Championship Sunday picks

Last week: 2-2
Season record: 87-41-1

This is the time of year that excites and depresses football fans.  I mean, it's the best time of the football season, but the tradeoff of having great games to watch is that there are fewer games every weekend in January.  The wild card round, six games over three days.  Divisional round, four games over two days.  Championship round, two games in one day.  Next weekend, the "bye" week before the Super Bowl will feature the new Pro Bowl Games, featuring the Manning brothers.  If you are old like me, it'll remind you of that great 70's show, The Superstars...where athletes from all sports competed in obstacle courses and other fun games.  I'm all about it, because you know it's gonna be hilarious.  But then of course, the Super Bowl is the main attraction, but it's the last 60 minutes of football until September.  Oh, and I have zero interest in the USFL or any spring/summer football.  Come on, man.  Anyway, here are the picks!

San Francisco at Philadelphia--These two teams are absolutely the best in the NFC, so this is a matchup as it should be.  The Niners I believe have won 12 straight games, but they have not played a game team like the Eagles.  Both teams have stingy defenses, and explosive offenses.  But here is where we have a problem--Brock Purdy has been mostly steady and has been a very effective game manager.  But when pressured, he can turn into the bad version of Kirk Cousins.  And not only will he be pressured relentlessly, but the Philly home crowd will also intimidate the shit out of this kid.  I really, really despise the Eagles, but they might be the most talented team in the NFL and it would not shock me if this game was a blowout.  Eagles 30, Niners 17

Cincinnati at Kansas City--Okay I'm still blown away by how dominant the Bengals were in snowy Buffalo last weekend.  We were all gearing up for that Buffalo/KC matchup in Atlanta, but the Bengals were having none of that.  Joe Burrow is a cool assassin the way another Joe (Montana) was back in the day.  Somehow the Bengals' offensive line went from almost getting Burrow killed last year to giving him time to make a sandwich in the pocket last Sunday.  Meanwhile, how effective will Patrick Mahomes be after suffering a high ankle sprain last Saturday against the Jags?  No one knows, and there is far more to the Chiefs than Mahomes, but I don't see this Bengals' team being denied a return trip to the Super Bowl.  Bengals 34, Chiefs 31

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