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It’s a one-game season for the teams in this weekend’s Conference Championship games. Win and you’re on your way to sunny Glendale, AZ for Super Bowl XLII on February 3. Lose and it’s the sudden beginning of a long offseason. “Our whole season is at stake and so is theirs,” says New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick in describing his AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers. The same can be said for the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.

• Both games are rematches of Week 2 meetings this season (it is the 16th time since 1970 that both championship games were rematches). But both winning coaches, Bill Belichick (Patriots) and Mike McCarthy (Packers) say that their opponents are different teams now.
• The clubs combined for an .800 regular/postseason winning percentage (56-14).
• The teams are hot, no matter what streak you look at. New England is scalding, continuing on an unbeaten season at 17-0. San Diego has won eight in a row. New York is 10-1 on the road (no road team has ever played in a championship game with that road record). Green Bay has won eight of its nine home games this year.
• In action this Sunday will be the NFL’s career leader in quarterback wins and touchdown passes (Brett Favre), the season TD-pass record-holder (Tom Brady), the season sack leader (Michael Strahan), and the running back who has led the league in rushing the past two years (LaDainian Tomlinson).

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (13-5) at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (17-0)
The players and personalities on these teams can exert their own game-changing influence on the matchup, but the bottom line to the meeting could be turnovers. San Diego led the league in takeaways (48; with a league-leading 30 interceptions), while New England had only 15 giveaways, best in the league (and only nine interceptions, third-best). That said, San Diego will face an offense seldom seen in the NFL. The Patriots set the season record this year for points (589) and touchdowns (75) and scored at least 24 points in 16 of their 17 games. Led by the 2007 NFL MVP, QB Tom Brady, New England seems capable of adjusting to anything defenses throw at it. Limit the pass (if that can be done) and they go to the run, or vice versa. Perhaps nothing illustrates this ability more than the Patriots’ Divisional Playoff game against Jacksonville. The Jags double- and sometimes triple-teamed WR Randy Moss, who set the NFL season TD-reception record (23) this year. What did Tom Brady do? He completed 26 of 28 attempts (for an NFL record 92.9 completion percentage) to eight different receivers for 262 yards – with only one pass going to Randy. The Chargers will come in to their rematch with the Patriots (they lost at New England 38-14 on September 16) somewhat limited. But that concerns Coach Belichick. RB LaDainian Tomlinson (knee), QB Phillip Rivers (knee) and TE Antonio Gates (toe) are hurting. Phillip would be replaced by veteran Billy Volek, who led San Diego to the winning score in the Divisionals. MY PICK: How can I go against the undefeated Patriots, a team I’ve been touting as the eventual Super Bowl champion since before training camp started? I can’t. I won’t.

NEW YORK GIANTS (12-6) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (14-3)
If anyone exhibits how teams can change during a season, it’s these two. Back in Week 2 (a 35-13 Green Bay win in New York), the Packers were worried about their running game, and even Brett Favre (who would become the NFL’s winningest QB ever in that game) was saying the Pack needed to be able to mix the run with the pass. The Giants? Their concern — a big one — was their defense, with new packages put in under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. By the end of the Green Bay game, the Giants had surrendered 80 points in the season’s first two games. Going into the NFC Championship, how things have changed. It took five more games for Green Bay to find its running game — in Ryan Grant, who grew up 20 miles from Giants Stadium (Ramsey, NJ). Ryan was a practice squad player/injured for the Giants for two years before Green Bay traded for him right before the season. All Ryan did since Week 8 was run for 1,130 yards and 11 TDs, including a Packers’ playoff record last Saturday with 201 rushing yards. Meanwhile, from a gritty goal-line stand against Washington in Week 3, the Giants’ defense began to take form, Spagnuolo’s shifting schemes and player rotation up front began to mesh, and New York has allowed only 18.9 points-per-game through the Divisionals since the Green Bay game. So how will this all pan out Sunday in what is expected to be sub-freezing temperatures at Lambeau Field? You have to think the running game will be a big factor. The Giants can match Ryan Grant’s production with their own RBs – Brandon Jacobs, the 6-4, 264-pound freight train who usually needs a good two or three guys to bring him down, and elusive Ahmad Bradshaw, one of the team’s two seventh-round draft picks this year. Giants QB Eli Manning — looking to become the second consecutive Manning to win a Super Bowl after brother Peyton did it last season — has a 100 passer rating in each of his last three games, along with eight TDs and one interception. He will go against one of the best corner tandems in the league in Al Harris and Charles Woodson, who excel in man-to-man. And Brett Favre, who also became the career TD leader this year — who knows what he’ll pull this week, from last-ditch shovel passes that set up scores to out-and-out bombs to the Pack’s “Big Five” alignment of five wides and an empty backfield. Brett has a strong O-line in front of him. He was sacked the third fewest times in the league (19, tie), but faces a defense that led the NFL in sacks (53) this season. MY PICK: I believe the Giants’ road win streak ends here at Lambeau. Brett Favre in the NFC Championship on the frozen tundra? Yeah, I like the Pack.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

AFC & NFC Conference Championships: Patriots vs. Chargers, Packers vs. Giants

Green Bay Packers RB Ryan Grant is feeling it. Outside of the National Football League’s rushing champion, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ryan was the most productive running back in the NFL the final nine games of the 2007 season with 929 yards. Do the math. That’s pretty productive. Especially for a team that couldn’t run the ball earlier in the season. Then came the fumbles. At the worst time, no less — to start the Packers’ postseason play against the Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay was in a 14-0 hole before Packers fans had finished their pregame brats and suddenly a 13-3 season and any hopes of Super Bowl XLII were in serious jeopardy. That was until Ryan got his hands on the ball for a third offensive possession. I spoke with Ryan during a national conference call and here are the results.

DAVID: Ryan, after the two fumbles, I watched you walking off the field and I just felt sorry for you, man. I thought, “This guy is outta here. Coach McCarthy is gonna pull him.” Of course, that never happened and the rest is, literally, history. But, how did you go from that rough start to setting a Packers’ record for yards rushing in a playoff game?

RYAN: I’ve always known the type of person I am and how the confidence in myself is always going to be there. I’ve never gotten down on it. There’s always going to be things in your life, not just football, that aren’t going to work out. You correct them and then you move forward. I feel like some people might make it in the sense where they might feel like you get down and that might play into a part. But for myself, I have the utmost confidence in myself and in my teammates and everything across the board, what we’re going to do and how we can do it. We know in these types of games there are going to be ups and downs and things might be going good and then things get bad and things might be going bad and then get better. There’s going to be ups and downs and you have to keep pushing in these type of games on this level. That’s how you have to do it. That’s being a professional.

DAVID: Has that game sunk-in yet?

RYAN: (laughs) I don’t think it has, to be honest with you. It probably won’t until after all this is said and done. Really I’m trying to focus on the next step, which is definitely the game this weekend against the Giants. I can’t really think about what happened in the past.

DAVID: You’ve been kind of thrust into the spotlight the second half of this season. What has that sudden change been like for you?

RYAN: It really hasn’t done anything personally for me in the sense of how I am. It makes me have a little less time, but really from a focus level, it really hasn’t changed anything. My focus, if anything, is more detailed, but it really hasn’t changed that much from what I’m trying to do. I keep myself grounded by knowing why I play and what I’m trying to accomplish on the field.

DAVID: Why do you play?

RYAN: I love the game. I love the ups and downs. I love the fight. I love the team aspect of it. And I love to win.

DAVID: Your recent success has been a great example of seizing an opportunity. Was there a time when you wondered if you would get that opportunity?

RYAN: I never wondered because I didn’t have control over that. I try not to let myself focus and look at things I really don’t have control over. The only thing I wanted to make sure of was that I was physically and mentally prepared for whatever came my way, whatever it may be. I had to make sure, from a work level, that I was putting in the work and felt like preparing myself. Anything else that came my way I was just going to try and take advantage of. I don’t have control over certain things. I do have control over how hard I work and stuff like that, so those are things that I was trying to make sure I had a handle on.

DAVID: You were, of course, traded from the Giants to the Packers earlier this season. And how ironic that you are playing against them in the NFC Championship game. Does it give you extra motivation playing against your old team?

RYAN: I don’t think it’s extra motivation. I think the approach I take is because I love the game and what I want to do in the game and the fact that I want to win. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to do that. It’s just a matter of what I want to do, and I know my approach and I’m going to make sure I’m prepared. And that means doing whatever it takes.

DAVID: When you’re in the huddle with Brett — or when he hands off to you or throws the ball to you — have you ever thought in terms of, “Wow, I’m playing with Brett Favre?” Or is he just another teammate?

RYAN: Well, in the middle of the game I’m not thinking that (laughs). There have been times when people really bring it to my attention. But after the fact — after the game, maybe after a pass — I am thinking, “Wow, I’m playing with Brett Favre.” And that’s something special. I’m definitely honored to be a part of it. But when we’re playing, he’s our quarterback. He’s a great leader for us and we just take advantage of it.

This was my second of four Conference Championship interviews. Check out Tom Brady (Patriots) from yesterday. And look for LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) and Amani Toomer (Giants) to follow before Sunday’s games.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Conference Championship Interview Series: Green Bay Packers RB Ryan Grant

Brett Favre was throwing snowballs at his teammates. That’s what kind of day it was for the Green Bay Packers and their quarterback. After spotting the Seahawks two TDs off turnovers to begin the game, Green Bay completely dominated Seattle in winning this NFC Divisional Playoff game 42-20.

The tundra at Lambeau Field was literally frozen this afternoon as the snow started in the first half and just increased in intensity as the game went on, much like the play of the Packers. This game was simply fun to watch. It was a classic Wisconsin winter day and the atmosphere at Lambeau couldn’t have been more perfect. If you appreciate the history of the game and the history of the Green Bay Packers, you were smiling watching this one. I’ve loved watching snow games since I was a little kid. In fact, I used to play in the stuff in my backyard at every opportunity. This was a delight.

I couldn’t have been more impressed with the fortitude of Packers RB Ryan Grant. His two early fumbles allowed Seattle to build their 14-0 lead and left the Lambeau crowd in a state of disbelief. I have to admit, things didn’t look good for Green Bay. You just can’t turn the ball over in games of this magnitude and expect to win. But credit Packers head coach Mike McCarthy for sticking with his starting running back. And credit Ryan for keeping his composure and piling up over 200 yards on the ground and three TDs. Brett Favre added three TD passes, two to WR Donald Driver. And one stumbling, underhand completion.

One stat that really stood out to me was the Packers’ ability to convert third downs. They finished the game 7 of 10, but at one point, Brett Favre led this offense to a perfect 7 of 7 on third down attempts. That’s a veteran leader playing maybe the best football of his storied career. And when the pressure’s on in playoff football, that kind of stat can be, and oftentimes is, the difference between winning and losing. By the way, the Seahawks were a miserable 3 of 11 on third downs.

Seattle was never really in this game. They built their early lead on short fields for easy points, but were really beaten in every phase of the game, especially the running game. That’s why it’s so important to have a solid rushing attack this time of year. When the weather takes a turn for the worse, you have to be able to run the football and stop the run. The Packers did that today and that’s why they’re headed to the NFC Championship game.

Inset photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Green Bay Dominates Seattle in Playoff Win, Brett Favre and Ryan Grant Lead Packers

After a complete game 38-7 drubbing of the Oakland Raiders today, it’s easy to say the Green Bay Packers are balanced. Brett Favre may be having an MVP-type season, but he’s getting a lot of help. Let me count the ways:

• The running game that was absent earlier in this 2007 season is now clearly led by Ryan Grant who carried the ball 29 times today for 156 yards.
• Special teams are now scoring. Will Blackmon became the first player since 1974 to return a punt and fumble recovery in the same game for a touchdown.
• The Packers defense is ranked a respectable 12th against the run, but they’re on the rise after holding Oakland to 85 rushing yards.
• WR Greg Jennings is making big plays. With five TDs of at least 40 yards, Greg added an 80-yarder today. He now has 11 TD catches.

We know the Packers are one of the top two teams in the NFC. But the more help they give Brett Favre’s right arm, the better chance they’ll have of repping the conference in the Super Bowl.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Green Bay Packers Clinch NFC North Title