NFL 2009 Conference Championship Picks

The Super Bowl kinda stinks.

To be clear, I’m talking about the game itself. Everything else – deciding whose SB party you’re going to go to before settling on staying in, the increasingly-disappointing commercials, wondering if it’s possible for the NFL to find an even older musical act for the halftime show (who’s next? Tony Bennett?) – is more interesting than the actual contest.

By the time the actual Super Bowl rolls around, we get a bunch of guys who haven’t played in two weeks and are nervous as hell because they’re playing in the biggest game of their lives. (Do you think it’s a coincidence that recent Super Bowls haven’t been worth a damn until the fourth quarter?)

Of course, this isn’t exactly an original thought. However, it IS the reason why I’m infinitely more excited about this weekend’s conference championship games.

I did well with my divisional round picks (3-1 week, 5-3 playoffs), but I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen in these conference title games.

N.Y. JETS @ INDIANAPOLIS
If you’ve read this picks column before, you know this is the matchup I’ve been waiting for ever since Colts coach Jim Caldwell (pictured, right) — likely under orders from team president Bill Polian — decided to pull his starters from a game against a Jets team that was desperately clawing to reach the playoffs.

I don’t even care that they threw away a chance to go 19-0 (though that would’ve been cool). Ever since that game, I’ve been obsessed with the Jets and Colts meeting in the playoffs and New York making the Colts pay for printing them a ticket to the playoffs. I believe that’s what will happen. It HAS to happen.

MINNESOTA @ NEW ORLEANS
Both teams looked absolutely excellent in blowout victories last week. This SHOULD be a great matchup, though with all the blowouts during these playoffs, who knows? I’m going with the Saints because I love their homefield advantage (and the Vikings have struggled a bit on the road) and because, while I can envision both Drew Brees and Brett Favre throwing for four TDs, I can only envision Favre throwing four INTs.