Playoffs and the Big Game

Before we get too caught up in bad referees, choke jobs and deflated balls, let's stay positive and reflect on the playoffs and the Super Bowl ahead!

Sure, some would say it was marred by the picked up pass interference call on Dallas, the Dez Bryant overturned catch in Green Bay and the lack of a Manning-Brady clash. But, there are many good takeaways from this playoffs. Here are a handful:

One Great Game

The best game, by far this postseason, was Baltimore and New England. It was a pure slugfest! Just when everyone thought Joe Flacco was a one-hit wonder and an overpaid quarterback, "Cool Joe" earned his nickname yet again, dueling with one of the greatest of all-time. In what felt like a heavyweight fight, Brady barely outlasted his counterpart, but it was not without some legendary and dramatic exchanges.

The Great Finish

Some people are calling this a great game or one of the greatest they've seen in recent memory. I strongly disagree. It was one of the most boring games you'll ever see for about 58 minutes. However, it was the most entertaining finish this playoffs, and one both fan bases may never forget.

When Brandon Bostick let the ball go through his hands and into the arms of the Legion of Boom, I could not help but think of 2012, when Kyle Williams fumbled the ball for the 49ers against the Giants in the NFC Championship. The timing of both changed Super Bowl berths (maybe fates?), and will have fans playing the "What if" game for a long, long time.

Quarterbacks 

Like it or not, it's a quarterback league, and they eat up story lines, as well as blame. Before we get into the major players, let's first touch on the team everyone has forgotten: the Arizona Cardinals. It was an incredible season for them, and injuries certainly played a significant role in their playoff exit. Bruce Arians is one heck of a coach, and the team looked on their way to a first round bye until injuries set in. It would've been nice to see what they would have been able to do with a healthy Carson Palmer, or even Drew Stanton, in that Wild Card Game.

Now, on to the popular ones. Tony Romo had the best season of his career in my mind, but he didn't do himself any favors in terms of legacy. On the other hand, Andrew Luck showed some real signs of elite progression when he defeated Manning, albeit with Manning's injury. Despite losing badly to the Pats, I keep saying Luck does more with less than any QB in the game. Just give him time to reduce some of the human and inexperienced errors, and maybe a few more weapons and a defense to boot.

Next is Aaron Rodgers, who could only stand on the sidelines for the finals minutes of regulation and all of overtime. This game was entirely not his fault. He played a good game, especially considering he was not close to 100%. His defense stepped up like never before, but a couple fluky plays determined the fate of this one. That guy should've returned that interception to or near the house in the final five minutes. You can't take anything for granted in this league, and certainly, many of us assumed Rodgers would have another ring or Super Bowl appearance by now.

Then, there's that guy named Tom Brady. Remember in the first month when people and the media wanted to cast him off as over the hill? Now, people are saying he's still the best quarterback in the league.

Super Bowl

The fans have a real treat on their hands with this one. It's a battle of the league's two best teams on the grandest stage of them all, and weather will not be a factor. So many story lines: Will Seattle repeat? Can Brady and Belichick add to or cement their legacy? What happens to Marshawn Lynch post-Super Bowl, and will the result change that? Carroll vs. Belichick. Player matchups. Deflategate.

I'm so over that last one, but the rest should be great! For me, this is a legacy-defining game. Seattle is looking to win the rare back to back, and perhaps begin a dynasty. On the other side, it's just two of the very best of all time trying to shake off some of the past and rekindle some of the magic they've shared three times.

If Seattle wins, a juggernaut emerges that few ever saw coming a few years ago. Also, Russell Wilson will have to be in the discussion for top playoff quarterbacks, as painful as it is for me to admit. Moreover, Pete Carroll can start to be in the discussion for top coaches in history. It's truly remarkable how he has turned the franchise around, and won this much this fast.

However, if the Pats can pull it out, Brady vaults way ahead of Manning, who couldn't defeat Seattle last year. It is one of the best debates in sports history, but if Manning can't win another ring or two, and Brady wins this one, it's all but over in my mind. Manning is a fantastic quarterback, and you can argue a better one in general, but Brady's accomplishments, along with Manning's playoff record, stands out way too much.

Prediction

This game should be really solid, and I don't see a blowout happening at all. Given the injuries to Sherman and Thomas, the balance and weapons of the Pats that they haven't had in their last two Super Bowl appearances, and my belief in Brady over Wilson, I have to go with the Pats. Pats win 24-20. Enjoy the "Big Game!"