Poll of the Day: What will be the Super Bowl XLVI Matchup?
For many (not me though), the Packers, who won a league-high 15 games, were their Super Bowl XLVI pick. However, the Saints, my pick to win it all, were also eliminated this weekend.
As Bob McGinn from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, it's not that uncommon in recent history for the No. 1 seed in the NFC to lose their first game of the postseason.
Four of the past five top seeds in the NFC have lost their first playoff game: Dallas (2007), NY Giants (2008), Atlanta (2010) and now Green Bay (2011).
That means the NFC Championship Game will feature the 49ers and the Giants, who needed to win the final regular-season game to make the postseason. The 49ers defense is legitimate, we all knew that, but their offense looked good this weekend.
In the AFC, the Patriots got their first playoff win since losing to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII and will host the Ravens, who will need more from their offense to keep up with the Patriots. Then again, they face a defense that is nowhere near as tough as they just faced.
Our picks for both Championship Games will be posted by Thursday, but the early lines in these two games (via SportsBook.com) shows the home teams as favorites: Patriots (-7.5) and 49ers (-2.5).
Here are the odds to win Super Bowl XLVI: Patriots (-110), 49ers and Giants (both +350) and Ravens (+600).
What will the Super Bowl XLVI matchup be?
Related: Past AFC Championship Game Results - Past NFC Championship Game Results
