After a weekend filled with games of all magnitudes -- from lopsided affairs (you fought hard Houston) to instant classics ( keep your head up Dallas) -- there was a little bit of everything this weekend during the divisional round.
As expected, the Patriots and Tom Terrific handled their business, winning comfortably against the Houston Texans. Matt Ryan showed up and showed out against the ever-so pesky Seahawks. The "Legion of Boom" looked more like the "Legion of Gloom" as the dynamic two-headed monster of DeVonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman carved up one of the NFL's best defenses and made them look like child's play. Add in a couple big throws from Matty Ice and "wallah!" you have a 36-20 victory. The NFL's best offense lives to fight another day.
Speaking of "league's best", the Cowboys, the NFC's #1 seed, felt the wrath of Aaron Rodgers and the "run the table" crew. This game was filled with excitement from start to finish, but ultimately, Rodgers had the last laugh. With less than a minute on the clock, number 12 made play after play, culminating in a scintillating throw on a rope to a tip-toeing Jared Cook to set up a game-winning 50-yard field goal by Mason Crosby.
The Killer B's (Ben, Bell, Brown) ended the magical season for the Kansas City Chiefs, with a little controversy from the refs, but nonetheless, was a hard-fought tough win that saw a record six field goals from Chris Boswell.
So that leaves us with two gargantuan matchups to decide who gets to represent each conference in Super Bowl 51.
In the AFC...
Pittsburgh Steelers vs New England Patriots
Another great meeting between Big Ben and TB12 is on the horizon.
Both teams looked like lesser versions of themselves this past weekend and will look to regroup and come full force in this clash of the most Super Bowl-winning QB's left in the playoffs. With a combined six rings between the two, both will be looking to add to their collection and to build on their already legendary careers.
For Brady, a fifth ring puts him in Jordan-like territory. He will unquestionably be considered the GOAT. Five rings in seven tries is a legendary feat and would be the cherry on top for a remarkable career.
For Big Ben, a third ring etches his name with the likes of Montana, Bradshaw, Brady and Aikman as the only winners of at least three Super Bowls.
So who has the upper hand?
The Patriots seemed to win with ease all season long, but this will be the hardest test of them all. This Steelers team is fully loaded offensively and the experience of the veteran leaders on defense should prove to be formidable against Tom Brady and the New England offense.
Both offenses will put up points, but the Steelers offense has too many weapons for the Pats to slow them down completely. Stopping the likes of Antonio Brown and Leveon Bell is a feat that not even the great Bill Belicheck will be able to do. Bell and Brown are playing their best football and should make one or two plays to beat the Patriots.
New England gets stunned at home, 27-23, with Leveon Bell serving as the x-factor, and showing why he is the most complete back in the league.
In the NFC...
Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Falcons
The Packers are the hottest team in the league and Aaron Rodgers is playing the best football of his career -- which should scare any team.
"Run the table" has become the motto of this season's Packers since Rodgers proclaimed that with his team struggling and sitting at 4-6, that they could "run the table", win their conference and make the playoffs.
Well, the Packers did just that and have since extended that streak to eight consecutive wins, with two impressive wins over the Giants and the Cowboys in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Can the Pack overcome Matt Ryan and the league's best offense?
They can and they will.
The Falcons are an impressive team and looked unbelievable against the Seahawks.
This game should be one for the ages, but with the game on the line in the waning moments, my money is on Aaron Rodgers to one up Matt Ryan and lead the Pack to victory.
Rodgers and Green Bay continue to "run the table" winning 34-30.