HSBT

Participants,

Welcome to the 30^th Anniversary of the Hewes Super Bowl Trophy!!  We finally have determined the 12 teams that will compete for this year’s Super Bowl (SB52), and the playoffs start this Saturday, January 6 with the 4 WildCard games.  Our website has been updated with the results from last year.  A few reminders before the real action begins as the 7 participants prepare to battle it out.

That’s right – 7.  In an NFL season ravaged by injuries to key personnel on almost every team, we have learned that Ben the Butler has been placed on Injured Reserve (IR) and will not be able to participate in this year’s HSBT competition.  The nature or severity of the injury is not known at this time, but we wish him well in his recovery.  The Office of the Commish did have an opportunity to briefly speak with Ben the Butler and he commented, “It’s a sad day here in Brooklyn to inform the HSBT participants that I am unable to participate this year.  I was looking forward to capturing my 1^st HSBT trophy and was confident that after 10 years in the league, I was just going to do that.  I’m glad to see a New York team in the playoffs, and will be rooting for the Buffalo Bills to win it all!”  Ben the Butler will be missed by all this season and we look forward to him re-joining in 2019.

Before that, here are some fun facts from the very first HSBT competition in 1989:

• We had 4 participants
  • DWH (to be later called The Englishman)
  • WJH (to be later called Buffalo Bill)
  • TAH (to be later called Comeback Kid)
  • SRH (to be later called YYYY Winner)
• There were only 2 WildCard games
  • The Houston Oilers (with Warren Moon) beat the Cleveland Browns, 24-23
  • The Minnesota Vikings beat the LA Rams (before they moved to St. Louis, then back to LA), 28-17
• Everything was done via US Mail and telephone calls to a land line
  • Game predictions were called into the league’s “accountant” Phyllis Hewes, who recorded them on a secret piece of paper. They were then revealed to DWH once his picks were made.
  • Results were tabulated and maintained on an Apple III computer by DWH, then printed out and sent to each participant via US Mail. They usually arrived by Wednesday or Thursday
• The original scoring system is still used today
• TAH won the 1^st HSBT Trophy, with 430 points
• The 49ers beat the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII, 20-16

RULES
Please read the “League Rules” (found on our home page at www.hewessbt.com) to become reacquainted with all you need to know.  I’m available to answer any questions.

MAKING YOUR PICKS
All picks are officially submitted on our site, using the “Submit Picks” tab.  Enter the team names and respective score you believe will be the final game score for each game.  Once you have submitted your scores, they will be time-stamped and sent via email to The Commish, who will load them to the site.  The Commish will not look at any game score submissions until he has submitted his scores in the same manner.  Please – no last minute frantic text messages with your scores.

KEEPING TRACK
Visit the “Standings” tab to get real-time updated game scores and your points as games are played.  This interactive feature was implemented 3 years ago and has received numerous kudos from the serious game watchers (that have a strong correlation to the eventual HSBT winners).

REMINDERS (As I Do Every Year)

1. Picks for ALL 4 WildCard Weekend games are to be submitted no later than 4:30pm EST on Saturday, January 6 (which is just prior to the kickoff of the 1st playoff game).
2. Any pick not submitted on time will result in a 25-point penalty for that game (meaning you will get -25 points for those games).
3. No “partial scores” are to be submitted.  We did have this occur several years ago and it went something like this:  “Chicago 24, SF”.  This will also result in the aforementioned -25 points.

It’s shaping up to be another great year, with maybe 11 or 12 teams thinking they have the inside track on winning the Super Bowl.  The highly-anticipated Commish’s expert in-depth analysis and predictions for each game starts below.  Use this information wisely to solidify your thoughts before submitting your picks.

(Re)Pete the Terp currently holds the trophy and has told me that he has full intentions of a 3-Pete (now, that’s a “Super Bowl-ed” statement!).

With 7 participants, will it be another record-setting year for points (can you believe Comeback Kid surpassed 1,000 points with an 11-0 record and LOST by almost 250 points last year?)

WILDCARD WEEKEND PREDICTIONS

Before launching into my predictions for the WildCard Weekend games, I offer a few observations of interest:

• Congrats to the Buffalo Bills for ending the longest (19 years) NFL playoff drought. I’m sure their presence will alter a few selections this weekend.  Kudo’s, as well, to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who last participated in the post season in 2008.  They face off this weekend in the Cobwebs Bowl…
• The Minnesota Vikings (#2 NFC seed) have a legitimate chance of making the Super Bowl, which would give them the first ever home field game in Super Bowl history.
• The top 2 seeds in the AFC and the NFC have identical records of 13-3, surpassing the 12-4 records of the 2015 teams (New England, Green Bay, Seattle and Denver).
• Pete the Terp is the current holder of the HSBT Trophy and has had it in his possession for 2 years! Will this year be our first “3-Pete” season?  With his beloved Ravens “ouch” of the playoffs, he will not be distracted by them (of note – both of Pete the Terp’s HSBT Trophy wins did not include the Ravens in the playoffs).

 Also, some interesting stats on the NFL this season:

• The Seahawks (who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011) rushed for zero (that’s right, a big goose-egg) yards when inside the 10-yard line. QB Russell Wilson led the league with 34 TD passes, 19 of them coming in the 4^th quarter (a league record)
• A 40-year old QB in the northeast US led the league in passing yards and was 3^rd in QB rating and TD’s – he will most likely be the league’s MVP
• The Browns (they of the “perfect season”), tied the all-time record for turnover differential (minus 28)
• The Saints dynamic duo at RB each reached 1,500 yards from scrimmage – the 1^st time this has ever happened
• On offense, NFL teams scored 1,121 TD’s – the lowest in the league in 11 years
• Colin Kaepernick is still unemployed by the NFL

Put on those comfy and warm game outfits on, grab a bite (or 2), get a few cold one’s out of the refrigerator and let’s get ready for some football!!  The NFL playoffs that culminate in Super Bowl 52 start this weekend!  Given the arctic blast that has covered most of the US in the past few weeks, these 4 games will be played in tropical climates compared to next weekend’s lineup (outdoor games in New England, Pittsburgh and Philly).

As mentioned earlier, the trophy resides on the fireplace mantle of Pete the Terp’s home in the northern suburbs of Baltimore.  And he’s very confident that a “3-Pete” is in order.  We spoke with him on the phone earlier this week (he’s still recuperating from the Ravens loss to the Bagels last weekend), and he offered “It’s been great seeing the HSBT Trophy every day for the past 2 years and I’m supremely confident that it will be here for a long to come.  I’ve got this system figured out, and I have great advice and analysis from The Commish to solidify my picks for each and every game.  He’s right on almost 100% of the time!  While I’m saddened that my Ravens are not participating in the post-season, I will be rooting for and predicting the Bills to go all the way!”

One participant is looking for his first trophy victory – needless to say, he will not have to worry about his favorite 0-16 team in the playoffs.  3 continue to look for trophy #7.  Who will win this year?  We’re not telling at this point, but let’s get to the eagerly awaited predictions from the desk of The Commish.

#5 Tennessee Titans (9-7) @ #4 Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
The last Chief playoff win was in 1994.  ‘Nuff said.  The last Titan playoff win (and appearance) was in 2004.  Both teams underachieved this season, and both head coaches are in the hot seat, with the loser most likely joining the ranks of the unemployed.

The Chiefs are out for revenge from their home playoff loss to the Steelers last year.  Rookie RB Kareem Hunt is the featured player (and will be going against the worst run D in the league) and QB Alex Smith (the league’s top passer with a 104.7 rating) had another terrific, but not flashy year.  WR Tyreek Hill and super TE Travis Kelce should be unstoppable, as well.

The Titans were OK on the road this year (3-5), and QB Marcus Mariota always has some trick plays up his sleeve.  In the end, however, it won’t be enough in the super-loud Arrowhead Stadium.

No music in The Music City, and the better coach with a better offense wins on the home turf
Chiefs 31, Titans 16

#6 Atlanta Falcons (10-6) @ #3 LA Rams (11-5)
The last time the Falcons were in the playoffs, they lost the Super Bowl…  The last time the Rams (St. Louis) were in the playoffs was 2005.  The defending NFC champs have a real tester on the road to open the playoffs.  How jittery will the Rams be?

The Falcons were not as exciting as last year’s version (almost the same personnel), and are playoff tested (i.e., they know how to win in the playoffs, as well as lose – remember the meltdown at home vs. the 49ers in the 2013 NFC Championship?)

The Rams will need to wait one more year…
Falcons 33, Rams 27

#6 Buffalo Bills (9-7) @ #3 Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
Is this the Revenge Bowl for the Bills, who are in the post season for the 1^st time since the 20^th century?  Will the Jaguar ship will be “Marroned” and allow the Bills to roll on face the Patriots next weekend?  The last time the Jags were in the playoffs (2008) is the last time they had a winning record.

The Bills front office continues to shower the Cincinnati Bengals with weekly supplies of Buffalo Wings to thank them for that last minute TD that eliminated the Ravens and allowed the Bills slide into the post-season.  We will presume QB Tyrod Taylor will be under center for Buffalo in this one, but maybe they will feel better with backup Nate Peterman (in his last outing he fired off 4 or 5 INT’s in one half).

Former Bills Head Coach Doug Marrone is leading the upstart Jags, who feature very little on offense (good RB in Fournette, but their #1 WR, former Bill Marqise Lee, might be out) but a stern D.  Offsetting that top-ranked D will be their QB, Blake Bortles (who has thrown the most TD’s in the league since his rookie season in 2014 – 64).

This game will hinge on whether or not Bills RB LeSean McCoy can play and how Bortles handles the playoff environment.  If not, it will be a long day for the Bills, unless they can muster up some turnover points (can you spell INT?) with their reengineered D.

I smell an upset (along with the scent of Wings that were not sent to Andy Dalton…)
Bills 20, Jags 17

#5 Carolina Panthers (11-5) @ #4 New Orleans Saints (11-5)
The Panthers suffered through a year with higher expectations and the Saints are just happy to be in the playoffs.  The Panthers are looking to return to the Super Bowl, where they were embarrassed in 2016 by the underdog Broncos.  The Saints won SB44 in 2010.  The Saints won meetings earlier this season.  The Panthers love to blitz (44% of the time in 2017), but Saints QB Drew Brees completes 70% against that D.

Not only because the Saints are at home, but they have a better QB

Saints 30, Panthers 23

Until I publish my WildCard Weekend update next week, I remain,

The Commish

In stunning fashion, Pete the Terp dominated the other participants in the Super Bowl (with a 1-point variance) and captured his second consecutive HSBT victory!  With 452 points in the Super Bowl game, he outpaced everyone else and wound up with 1,246 points – second all-time only to the 1,322 he amassed last year.  For the 2^nd consecutive year, Comeback Kid came in 2^nd place while earning over 1,000 points.

Speaking with Pete the Terp shortly after his stunning win, he had this to offer, “I knew if I picked the game close, the trophy would be mine to keep another year.  I guess a 1-point variance will do it every time.  The Commish’s expert analysis really helped me again.  I’ll be sure to do another Hewesman (not Heisman) Pose with the cherished hardware!”  I asked him which victory he savored most and he told me “next year’s HSBT trophy!”  Wow!!

Congrats to Pete the Terp on his win and to Comeback Kid for his strong finish.

Final results of this year’s HSBT competition are:

• Pete the Terp – 1,246 points and a record-tying 2^nd consecutive win
• Comeback Kid – a perfect season (11-0) and 1,017 points (slightly down from his 1,049 last year); what does it take to win?
• 2017 Winner – the bronze chicken wing award for 3^rd place with 766 points
• Ben the Butler – held on to 4^th place after a promising start, with 718 points
• HenricoFiveOh – a mediocre 5^th place showing for the 6-time winner, with 640 points
• Greg the Great – slumped after his Seahawks were eliminated, and earned 619 points, good for 6^th place
• Buffalo Bill – 535 points and in 7^th place, in part due to his weak SB pick
• JTB – 457 points and just ran out of gas this season (no, you don’t get the #1 draft pick next year)

SUPER BOWL 51 FINAL ANALYSIS
As predicted in my earlier letter to all participants, this SB did go into OT.  It may go down as the best SB of all-time, with the Dirty Birds unable to come back from a 25-point lead.  Is Tom Brady the G.O.A.T?  He has 5 rings to back up that claim, 1 more than anyone else.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES
Almost like a Dickens novel, who thought the Falcons would be up 21-3 at half?  And totally dominated the Patriots in a super-efficient manner.  That first play from scrimmage, RB Freeman’s 40-yard scamper up the middle, set the tone for the first 30 minutes.  Add that pick-6 for an 84-yd TD and you’re probably thinking this is gonna be a blowout?

After the Lady (thanks for no political innuendo’s) finished up her rollicking Air Gaga act, the Falcons put their last nail in the coffin and held a commanding 28-3 lead midway through the 3^rd Quarter.  Oh, how sweet this victory will be!!  Oh, how shall we blow this lead?

8:31
If you looked at the clock with this much time left in the 3^rd quarter, the Falcons just scored on that easy looking pass and 20-yard TD run by Devin Coleman, to make it 28-3.  Fast forward to this exact time in the 4^th quarter and this is when a NE sack and (another) Atlanta holding penalty took them out of FG range.  From this point forward, everything had to go perfect for the Patriots – and it did.

THE CATCH
Just like David Tyree did a few SB’s ago, Pats WR Julian Edelman made a miraculous catch that bounced off shoes, socks and cleats before being secured to keep another drive alive deep in Falcon territory.

IN THE END
After 2 incredible 2-point conversions, OT for the first time on the world’s biggest sports stage.  The Patriots (who always call “heads”) won the coin toss.  And that is all she wrote, as the Patriots marched down the field and sucked any remaining air out of the tired Dirty Birds D, before James White (14 receptions?) ran it in from 2 yards to start the celebration in Beantown.

FINAL WORDS
I’ll be working on updating all the key stats and will share those revelations with you in the future.  Enjoy the rest of winter and again, congrats to Pete the Terp on his victory!

Until then, I am

~~ The Commish

Participants,

For the 51^st consecutive time, neither team is playing the Super Bowl on their home field.  And, for the moment, the Falcons do not have a home field, as they are eagerly awaiting the finishing touches on their new stadium that opens next season while officially shutting down the Georgia Dome for NFL games.

For the HSBT Participants, your game score is due before the 6:30pm kickoff.  Pete the Terp is ahead by 201 points over Comeback Kid, who is known for that famous 226-point comeback in 1993.  Almost everyone has a legitimate shot at winning the trophy.  Pete the Terp has held the lead twice before with only 1 game to go and failed on each occasion to capture the trophy.  Look for some very interesting picks…

While most pundits have been filling the winter air with obscure and irrelevant oral diarrhea, the primary moving air at NFL headquarters is from the fans that keep our computers cool and humming.  The analyst’s predictions are completed.

Without further adieu (drum roll, please), here is scoop on how tomorrow’s game will play out:

PRE-GAME
The Patriots are historically filled with enough Dirty Deeds (“mishaps” as they call them – Snowgate, Spygate, Coingate and Deflategate) to make our last Presidential election seem blase.  Something has gotta happen to add to the drama of the game even before it starts.  Welcome to “Fangate.”  In some mysterious way, Falcon fans purchased 25,000 bogus tickets and are not allowed in the stadium.  Those tickets, once tossed in trash cans surrounding the stadium, are snapped up by Patriots fans and – lo and behold – are honored at check-in.  For those fortunate Falcon fans that make it thru the turnstiles, Security is forced to turn them away because somehow their Falcon jerseys have invisible metal in them.  All Patriot fans breeze right thru check-in and Security.  Deep within the New England locker room, da’ Coach has a hint of a smile as he knows his faithful fans (who had to travelled 1,828 miles) will outnumber the Falcon fans (who had to travel less than 800 miles) by a margin of 3:1.  Home cooking from Foxboro (or is it Foxborough?).  I’ll take that lobster roll, please.

From the “Did You Know?” archives:

• This marks SB appearance #9 for the Patriots, the most ever
• Tomorrow’s game marks the 1^st time this season the Patriots have faced a QB rated in the top 10 for passing
• It’s the #1 offense vs. the #1 defense, for the 7^th time – with the D prevailing in 5 of the previous 6
• Falcon QB Matt Ryan has a passer rating over 120 in his last 6 games (NFL record) and is 5-1 vs. SB-winning QB’s this season

Here is how it will play out:

1^ST QUARTER
So, despite being robbed of significant fan support in the stadium, the Dirty Birds (and they will do this dance each time they score a TD in SB51) welcome the friendly environment of a domed (or will it be doomed?) game in a warm weather climate.  They come out hotter than Ammazza’s Inferno, where a 900-degree oven is used to singe, I mean bake, the best pizza pies in Atlanta!  WR Julio Jones changes his jersey number from 11 to S (for Superman), after hauling in 2 (yep, 2) TD’s.  The lobster rolls are causing heartburn, with the Dirty Deeds on the short end of the stick, 21-7.  Falcon KR Devin Hester runs another one back all the way, this time without a penalty.

2^nd QUARTER
The combatants trade TD’s and a FG each for a halftime score of 31-17, in favor of the Falcons.  The Patriots #1 rated D is reduced to lobster bisque.  The Dirty Birds #1 offense is living up to it’s ranking.

HALFTIME (extended to 1 hour and 45 minutes)
Lady Gag does something at halftime, but who’s watching and who cares?  The Pres makes a surprise on-stage appearance (dropping thru the roof in a golden parachute that matches his hair color) with a pledge to “Make The Super Bowl Halftime Show Great Again!”  He drops 2 more Executive Orders before handing the mike back to The Gag.

You should instead be busy filling up your plate (is this the 4^th or 5^th time?  Who’s counting??) with that awesome array of SB health food:

• For starters, let’s get that Seafood Bisque from Pike Place Chowder
• Wings (ordered in from the Anchor Bar or The Bar Bill), BBQ (beef or pork, but fried with the skin on), customary large bag of potato chips
• An endless array of dips (most notably Velveeta with Rotel tomatoes) to be consumed with anything but fresh veggies or fruit
• Maybe a Beef on Weck (extra horseradish, please) or 2 (OK, let’s have 3)
• Some mussels with Lancaster Creamy Mustard Sauce from Bertha’s (let’s see if our current leader is reading this…)
• A “couple” bags of Sliders from White Castle (cheese is optional, but why not?)
• Pizza (carryout from Juliana’s in DUMBO), a Stromboli or even a few Skyline Chili “3-Way’s” (spaghetti smothered in chili, then suffocated with a veritable mountain of cheddar cheese – tipping the scales at around 2,450 calories)
• and several calorie-laden chocolate desserts (most notably from Shyndygz in Richmond)
• All meant to be washed down with another 3-4 beers of your choice (don’t waste your 12-ounce curl muscles on water or diet soda…). Back to your favorite chair…

As a side note, fully expect to see Texans DE JJ Watt, officially “fit” from back surgery, doing 40-yard gassers along the sideline for the entirety of the halftime show.

3^rd QUARTER
The Brady Bunch comes out fast with a couple quick scores, one the benefit of a pick 6, to tie it up.  Falcon FG Bryant (he of the 7 kids) boots a 60-yarder to close out the quarter with the Falcons up 34-31.  This is finally looking like a good game!  The all-time point record for a SB game (75, with the 49ers defeating the Los Angeles San Diego Chargers) is in serious jeopardy.

4^th QUARTER
The noose is tightening…  Both teams cannot seem to get moving but with less than 2 minutes left, Julio rakes in his 3rd TD of the game, on a 65-yard gem.  Dion Lewis goes all the way on the ensuing kickoff and the New England on-side kick is recovered by the Patriots!  Hello OT, as Pats K Gostkowski drills in the tying FG from 47 yards (not wide right) as the clock strikes 00:00.  Time for one more refill…

OT
Turnovers are a coach’s nightmare.  No sweet dreams tonight for Bill Belichick.  SB51 MVP Julio Jones does the unthinkable by hauling in his 4^th TD of the game on the first Falcon play from scrimmage in OT, set up by a fumble on the kickoff.  45 yards to complete a night with 15 catches for 334 yards and 4 TDs.

Dirty Birds 47, Dirty Deeds 41.  And with that final score, the winner of HSBT 29 is (I will inform you Sunday night after the game)…

Until then, I remain

~~ THE Commish

Well, who thought this would happen?  Falcons and Patriots with lopsided wins and will meet in SB51 in less than 2 weeks.  These were supposed to be close games with the potential for upsets in both, but ended up being snoozers for the most part.  Our leader, Pete the Terp, is starting to distance himself from the pack.

So – let’s right to the details:

Atlanta Falcons 44, Green Bay Packin’ It In 21
What a way to close out the Georgia Dome, huh?  Falcon QB Matt Ryan played like an MVP candidate and it was 24-zip at halftime.  Too much for Aaron Rodgers and his crew – how many balls did they drop, anyways?  Can anyone stop WR Julio Jones?  We know that nobody on Green Bay can.  The magical mystery tour of the Packers came to an abrupt end.  The faithful Cheeseheads are staring to smell like expired Limburger…

Greg the Great, as predicted, had a big game with 245 points.  4 winners picked the Falcons and 4 losers picked the Pack.  Ben the Butler kept the goose-egg carnage alive and well, with his second of the playoffs.

New England Patriots 36, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
To quote announcer Jim Nantz deep into the 4^th quarter as the Steelers scored a late TD: “Well, a couple of TD’s with 2-point conversions and a FG by the Steelers, and this one will be tied.”  OK, Jim.  He must have had one too many Samuel Adams Winter Ales.  The Killer B’s were eradicated by the Patriot version – Brady, Belichick, Blount, and Bris Bogan (OK, it’s Chris Hogan…).  The Steelers have to plead “no contest” after this annihilation.  New England QB Tom Brady loves playing against the Steelers.  Total domination.

Buffalo Bill makes a statement with this win, while Greg the Great suffered his 2^nd goose-egg of the playoffs.

Standings
With one final and decisive game to go, the HSBT competition is heating up to near epic proportions, with all participants having a “legitimate” shot at the coveted trophy.

• Pete the Terp – with a record-setting 794 points after the Conference Championships, has a huge lead over the 7 other wannabe’s. Is there any way he can lose?  Did the Indians win the World Series this season after being up 3-1 with 2 of the next 3 games at home?
• Comeback Kid (with a 10-0 record) – leading the logjam behind our current leader, with 593 points and hoping to erase the 200-point deficit, just as he did in 2014.
• 2017 Winner – 586 points, with an 8-2 record, and getting ready for the sprint to trophy #7
• Greg the Great – 567 points and that goose-egg did not help a whole lot. Had the Steelers found a way to win, he would be in the lead…
• Ben the Butler – 538 points and got his picks in on time. 65 points last weekend did not enhance his position, but still within earshot of the lead.  Just pick the winning score and you’re set!
• Henrico FiveOh – 476 points and will need a “do you believe in miracles?” pick next weekend. He did this in 2008 by picking the losing team to win…
• JTB – 267 points in a very Cleveland-esque manner. Can’t wait for his SB 51 prediction.  Boom or bust!

My data analytics team has been crunching numbers for the last several days and will continue their fine work, culminating in The Commish’s expert analysis and prediction for SB51.  Having personally watched every SB, this one could be the highest scoring which should generate some very interesting and exciting picks by the Participants.

Watch your email over the next 2 weekends for some super picks.

Until then, I remain,

~~ The Commish

Participants,

It’s the first time in 10 years that we have a #1, #2, #3 and #4 seed playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl.  The Patriots played that year and were defeated by Peyton’s Colts, who went on to win the Super Bowl over da’ Bears in Miami.  2007 Winner also captured the HSBT that season.

So now the importance of picking a score close the actual is heightening to almost Everest proportions.

• Cheesehead fingernails are gnawed almost down to the rind; who isn’t under the weather?
• Will the Georgia Dome end its run with a Falcon victory or will they look forward to a new start next season in the Mercedes Benz Stadium (available for a lease of only $679 per month)?
• Which Ben will show up in Foxboro – the home version or road version?
• Can anyone stop the patch-work Patriots?

These questions and more will be answered later today.  The leaders are now looking back to see how much of a lead they have, while the rest of the pack is like hungry wolves closing in on their prey.

Welcome to Conference Championship Sunday!

#4 (Feeling) Green Bay Packers @ #2 Atlanta Falcons
Just to make the day more interesting, Packer QB Aaron Rodgers (he of the transcendent performances) and several teammates are fighting “a bug” that’s going around the locker room.  WR Jordy Nelson (he of the 2 or more broken ribs from a couple weeks ago) is a “go.”  The secondary is a mess and another RB will not be suiting it up today.  So – technically, the Pack does not have a chance.

The most pressure on the Falcons today will be their ownership.  Right out of the famous Charles Dickens book, “Great Expectations,” Atlanta is supposed to play in Houston in 2 weeks.  Especially when you are building a $1.5 billion new stadium to showcase your Super Bowl winning team!  WR Julio Jones is allegedly 100% (toe injury), but he also said that last week and dinged it again.  The dynamic RB duo of Devontae Freeman and Tevin Coleman will most likely be the difference.

Two outstanding QB’s and the 2^nd best playoff game this season.  The noise factor will most likely blow the roof off the Georgia Dome and the Falcons will be back in the big game for the first time since 1999.

Atlanta 33, Green Bay 26 (oh, that Hail Mary drop in the end zone on the last play!)

Or?

Packers 34, Birds of Prey 31 (OT thriller for the Iceman, K Mason Crosby – this time from 61 yards)

#3 Pittsburgh Steelers @ #1 New England Patriots
The Killer B’s (Big Ben, Bell, Brown and Boswell) vs. Welcome to the Machine (… courtesy of Pink Floyd).  2 future HOF’ers will slug this one out under balmy skies in the nightcap.  They rank #1 and #2 in playoff wins among active players.  Neither of these teams has lost since Week 10, going 17-0.  Two teams with rich playoff legacies.

Can anyone stop Steeler RB Le’Veon Bell?  If the answer tonight is no, then we will see Pittsburgh win in a shootout.  Can anyone stop the Patriots?  At Gillette Stadium?

We will see.  Take a nap early this afternoon so you can stay up for this thriller.

New England 23, Pittsburgh 20 (Another Brick in the Wall for the Patriots, as David Gilmour replaces Steven Tyler seated next to Robert Kraft)

Or?

Killer B’s 27, Patriots 24 (another OT game today?)

No matter the outcome, it’s shaping up to be a great day of football, with a trip to the SB on the line.

• Pete the Terp has the best HSBT record in Conference Championship games (15-5) and looks to keep the trophy in Maryland
• Greg the Great has set the standard with 520 points in these 2 games (which includes a 401-point home game victory for the Patriots a couple years ago…)
• Buffalo Bill is the all-time points leader in these 2 games (with 4,881 over 28 seasons) and is looking to position himself for his first trophy win “in a few years”
• Is 2017 Winner on his way to trophy #7?
• Undefeated (8-0) Comeback Kid still holds the record for the biggest comeback, so never count him out
• HenricoFiveOh (7-1) is quietly stalking the leader and has his eye on the prize…
• Ben the Butler – will he get his picks in on time? He is becoming notorious for frantic, last second pick submissions.  No slack this weekend if he wants to remain in 2^nd place
• JTB has the highest game average in the Conference Championships, with over 100 points per game. Watch out!

My game summaries will be coming out next week.  Until then, be sure to submit your picks before kickoff and get prepared for 2 great games.

I remain,

~~ The Commish