NFL Championship Weekend Picks

So we've got three meaningful NFL games left this year. That's sort of sad, especially since New England lost last weekend. The mighty Patriots were knocked off by the Jets last weekend, so Rex Ryan will have a chance to gloat all offseason about getting further than New England in the playoffs - again.

Anyway, here's a look at a frankly depressing pair of conference title games.

Green Bay (2-0) at Chicago (1-0) - The Packers look like they're unstoppable right now. They absolutely thrashed the Falcons last weekend, and the Falcons were of course the No. 1 seed coming off a bye week and at home in a domed stadium. That didn't stop Aaron Rodgers whatsoever as the diced up the Falcons defense. The Bears defense should provide a tougher challenge, but despite homefield, Jay Cutler and the Bears will have a tough road to get to the Super Bowl.

• Robbie Griffin: Packers - Last week, I picked the Falcons because I thought the bye week and homefield would overcome being the lesser team. This week, the Bears don't have a bye, and the homefield is less significant. If the Falcons were a tough choice then, the Packers are an easy choice now.
• Maurice London: Packers - The Bears wanted to knock the Packers out of the playoff picture during the last week of the season...... This is why.
• Christopher Fittz: Packers - I, like Michael Silver, am now actively rooting for Aaron Rodgers to win the Super Bowl.
• Liam Ponting: Packers - More confident about this one. Cutler's been awful against Green Bay historically and Rodgers is by far the best quarterback left standing in either conference.
• Charley Code: Bears - Brian, you see all these jokers picking FIGJAM over you? That guy is a loser. Plant him on his FIGJAM face. I have a good feeling that if you can hit him in the mouth early in this game, the Bears will be victorious. Really put a scare into him. Go ahead and get a 15 yard penalty. It's worth it. This might be your last championship opportunity, my friend. Don't let another opportunity slip through your fingers. Remember 2006. Remember 2006. The time is now. This is it. It's time to will your team to a championship. I believe in you. Check out my new tattoo. It's a 54 surrounded by a blue and orange heart on my lower back.
  
• Brett Perryman: Packers - The field will be great for the Bears, and I expect them to be able to muck it up some. But Aaron Rodgers is just fantastic right now, and the Packers present at least some threat of run with James Starks. Can Jay Cutler avoid mistakes against this defense for an entire game? I doubt it.
• JP Starkey: Bears - Just because the Patriots lost last week and nothing makes sense anymore. Is this a dream of a dream of a nightmare of a dream? Like a taco inside a taco from a Taco Bell inside a Pizza Hut in a food court?

New York (2-0) at Pittsburgh (1-0) - I'm not sure my mother ever told me, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." So, I hate both of these teams. With a strong passion. Does it matter? Not really. This game is a rematch of a regular season bout between the pair - in Heinz Field - where the Jets beat Pittsburgh. This should be a somewhat entertaining game to people who don't have souls. It's really sad that one of these two teams is going to the Super Bowl. 

• Griffin: Steelers - I don't even want to think about this.
• London: Steelers - The Jets won their Super Bowl last week.
• Fittz: Steelers - Ugh.
• Ponting: Jets - This really is a no win situation. It'll be ugly as hell and the Jets will probably do very little in the run game, but I'm thinking they squeak this one out.
• Code: Jets - I'm sticking with my preseason SB pick. At least until they meet up with the Monsters of the Midway.
• Perryman: Steelers - This has to be a really close game, doesn't it? Pudgy Ben has what Tom Brady didn't last week - enough speed and playmaking on the outside to keep the Jets honest. Either way, I'll have my barf bag handy.
• Starkey: Steelers - :(