Championship Games Open Thread

Your Super Bowl teams are playing today, we just don't know which

The last epic football Sunday of the year, yeah the Super Bowl is cool, teams fight harder in these games than the big day, hold onto your hats and pour a drink, it's Championship Sunday!

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, 3:00pm ET, FOX

Consensus point spread: Bears plus 3.5
Curly R spread pick: Packers
Curly R straight up pick: Packers

Although this may not be the better game, it is the one to which I am more looking forward, the Packers have turned out to be a scrappy bunch of winners and at this point I cannot bet against them. The Bears are no slouches though, I just think the Packers have come to Chicago to win while the Bears are here to play a game. Bonus points for this game featuring the biggest poseur quarterback and the biggest wanker quarterback left in the playoffs. Double bonus points for the Division Championship rematch. Triple bonus points for both teams losing to the Redskins this year (oh I know you just dint).


New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers, 6:30pm ET, CBS

Consensus point spread: Steelers minus four
Curly R spread pick: Jets
Curly R straight up pick: Steelers

This is the better game, the Jets have an historic head of steam here and despite all the naysaying, my god I am so tired of hearing Tim Ryan attack any Moving the Chains callers that evince an appreciation of the competitive fire from which the Jets' trash talk comes, I love the cockiness. You talk shit, you go back it up and if you cannot, then you shrug and say I lost, see you next year. New York may be the better team here this week, the Steelers find ways to win, do not bet against them at home. Take a drink every time Jim Nantz or Phil Simms mentions Ben Roethlisberger's season opening suspension, and finish your drink if they mention the allegation was sexual assault.


The wife and I are heading over to watch the early game with friends, a married couple, they are united in puerile mutual frat love for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, but on the pro gridiron she roots straight Green Bay and he loves Da Bears. Indeed, marital vows will be tested today.


This is the Championship gameday open thread.



Composite image by me, NFL logos from here.