“RON’S AFC & NFC CHAMPIONSHIP PICKS”

I love this time of year. There’s nothing like waiting seven days and anxiously waiting on who will be playing in Super Bowl XLIV. You think the NCAA FINAL FOUR is amazing, it’s nothing like the NFL FINAL FOUR teams getting ready to sacrifice their bodies for themselves and all of the fans to win the biggest prize in the league. This weekend is going to be great but I’m telling you right now, the Saints and the Vikings will be the toughest pick I’ve made all season. Here are my picks and get ready for one of the best Sundays of the year.

PEYTON MANNING and the COLTS will beat those COCKY JETS!!!!!

I’ve seen Rex Ryan week after week talking trash in press conferences and pregames and confident that his Jets will win. Rex even had the nerve to set a schedule to Miami, not to mention a family trip with his dad, Buddy Ryan, and his brother, Rob Ryan, the defensive coordinator of the Browns. I have to give them credit for beating the red-hot Chargers last week, I didn’t see that coming. Now they are about to deal with a different beast, FOUR-TIME MVP Peyton Manning. If anyone can shut the Jets up it’s one of the best quaterbacks of all-time. All the Jets do is run the ball (1st in the league in rushing yards), play great defense (1st in total defense and points allowed per game), and have a decent QB Mark Sanchez. I remember the Colts playing a team just like that last week. The Colts beat the Ravens and shut down the most important member of their offense, Ray Rice. I don’t care if they are 24th against the run, they allowed Ray to rush for 67 yards on 13 carries. The Indy D allowed only three points against the Ravens last week, the least amount of points allowed in franchise history since 1971 against the Browns.

If I were the Colts, I would be very nervous about Darrelle Revis. He shuts down the best receivers of the game, like Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, Vincent Jackson, just to name a few. He helped the Jets allow only eight TD passes this season, that’s way too impressive to me. Don’t expect Reggie Wayne to have an explosive day, but I bet you Peyton Manning will find many other weapons to throw. I am concerned how many pass attempts Peyton will have thanks to Joseph Addai. Peyton Manning completed 30 of 44 passes, thrown for 246 passing yards and two touchdowns. Joseph ran the ball 16 times for 25 rushing yards, that will not get it done against those boys in green and white.

I’m confident that the Colts will find a way to shut down the Jets running attack. Shonn Greene has been a problem for opposing teams this postseason. While Thomas Jones has had some issues with his knee, Shonn has ran for 420 rushing yards and two touchdowns. I will never forget how he disrespect LaDainian Tomlinson after he ran a 53-yard TD run against the Chargers and did an LT pose in the end zone. That’s okay I believe the Colts will have something for him on Sunday.

I think the game will be close if the Jets put enough pressure on Peyton Manning, but if the Colts D shut down the Jets running game and put the game in Mark Sanchez’s hands forget it. I’m taking the Colts all day over the Jets.

What a tough pick but I’M GOING WITH THE SAINTS!!!!

I can’t wait to see a great QB matchup between Drew Brees and Brett Favre. I didn’t understand why everyone was so critical of the Saints three-game losing streak before the postseason started. Did you see Drew Brees throw three touchdowns and help lead the Saints to 45 points last week. The Saints scored more than 30 points in 10 out of the team’s 17 games this season. Drew led the league with 34 touchdown passes this season and believe me, this offense will not slow down this weekend. The Vikings secondary isn’t very good and Drew will have a field day ripping them to shreads.

I’m happy to see Brett Favre back in the NFC Championship for the first time since throwing an interception to Giants defensive back Corey Webster that led to a Giants win over the Packers in the 2007 NFC Championship game. Brett is the baddest 40-year old athlete I’ve ever seen. He completed four touchdown passes in a game for the first time in his career against the Cowboys last week, three of those touchdowns went to Sidney Rice. Brett threw for 33 TD and only seven interceptions in the regular season, not to mention he completed over 68 percent of his passes. Favre is 14-1 in domes in the last three seasons and 3-1 in the Superdome, he won his only Super Bowl 13 years ago at the Superdome.

If anyone needs to wake up and play some football it’s Adrian Peterson. Whatever happened to Adrian being the best running back in the country. Favre needs Adrian to punch it inside and run over people like he always do. He ran for over 100 rushing yards three times this season and hasn’t ran for a 100 yards or more in the last eight games. I know Favre has this offense under control but can we please see the Adrian Peterson that I know. He should take a page out of Reggie Bush’s playbook and just go after people. I was so proud to see him finally dominate like he did in the good old days. He humiliated the Cardinals D with an amazing 46 yard TD run and electrified the crowd with an 83 yard punt return for a TD to put away the Cardinals. If he plays that well against the Vikings watch out, even though I don’t see that happening.

I would love to see a Favre and Manning in the Super Bowl but the Saints have never been in the Super Bowl. I think banged up Vikings defensive linemen Ray Edwards and Kevin Williams, with knee problems, and Percy Harvin with migraines will be a tough for Favre to overcome. The Saints will use the crowd to it’s advantage and will take care of the Vikings.

By Ronald Carthen