The NFC matchup – the Civil War of the FanSided Divisional Smackdown will pit brother against brother, father against son, neighbor against neighbor to determine NFL supremacy.  OK, enough hyperbole, but it’s a great matchup.  I think the offenses are pretty closely matched, with Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees leading the way.  What gives the North the big advantage is the defense.  How would you like to have Julius Peppers and Jared Allen chasing you from the ends with Suh and half the Williams wall stuffing up the middle of the line?

The AFC matchup – the West vs the North – is probably the closest matchup out there.  Both teams are closely matched, but I’m giving the nod to the AFC North on the merits of their defense.  When you’ve got Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu is your secondary, that’s a pretty awesome duo. But don’t take my word for it – go check it out and vote for yourself.

We will advance to the second round next week and will crown our champ just before camps open, so keep checking back at FanSided.com.

The Steelers beat the Titans 13-10 in OT, but the defeat was costly.  The Steelers All-Pro safety (and Madden 2010 co-cover boy) Troy Polamalu sprained his MCL and is expected to miss 3-6 weeks.  Check out this clip from NFL.com on the injury.  Polamalu was all over the field early on Thursday night, including an incredible one-handed interception.

Since the Steelers head to Soldier Field next Sunday for the Bears’ home opener, this appears to be a big break for the Bears and Jay Cutler.  Now they just have to go up to Lambeau to beat the Packers!

BEAR DOWN!!!

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It’s time to start the building process for the 2009 Chicago Bears.  Jerry Angelo hasn’t exactly been a master builder in recent drafts, but whenever draft talk comes up, he seems to talk enough about floors and ceilings (of players) that you’d think he was a carpenter and not a GM.  Since the Bears announced that they won’t be raising ticket prices in 2009, I don’t expect any big splashes in Free Agency, so the bulk of the work will have to come through the draft. (more…)

Day vs Night.  Black (and gold) vs White (and red).  Luke Skywalker vs Darth Vader.  Offense vs Defense.   You might say that this game features contrasting styles.  The Steelers come in as the top defense from the regular season while the Cardinals come in with the second ranked passing offense and a Top 5 offense overall.  Arizona’s key to success in this improbable playoff run has been their defense. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has been doing what they do best: playing great defense.  It’s time to stop with all of the hype and parties and get down to the business of crowning a champion for the 2008-2009 NFL season.

Many believe that a win by the Cardinals will put a stamp on Kurt Warner’s ticket to the Hall of Fame.   This is his third go-around on football’s biggest stage, having won one and lost one.  Meanwhile Ben Roethlisberger has a ring of his own, but many critics say he need to redeem himself after a lackluster performance in the Steelers’ win in Super Bowl XL over the Seahawks.

Breakdown

Larry Fitzgerald has become the darling of these 2009 playoffs.  How can you argue with 419 yards and 5 TD’s?  Compare that to 665 yards and 3 TD’s by Chicago Bears #1 receiver Devin Hester.  Oh, did I forget to mention those stats were compiled over 15 games for the Windy City Flyer while Fitz has piled up those bawdy stats in 3 playoffs games?  Who says the Bears need a difference maker at the receiver position?  The Cardinal defense has been the surprise of the playoffs, forcing 12 turnovers and upsetting the likes of the Falcons, Panthers and  Eagles en route to their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

The Steelers come in a bit banged up, with receiver Hines Ward nursing a knee and recent reports that Big Ben might have gotten a bit more banged up in the AFC Championship than we’ve been led to believe.  But this isn’t about the Steelers’ offense as much as it is about their defense.  Look for the Steelers to pressure Warner from all angles and shut down the resurrected Cardinal running attack.  Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison leads the attacking Steeler defense.

Key matchup

Arizona Passing Attack vs Pittsburgh Pass D.  Call it Hairbangers Ball, as safety Troy Polamalu brings his flowing locks to try to help cover the dreadlocked receiving stud Larry Fitzgerald.  Fitzgerald has already set a playoff record for receiving yardage, breaking Jerry Rice’s postseason yardage record with a game left to play.   I don’t doubt that the Steelers will keep the resurgent Edgerrin James in check, but if they expect to win, they’ll need to do something that no one has figured out in this postseason and that’s slow down Fitgerald and company.

Sleeper

Willie Parker has been banged up for much of the season and missed a few games, but that just means he’s fresh for Big Game.   He was the game-breaker in 2006, tearing off a Super Bowl record 75 yard touchdown run against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL to seal the victory for the Steelers.  If Fast Willie can take some pressure off Big Ben and keep the Cardinal D off balance, it will be a long day for Arizona fans.

Prediction

Arizona has reinvented itself with a running game and tough defense  while Pittsburgh has followed their usual blueprint.  In a game of this magnitude, I like the team that stays true to itself.  This game is my postseason tie-breaker, so this had better be good:

Steelers 27-21