NFL Conference Championship Week
npocs coverage of the NFC and AFC Title games continues throughout the week
Lets start off with a playoff trend
NO dome team has EVER gone OUTDOORS in the playoffs and won a Super Bowl
The Rams are the only dome team to ever win a superbowl and that is because they themselves homefield throughout and the superbowl was in a dome
So why do teams want to play in domes, they will NEVER EVER win a Super Bowl
The Falcons, Colts, Lions and Saints will never win a Super Bowl and people do not seem to realize that by continuing to fund these domes they are handicapping their teams

So for there are two seperate machines at work in the Eagles/Falcons game
I want to say that the Eagles will lose their fourth consecutive NFC Championship but I like to look at trends that do not happen
Such as a black quarterback or black coach winning the Super Bowl
Herm Edwards and Tony Dungy were promptly done away with as was Daunte Culpepper but now one Black qb has to go to the Super Bowl and that is by default

The Eagles have the disadvantage because they are home and they know how to choke there but the Falcons are at a disadvantage as well because remember no DOME TEAM has ever gone outdoors to make it to a SuperBowl

I do recall Michael Vick single handily taking apart Green Bay at Lambeu field but for some reason I am watching Mike Vick wearing a Philadelphia hat in an interview about the game

I am going to lay away from this game now, it is VERY close to call at Atlanta +5

AFC Title Game
Heyinz Filled
Ben's thumb, Ben's glove, the heyinz filled turf, Richard Seymours health, Bellichecks gameplan, Tom Bradys record against defenses the second time, Ben's record against defenses the second time and the toes of Jeff Reed and Adam Vinitieri are all intangibles that can change this game
I am shocked that the Stillers are an underdog at home despite winning 15 games in a row, not losing at home since November of 2003, Ben has NEVER lost an NFL game and has not lost a game period since early September of 2003, during that winning streak Ben and the Stillers actually man handled the Patriots at home
I really honestly think that Bill Cowher has got his postseason hiccup out of the way in the jets game, the usualy dominating AFC Divisional game followed by the AFC Title let down just will not happen this season
They are the underdog at home and Bill Cowhers terrible in this situation, almost as bad as Andy Reid but Cowher has actually won here before
You can not go against the Stillers until they lose, after playing their worst game of the season they still manage to win, after seeing Doug Brien miss that second kick I was convinced that nothing can beat the Stillers now
I predicted the Stillers for the Superbowl over the Eagles in the preseason and everyone called me a homer, there I was in the PIT prior to WVU's first game and I guaranteed that superbowl matchup
I will not make my predictions until later in the week but currently the public is mixed, but that wont last too long, they will pick a side then of course lose, but I will keep all the npocaholics up to date with the publics betting trends

By the way Sean Salisbury and Stuart Scott just went through an entire segment on ESPN comparing Adam Vinatieri and Josh Reed yes Josh and not Jeff, they continued to say it, but I will begin my breakdown there
Adam Vinitieri vs Jeff Read
Patriots Kicker vs Stillers Kicker
The most clutch fieldgoal kicker of our time, he has kicked in the snow, in the wind, in the rain, in the Super Bowl, game winning, game tieing, forcing overtime, 50 yarders, bad angles, bad wind he has made them all...well except in Heyinz Filled
Opposing kickers are TERRIBLE in Heyinz Filled, it really depends how much practice Vinatieri gets in there especially a game that the oddsmakers have labeled as a three point game and they aint usually wrong so this game WILL probably come down to a fieldgoal
On the other hand there is Jeff Reed, he has made 19 in a row, game winners and game tieing fieldgoals, he owns that open endzone in Heyinz filled
I do not care what Vinatieri did last season look at Reed this season
Brien nailed some 40+ yarders to win against San Diego then he turned to poop in Heyinz Filled, expect the same from Vinatier
Advantage: Picksburg

The Conference Championship Games coverage continues throughout the week, check back daily

-n