In the Oakland Raiders case, they decided to form a marriage with kicker Sebastian Janikowski. Instead of an extravagant ring Janikowski received a hefty four-year, $16 million contract with $9 million guaranteed making him the richest kicker in NFL history.

Janikowski was the best available placekicker on the free-agent market. Other top free-agent kickers without a home are Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham, New York Jets’ Jay Feely, Arizona’s Neil Rackers, and Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed.

Since he was drafted number one out of Florida State in 2000, he hasn’t disappointed during his 10 years in the Bay Area. He was the first special teams specialist in 21 years to be drafted in the first round.

The Polish left footed kicker has scored 1,000 points in his NFL Career. He has nailed 78.4 percent of his field goal attempts (229 of 292) and made 99% percent of his extra-points (313 of 316).

Sebastian’s had his best campaign in 2009. He racked up 95 points, made 26 of 29 field goals, only misfiring 3 times from 45, 57 and 66 yards. His leg has shown the durability to handle the gridiron mileage with 6 kicks converted from at least 50 yards out. His 61-yarder was the fourth longest in NFL history.

His 17 touchbacks on 58 kickoffs was the sixth-best in the NFL last season.

At first Al Davis didn’t see Janikowski as a game-changing kicker. As a rookie he misfired on 10 field goals and hit on 76 percent of his tries the first three seasons. But He has shown better consistency the past two seasons with 41 of 44 kicks inside 50 yards. He became the all-time leading scorer in team history in 2008.

The Raiders have taken care of their most coveted free agents of late. They rewarded Pro Bowl Punter Shane Lechler, star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugba, and defensive tackle Tommy Kelly with record contracts. The book is still open on defensive lineman Richard Seymour who Oakland acquired from New England for a 2011 first-round draft pick.

It’s closed in the kicking department. If they are ever to become competitive again they don’t have a lucrative leg  to blame their misfortunes on.

But it’s also time to tell the truth. If it wasn’t for President Bush “strongly” persuading New Orleans owner Tom Benson to “stick it out” in New Orleans for the sake of the people of the city and the state after Hurricane Katrina, the victory parade right now would have been held in San Antonio instead of New Orleans. The Superdome was rebuilt with federal money after the hurricane, tax money from you and me. We should have no problem with that either. If the same thing happened in Dallas or Arizona those stadiums would have been rebuilt as well.

Lets get back to the game now, shall we? Make no mistake here, the people of Cajun land needed this win, maybe more then the good folks of Indiana. It doesn’t mean the Saints are a better team on paper. It just means they were better on Sunday then the Colts were. The coaching was better, the players executed their game plan better, and the breaks went their way. We shouldn’t even be assigning blame here, we should just take it for what it was, a momentary lapse of reason. Brett Farve has them at least 6 times a year, and he’s supposed to be the modern day god of Quarterbacks.

So while everyone down in the bayou is in celebration mode, and all but 11 people showed up at the airport yesterday to welcome the return of the AFC champions home, we need to remind everyone that there much larger issues facing the game of Football right now other then did the better team won the Super Bowl or not.  The game of football is facing several serious issues that have to be faced, not avoided.

One thing Mr. Goodell is right about: there needs to be more communication in the negotiations and soon if a lock out is to be avoided in just under 13 months. The owners may think they will win no matter what because the networks will still fill the NFL treasure chest, but no one really wins if there is a work stoppage, just ask baseball and hockey if they have recovered from their work stoppages yet. The clear answer is no, they have not recovered at all. It’s time for some common sense to take hold here folks. The players are not backing down, and neither is their new union leader, DeMaurice Smith. Maybe the owners thought they were getting a “softie” when this guy took over. They were even selling T-shirts in Florida at all the pre-super bowl events last week for 5 dollars each. It’s time for Joe average fan to be worried.

With a stunning 31-17 upset victory over the Indianapolis Colts (16-3) in Super Bowl XLIV, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on Sunday night, the New Orleans Saints (16-3) washed away at least a small amount of the suffering inflicted by the 2005 flood waters of Hurricane Katrina on the city for which the Saints played their collective hearts out.

Though New Orleans is still recovering from the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, the Saints provided a huge spiritual lift to a city in need, with the biggest win a football team can possibly have.

As a result, things will be different in New Orleans for a while.

The Big Easy? For at least several more days, it’ll be the Big Brees-y.

Fat Tuesday? Make that Phat Tuesday. Or even, Who Dat Tuesday.

And, from long-time Aints, to finally, Super Bowl-winning Saints.

Who Dat say they gonna beat dem Saints?

Well, only three teams could all season (only two when the Saints weren’t resting their starters), and much more importantly –- none were able to, for the first time in Saints’ history, when it mattered the most.

So, be gone, paper bags! Saints fans who used to wear them over their heads with embarrassment can now reveal their proud faces with the wide grins befitting loyal fans a Super Bowl champion.

Yes, the former NFL laughing stock has at long last reached the pinnacle of football success.

The franchise that began in 1967 and produced no winning seasons in its first 20 years of existence; the team that this year, enjoyed only its ninth winning season in its 43-year history; and, the club that had just two postseason victories over that time, not only won its third postseason game of the year on Sunday, but finally accomplished the ultimate feat that many Saints’ fans thought they’d never see.

In true New Orleans fashion, the Saints went marching into Miami and returned from the Super Bowl to the bowl of low-lying New Orleans, as conquering heroes, by pulling together in a team effort, with resiliency, guts, and a little bit of voodoo magic.

The Saints were led by their emotional leader, quarterback Drew Brees, whose supremely efficient 32-for-39, 288-yard, two-touchdown, no-interception performance earned him the Super Bowl XLIV Most Valuable Player award.

While many expected a shootout with big plays galore between Brees and Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning (who entered the game with his four NFL MVP’s and one Super Bowl MVP), it was a precise, patient, and composed Brees (in his inaugural Super Bowl appearance) who led his team to their first NFL championship.

It wasn’t even that Brees tied the Super Bowl record for completions with 32, or that he posted the second most accurate passing game in Super Bowl history, completing 82.1 percent of his passes. It’s that in a game in which both secondaries blanketed receivers downfield all game long, Brees beat Manning at his own game.

Manning is well known as the master improviser, adjusting and readjusting to what he sees until he can make a defense pay. However, this time, it was Brees who was perfectly content to forego throwing the deep ball (which he does so well), and instead, pick apart the Colts’ defense underneath, with 21 completions for single digit yardage. Nine more completions went for gains between 10 and 19 yards, and only two others were over 20 yards, while none of Brees’ completions went for more than 27 yards.

In winning with the short game, Brees effectively spread the ball around to eight different receivers. Wide receivers Marques Colston (7 catches, 83 yards) and Devery Henderson (7 catches, 63 yards) led the way, but Brees also connected with wide receivers Lance Moore and Robert Meachem, tight ends Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas, and running backs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.

Rebounding from a sub-par 3-for-7 opening quarter, Brees finished a nearly flawless 29-of-32 over the final three quarters, with two of those last three incompletions being a dropped pass and a spike to stop the clock. He completed his final ten passes (tied for the second longest streak in Super Bowl history), including all seven in the fourth quarter.

After starting the game with two punts, Brees directed New Orleans to scores on the Saints’ final four possessions and on five of their final six, before taking a knee to end the game in jubilation.

It was the perfect ending to a postseason run that Brees finished with eight touchdowns, no interceptions, and 732 yards.

Furthering the New Orleans team effort was second-year kicker Garrett Hartley, who became the first kicker in Super Bowl history to make three field goals of over 40 yards (46, 44, and 47 yards), a defense that kept Manning and the Colts’ dangerous offense in check over the final three quarters, and some great moves by the Saints coaching staff.

Manning (31-for-45, 333 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) was good, but the Saints’ defense, led by the confusing looks designed by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, made sure that Manning wasn’t good enough to win.

The Saints opened the game in a 3-4 scheme as Manning guided the Colts to a 10-0 lead on their first

two possessions, including a 96-yard drive that matched the longest scoring drive in Super Bowl history. Williams then switched to a 4-3 alignment in a second quarter in which the Saints outscored the Colts 6-0 and possessed the ball for all but 2:27 and six of 32 plays.

“In the third quarter, we mixed it back and forth,” Williams said. “That was kind of our plan, to make sure that we didn’t show everything we had early in the game. We had a first half game plan, we had a third quarter game plan, and we had a fourth quarter game plan.”

The Saints also won the battle of Peyton vs. Payton, with New Orleans head coach Sean Payton’s bold move of taking away an extra possession from Manning, by opting for an onside kick to begin the second half. It was the first such kick in a Super Bowl prior to the fourth quarter, and it resulted in a Saints’ recovery and a march into the end zone for New Orleans’ first lead of the game.

Though Manning led the Colts back, to lead 17-13, in the third quarter, it was the Saints who had the big fourth-quarter, outscoring an Indianapolis team which set a record with seven fourth-quarter comebacks during the regular season.

Like Indianapolis, New Orleans had shown some of its own comeback ability this season, and the Saints dominated the Colts, 31-7, over the final three quarters, to make some of their own history.

New Orleans matched the largest deficit overcome (10-0) in a Super Bowl; they became the first team in NFL history to win three postseason games in the same season after trailing by at least seven points in each game; and, they overcame a double digit deficit for a league-leading fourth time this season. Ironically, on October 25th, on the same field, the Saints outscored the Dolphins, 22-0, in the fourth quarter to win, 46-34, to win their sixth straight game, en route to starting the season 13-0. This time, it was a 15-0 fourth quarter that won the game of all games for the Saints’ franchise.

Perhaps the most surprising moment came late in that fourth quarter, with nearly everyone expecting Manning to do what he usually does in a must-have drive. With the Saints desperately clinging to a 24-17 lead late in the fourth quarter, and Manning moving Indianapolis to the New Orleans 31 yard-line, the Saints’ defense came up with the big play, as it had all season. To that point, the Saints, who had lived off of takeaways all year, were unable to force any turnovers. That’s when second-year corner back Tracy Porter (who played with a Super Bowl trophy haircut) stepped right in front of Manning’s favorite target — Colts’ leading wide receiver, Reggie Wayne — before going untouched for a 74-yard pick-six that made the improbable dream finally seem real for long-suffering Saints’ fans. The score was the tenth interception return for a touchdown this season for the Saints’ usually opportunistic defense.

In the end, a disappointed Manning, who became the fifth Super Bowl-winning signal caller — and likely, at least the fourth future Hall of Fame quarterback — to lose to New Orleans this season (Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, and Brett Favre were the others), said, “I give the Saints a lot of credit… they deserved to win.”

Of course, no football victory will ever give back the lives that were tragically lost, nor help return the thousands of still-displaced, former New Orleans residents to their hometown, nor solve many of the other serious problems that Hurricane Katrina left in her wake, which still affect New Orleans today.

But, the Saints capturing their first NFL title is hardly void of significance. It represents something for the entire city of New Orleans to rally around, and it can ultimately serve as inspiration to help restore New Orleans to the level it was in the past.

That feeling is reciprocal among the Saints. “We play for so much more than ourselves,” Brees said.

“We feel like we did this for them,” said Saints’ middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who played his college ball, fittingly at Miami.

“We played for our city,” Brees added. “We played for the entire Gulf Coast region. We played for the entire Who Dat nation that has been behind us every step of the way. It means everything. We’re here because of their strength and everything they fought through here the last few years. They’ve given us so much support, so we owe it all to our fans. Just to think of the road we’ve all traveled, the adversity we’ve all faced, it’s unbelievable. I mean, are you kidding me? Four years ago, whoever thought this would be happening? Eighty-five percent of the city was under water. Most people left not knowing if New Orleans would ever come back, or if the organization would ever come back.”

Similarly, Brees wasn’t sure if he’d come back to football, after a shoulder injury with San Diego earlier in his career. Ironically, Miami and New Orleans were the only two cities willing to take a chance on him. Miami passed, opening the door for Brees to come full circle and march the Saints into Miami and then back home, to adoring fans in New Orleans, as champions.

Also coincidental is what Brees chased last season, when he fell only 15 yards shy of the all-time single-season passing record of Dan Marino, who played for the Dolphins in yet another New Orleans-Miami connection. Now, Brees gladly trades second place in that race for the Super Bowl ring that Marino, one of the greatest ever, never won.

Even more coincidences make the Saints’ victory seem that perhaps this moment was indeed meant to happen for both Saints’ fans and for playing a role in helping to rebuild New Orleans, as much as for the Saints, themselves.

For one, there’s Manning being born and raised in New Orleans, just like his brother Eli (with the New York Giants), and their father Archie Manning, who was a Saints legend, a two-time pro-bowler, but who never enjoyed a winning season on a lot of those bad Saints teams between 1971 and 1982.

And, there’s even the Saints’ connection to the very trophy itself. Brees’ quarterback coach is 28 year-old Joe Lombardi, the grandson of the great Vince Lombardi, for whom the Super Bowl trophy is named. At least until the next champion is crowned, it might as well be temporarily renamed the Lombardi Gras trophy.

Even under the far more likely scenario that the trophy retains its original name of Joe Lombardi’s grandfather, it will certainly now be forever appreciated by the Saints and their fans, who despite facing serious, “real-life” issues, do seem buoyed through their identification with their Saints.

Brees said of the connection between the two, “We just all looked at one another and said, `We’re going to rebuild together. We are going to lean on each other.’ That’s what we’ve done the last four years and this is the culmination in that belief.”

After 43 years of waiting, the paper bags can be put away for good, because the franchise that used to be known as the Aints, finally bagged that ever-elusive NFL championship when its city needed it most.

It was a long time coming, through the years of the Aints, the paper bags, and now, the much more serious obstacle of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Yet, the city of New Orleans has always held steadfast in maintaining its close bond with its Saints, who have always meant a lot more than being a football team to the city they represent.

Saints fans believed that soon NOLA later, this moment was a dream which had to happen.

Now that it’s real, geaux crazy and celebrate on Bourbon Street, New Orleans. You deserve it!

And, when the party’s over, may the city of New Orleans soon follow the Saints along the same path to complete recovery.

We certainly are right in that mix, having predicted that the Indianapolis Colts would not only win their second championship in four years, but do so easily. Boy, were we wrong. Drew Brees (32 for 39, 288 yards, two touchdowns) led the New Orleans Saints to their first title and was named the game MVP in the 31-17 victory. When his team needed a strong drive, he delivered. Neither Brees nor Saints head coach Sean Payton panicked when they trailed 10-0 in the first quarter and they stayed with an agressive game plan.

They went for it on 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line in the second quarter (one in which they dominated) and came up short, but that didn’t stop them from going for a little trickery and recovering an onside kick to start the third quarter. The ensuing drive led to a touchdown and put New Orleans ahead, 13-10.

“We talked about it at halftime and it’s really a credit to every one of these players here,” said Payton. “There’s not enough room on this stage for all of them, but they carried out this play and I’m just proud. I’m proud of this team.”

The Colts answered with a 76-yard drive that culminated in a 4-yard burst into the end zone by running back Joseph Addai. No one could have surmised at the time that the 17-13 lead they now held would have been their last of the night.

Garrett Hartley hit a 47-yard field goal to cut the deficit to one and then in the fourth quarter, Brees went 7-for-7 on the drive of the game. He hit tight end Jeremy Shockey for a 2-yard scoring pass and then made it 24-17 by completing another pass on the two-point conversion.

Manning (31 for 45, 333 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) took over with 5:42 remaining in the contest and was taking the underneath routes that the Saints defense was giving him. When he tried to go downfield, he was picked off by Tracy Porter, who brought it back 74 yards and the exclamation point.

When the scoreboard showed a final score of 31-17, Bourbon Street exploded like 10 combined Mardi Gras parades. An unlikely turnover by arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the game sealed the deal, and pinpoint accuracy by his adversary led to that.

What the time leading up to the super bowl has become however, is just painful. It’s painful to wait the two weeks. To have to deal with and listen to the hype, to deal with the trash talk and the silly questions by the “puesdo” media. I don’t mean hard working sports journalists, radio and television people, no sir. I mean people that have no business being on the asking end of questions in a press conference.

Can we at least get some different questions then what we have seen/heard over and over again the last 40 years? This is where “new” media shines as opposed to old school traditional media outlets. Some of the best questions I have heard from this week’s press coverage have come from those of us who make our make on the “outskirts” of sports media as opposed to those in the forefront. Some of these mainstreamers what to be part of the story as well as report it, that’s why they lean towards controversy to generate readership/listenership.

Clearly these so called “media” people would not be able to write a real “story” about this game without help from a researcher, or several online resources. These are the same people who are lambasting the Internet as the downfall of modern journalism as we know it. But ask anyone and they will tell you that print media is dropping dead, and in order to compete, traditional media must now do and operate the same as we ”new” media types do. I am Proud to have had traditional writing and broadcast training, but I’m also proud to be able to say that I saw this coming so many years ago. One of my former publications was the first Draft Guide to have a computer online BBS, and to use AOL chat to “live update” it’s users of the selections at the draft. I’m also proud to have been among one of the first to “live stream” the Draft in person from Radio city (in 2006). Even Mr. Goodell took notice, because the following year the only people who could actually broadcast video were the NFL itself and ESPN.

But who am I to critique? I’m just a Podcaster/Blogger/ Internet radio host/Independent scout and ex-coach, right? So let’s just hope that tomorrow everyone shuts up, and kick off goes off at 6:27:30 like it’s supposed to. Because it’s about time to enjoy a football game, isn’t it?

Both teams are powerhouse offenses, but they arrive there by different measures.

The Saints offense does it’s very best to pass you to death, and run when they have to. Lots of pundits who think they need glorification see the New Orleans squad as the remake of the 2007 Giants or the 1999 Rams. I say they are neither, although they carry elements of both squads. Look deeper. Their offense does move the ball through the air like “the greatest show on turf”, but the Rams had almost no weaknesses of offense except for Kurt Warner’s own health. The Saints have a few more “holes” then that. Dew Brees was surely rattled in the NFC title game in more then one instance. Any NFC team with a strong front seven group of pass rushers would have found a way to “Stunt Blitz” the Saints Offensive line. As good as they are, they can’t protect Brees forever. They will have to run the ball for at least 130-150 total “in game” yards to be successful and have a shot at the win.

By “in game” I mean meaningful yards. I mean Bush/Thomas between the tackles, we are going to clear out the Colts front defensive line yards. Can they really do that? Will they be able to take advantage of Freeney’s injured ankle and possible limited mobility? Or will Freeney pull himself if he feels he will hinder the team’s ability to stop the New Orleans offense. I spoke with one reporter I know well this week who has covered the Saints in the past and I asked him if what I thought were three keys to the game for the Saints were accurate.

A)    Will Jon Vilma and Darren Sharper get Manning and company off the field quickly enough to make a difference? He felt that was the main key for the Saints defense, to be able to contain if not stop the Colts numerous offensive weapons.

B)    Could Shockey be dependable enough to be an escape valve for Drew Brees if the receivers are constantly jammed at the line? He felt that  “J-Shock” could be as tough as a “G-Shock” watch if it comes to it, but the Saints have to worry about him getting jammed at the line as much as the wide outs.

C)     Finally, Do the Saints really believe enough in who they are that they belong there playing against Peyton Manning. “That’s the 64K question” he said.

For Indy, it’s much more simple. Manning has to be Manning. He must lead the Colts on 5 to 7 minute drives each possession, keeping Drew Brees off the field. He must spread the ball to all his options, especially Dallas Clark, who moves better in space then any other player on either team with the ball or without.

If Manning gets Clark the ball at least 6 times, the Saints can pack it in and get ready for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. But, if they limit Manning’s ability to pass, and force Addai and Brown to shoulder the load on offense, then you have a different game, a game that comes down to the last offensive possession.

Of course, everyone forgets the guys in the trenches, the Offensive linemen. It’s also going to come down to which front five outplays the other’s defensive unit, who will pass protect better, who will run block better.

My prediction: Colts 34-Saints 24, but it’s going to be close until the 4^th quarter.

Now that the dust has finally settled and we have two left standing nothing could be more appropriate than Drew Brees versus Peyton Manning. The Saints signal caller on the cusp of greatness taking on the great Mr. Manning who continues to write his own legacy. With his fourth NFL MVP award, Manning will try to secure his second NFL title and cement himself as one, if the not the greatest ever.

While his counterpart would appear to have much to play for, Drew Brees is not without his own personal motivation. Brees has become the face of a franchise that not only represents a city, but represents so much more. Following the Katrina disaster the Saints have led a march of great hope and resolve and the face out front of this march has been Drew Brees.

Brees has often been compared to the great names in today’s game; Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre, and though he lacks the hardware (Lombardi Trophies and MVP awards) he has the numbers. His first appearance should not legitimize his greatness; he has been great since he arrived to New Orleans. His first appearance in the Big Dance should be the next chapter to his own legacy.

What to Expect

While both teams have two very quick and opportunistic defenses, there is little doubt that this game is going to be all about the two gunslingers calling the signals. The Saints (4th) and Colts (2nd) offenses finished the 2009 season ranked in the top five passing and both clubs were in the top seven in scoring.

While the Saints were second in the league with 39 takeaways, they are going to find it difficult to capitalize on Manning who has just one turnover in 83 passes this post season. Like his counterpart Brees has been steady taking care of the ball with no turnovers in 63 passes.

The Saints led the league in scoring and finished number one in yards per game; they will surely test the Colts defense all game long. And when Manning takes the field with his number two ranked passing offense (9th overall) the Saints defense will face their ultimate test this season.

Don’t expect too many punts or a lot of stops, this one could easily turn into a regular shootout at the O.K. corral with the quarterback with the ball last deciding this classic matchup of a pair of gunslingers.

Injury notes for Sunday…

RB-Pierre Thomas (Saints)…..ribs-probable.

RB-Joseph Addai (Colts)…..shoulder-probable.

WR-Robert Meachum (Saints)….ankle-probable.

TE-Jeremy Shockey (Saints)….knee-questionable

DB-Darren Sharper (Saints)…..knee-probable.

DL-Will Smith (Saints)….groin-probable.

DL-Dwight Freeney (Colts)….ankle-questionable

Quick Notes:

The Saints wide receiver Robert Meachum has resumed full participation in practice and looks to be ready for the big dance. Meachum could be a big key in the Saints passing game on Sunday. He tied with Colston for the team lead with nine touchdowns this season and finished the year with 45 catches for 722 yards receiving (16.0 yards per catch).

The Colts have made their name on the passing of Peyton Manning all season, but it wouldn’t surprise to see Joseph Addai taking on a larger role in the run game this Sunday. In the AFC title game Addai finished with 80 yards averaging five yards a carry against a pretty good Jets run defense; Saints rank 21st against the run.

The last blowout came in January of 2003 when the Bucs manhandled the Raiders, 48-21. So we are unfortunately overdue for a dud.

This game is ripe for just that, too. The Colts are playing fantastic on both sides of the ball and shut down two formidable rushing attacks in the playoffs against the Ravens and Jets. Peyton Manning, who was named the NFL MVP, also has so much experience and won not only a ring but the game MVP in the same Miami venue in Super Bowl XLI.

The Saints did look strong in pasting the Cards, but were outplayed two weeks ago in the NFC Championship Game. The Vikings had a huge day offensively, easily outgaining the home team, 475 to 257 yards. If not for a late interception thrown by Brett Favre, the Saints would not have had the opportunity to win the game in overtime by a field goal.

The Colts are favored by four points in this game, and that seems like a low number, all things considered. If the weather turns wet, both teams play in a dome. But it was a torrential downpour when Indianapolis beat Chicago three years ago and they didn’t miss a beat. Even with a banged-up Dwight Freeney (at best), the Colts still have the horses to run away with it.

At least you can still follow your boxes.

In the AFC Championship Game, the upstart New York Jets were able to contain the 2009 NFL MVP, albeit for one quarter. The league’s number one defense actually sacked Manning on consecutive offensive plays over two series and at one point in the second quarter, the Jets led 17-6. Answering a Jay Feeley field goal, Manning sliced through Gang Green’s secondary to cut into the deficit at the half to four points.

While Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez (17 for 30, 257 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception) played extremely well, the offense could not get going and went scoreless in the second half. At the same time, the Colts controlled the pace and Manning had his way. He threw for 377 yards and three scores to three different receivers in Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon and Dallas Clark en route to the 30-17 victory.

The Superdome hosted the NFC Championship Game and what was expected to be a close shootout between two offensive juggernauts in the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings did not disappoint. Brett Favre came out slinging as expected, as did Drew Brees. At half time, the score was even at 14 and although they had four turnovers, the Vikes were very much in the game and actually were in position to win the game in the waning seconds. But a penalty for too many men in the huddle set them back five yards, setting up a third down. Instead of calling a conservative run to set up a long field goal attempt, Minnesota elected to throw.

Favre rolled to his right out of the pocket and threw into double coverage across his body. On cue, the ball was picked off and we were headed into the extra stanza. For all the great things that Favre (28 for 46, 310 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions) has done in 19 NFL seasons, he has a tendency to make a terrible decision at the worst time. It happened in the playoffs before, against the Giants and Eagles.

The Saints won the coin toss and went on a drive that seemed to go on forever due to three booth reviews. Garrett Hartley nailed a 40-yard field goal and there was happiness in the bayou.

Super Bowl XLIV will be an interesting affair, one that will pit an old dog that has been there/done that in Manning and a bunch of wide-eyed Saints. Expect a lot of offense in this one, so take the over.

On Saturday, the New Orleans Saints rebounded after a lackluster end of the regular season with a convincing 45-14 knockout of the Arizona Cardinals. last season’s NFC representative in the Super Bowl. Reggie Bush scored two touchdowns as the Superdome rocked and rolled. Not much of a surprise there, as the Saints were expected to dispel of a team that may have still been showing the affects of an exhausting overtime win against Green Bay the week before.

That evening, the Baltimore Ravens were ousted by Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, 20-3. They took a two-touchdown lead at half time and coasted the rest of the way. Three turnovers did the Ravens in, setting up Indy to play host next weekend one game away from Super Bowl XLIV. Although they played extremely well in taking out the Patriots in the Wild Card round, Baltimore was clearly outclassed versus a well-rested Colts squad.

On Sunday, Brett Favre turned back the clock and led his new team to the conference championship. The 40-year-old former Packer and Jet threw for four touchdowns (three to Sidney Rice) to lead the Minnesota Vikings to the 34-3 victory over Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones’ boys may have exorcised some December (and early January) demons by winning their division and then dispatching the Eagles, but were never even competitive in the dome.

Saving the best for last, the game of the weekend came in San Diego pitting the Chargers against the upstart New York Jets. Given no chance to move on, the Jets came out and played the 11-win Bolts tooth-and nail. They trailed by a mere seven points heading into the locker room and were clearly the team ‘hanging around’ against a formidable opponent.

Jay Feeley hit a 46-yard field goal to cut into the lead during the third quarter. Then the turning point in the game occurred towards the end of the quarter. The Jets downed a punt deep in the Chargers zone and a few plays later, Philip Rivers was intercepted by Jim Leonhard. A Chargers personal foul moved the ball inside the 10 at the start of the final stanza, which set up Mark Sanchez’s two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller and a 10-7 advantage.

Sanchez is not the only Jet rookie to be making a name for himself in the postseason, as running back Shonn Greene had another 100-yard performance and a long run for a score. He scampered 53 yards to give the Jets a 10-point lead with 7:26 left in the game. San Diego scored with 2:14 left when Rivers dove in from a yard out, but Kerry Rhodes recovered Nate Keading’s onside kick. The game wasn’t decided until Thomas Jones moved the chains on fourth and one with 1:09 left in the contest.

Keading, the AFC’s Pro Bowl representative, had a forgettable day with three missed field goals (36, 57 and 40 yards), which opened the door that the Jets kicked in on their way to Indianapolis for their first appearance in the AFC Championship Game since 1998.

Say what you want about the Jets and their outspoken rookie head coach, but Rex Ryan will have another week in the spotlight to psyche up his charges. The strategy has clearly worked and this team is going into Indy believing in themselves.

When the two teams met up in Week 16, Colts head coach Jim Caldwell pulled Manning in the third quarter with a 15-10 lead. The Jets rallied against back-up quarterback Lance Painter and that began their ascent towards where they are today. Once again, the Jets will be heavy underdogs and that is exactly the way they like it.