay game? What if we just cram it down their throats (the way we started against New Orleans...but without the whole "middle of the game lull" thing)??
I don't know what's going to happen. Most who feel this way will just say, "It's gonna be a close game." I don't even know if that's the case. It's a close matchup, is what it is. But some rise and some fall to the occaision on either team. Knowing who (other than Justin Smith, which is a given) will rise the most and who will fall the most is the reason I can't call this one.
I'm confident, anxious, nervous? Last week I had to literally take tranquilizers (prescribed to me) a few hours before the game because I was pacing around my house, checking twitter, going out of my mind in anticipation.
Probably going to be even worse this week.
So, how are you feeling about the game?