NFL Football Playoffs 2011|AFC-NFC Championship Game|NFL Playoff TV Schedule-Predictions-Results

The NFL Football season 2010-2011 is completed and the NFL Playoffs 2011 bring the best of the NFL teams for a chance at a championship run to the Super Bowl. The AFC and NFC Conference Champions will be determined by the NFL playoff Wild Card, Divisional and Conference Championship games to set the line-up for Super Bowl XLV (45) in February.

The NFL Football AFC Championship and NFC Championship Games will be played Sunday, January 23rd. The New York Jets will travel to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC Championship. The Green Bay Packers visit division rival Chicago Bears to decide the NFC Championshipin their 3rd meeting this season.

The AFC Champion and the NFC Champion will face off in Arlington, Texas at Cowboy Stadium on February 6th for the Super Bowl XLV (45) Championship and claim the Lombardi Trophy.

• AFC Championship Game

• NFC Championship Game

• AFC Divisional Games-Results

• NFC Divisional Games-Results

• New Overtime Rules for Playoffs

• AFC & NFC Wild Card Results

The AFC Championship Game features the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The NY Jets are returning to the Championship Game for the second consecutive year. The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing for a chance at a 7th Super Bowl Championship.

The New York Jets advance to the AFC Title game after two roads wins over the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. The Jets defense shut down both quarterbacks, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, in their playoff wins. The Jets defense will now face Ben Roethlisberger in an opportunity to win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XLV (45).

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the AFC #2 seed in the playoffs and earned a bye for the wildcard weekend. The Steelers defeated division rival Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional playoff game to advance to the AFC Title game against the NY Jets.

The NY Jets defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular season game 22-17 at Heinz Field. The Steelers look to avenge this home loss with a victory on Sunday. The Jets have been involved in two highly emotional games the past two weeks. Will they have enough energy left for the defensive battle ahead with the Steelers?

The NFC Championship Game is between division rivals Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. These teams have played in 181 meetings for the longest rival in NFL history.

The Green Bay Packers were supposed to be here in preseason predictions. The Chicago Bears have been a surprise team and have become stronger as a team as the season progressed.

The Green Bay Packers suffered major player injuries throughout the season, but overcame the struggles to make the NFL playoffs as the #6 seed.

The Packers faced Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card game. The Packers won the game 21-16.

The Packers went into Atlanta to face the #1 seed Falcons and routed them 48-21. Aaron Rodgers gave a MVP type performance with a 31-36, 366 yd 3 TD performance. The Packers defense has been dominating in the playoffs.

The Chicago Bears defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional game 35-24. The Bear have a balanced offense and a game turning defense. The defense has carried the team throughout the year. The offense has become more efficient with Jay Cutler and Matt Forte with the Mike Martz offensive scheme.

The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears are facing each other in the playoffs for the first time since 1941. The Chicago Bears won that game and the Championship. Who will win in this game and will they also win the NFL Championship?

The NY Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers game will be a defensive struggle. Turnovers and Special Teams play could be the factor in this game. The championship will come down to the team makes the crucial turnover in the game. Both teams feed off of turnovers and hard hitting. The Home field advantage in the playoffs will be too much for the NY Jets this time around.

Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers-17__NY Jets-13

The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears split their division games this year with the home team winning. Both games were close and the NFC Championship Game should be the same. The Packers defense has become a force in the playoffs, especially with the play of cornerback Tremon Williams.

Jay Cutler will be pressed by the Packers blitz. The Bears will move the ball, but Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have too many offensive weapons for the Bears to defend. Aaron Rodgers will make plays passing and running the ball.

Prediction: Green Bay Packers- 20__Chicago Bears-17

Saturday-January 15th, 2011

• Green Bay Packers-48 Atlanta Falcons-21
  
• Pittsburgh Steelers-31 Baltimore Ravens-24
  

Sunday-January 16th, 2011

• Chicago Bears-35 Seattle Seahawks-24
• New York Jets-28 New England Patriots-21

New York Jets-28 New England Patriots-21

The New York Jets are returning to the AFC Championship Game for a second year in a row after defeating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots 28-21. The Jets sacked Tom Brady 5 times in the game and smothered the Patriots receivers throughout the game.

Jets QB Mark Sanchez threw for 3 touchdown passes in the game and made key plays at the right time in the game. The Jets held a 14-3 halftime lead. In the 3rd quarter the Patriots closed to 14-11 with a touchdown pass from Brady to Crumpler and a 2-point conversion.

Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes for a 7-yd TD for a 21-11 lead early in the 4th quarter. After exchanging possessions, the Patriots had to settle for a 35-yd FG with 1:57 to draw within 21-14. The onside kick was recovered by Antonio Cromartie and returned just outside the New England 20. Shonn Greene took the ball 16-yd for a touchdown to make the score 28-14.

The Patriots added a TD with 24 seconds left in the game to make the final score. The onside kicked failed and the Jets won the game.

(Prediction: New England 30 – NY Jets 20)

Pittsburgh Steelers-31 Baltimore Ravens-24

The Baltimore Ravens had a 21-7 lead at the half of the game and with the ball in the 3rd quarter seemed to have the game under control. The Ravens began their self-implosion as they had 3 consecutive turnovers, which all led to Pittsburgh Steelers points. All of a sudden the Steelers had the momentum and the game score lead at 24-21.

The Baltimore Ravens managed to tie the game with a field goal for a 24-24 score with 3:54 left in the game. On Pittsburgh’s next possession Ben Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown with a 58-yd pass completion. Rashard Mendenhall ran in the winning touchdown with 1:33 left in the game.

The Baltimore Ravens tried to move down the field to tie the game, but T.J. Houshmandzadeh dropped Flacco’s fourth-down pass at the Steelers’ 38 with 1:03 remaining.

(Prediction: Pittsburgh 23 – Baltimore 17)

Green Bay Packers-48 Atlanta Falcons-21

Aaron Rodgers dominated the Atlanta Falcons throwing for 366 yards and 3 touchdown passes and rushing for a 4th. Rodgers was 31-36 and a 136.8 QB rating as he carved up the Falcons defense. The Green Bay defense sacked Falcons QB Matt Ryan 5 times and caused 2 interceptions. The Falcons were held to 194 total yards in the game.

Atlanta jumped out to a 14-7 lead after Eric Weems returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown to give the Falcons a 14-7 lead early in the 2nd quarter. Then the Green Bay Packers scored the next 21 points for a 28-14 halftime lead.

The Packers kept scoring as Rodgers was on fire. The Packers extended their lead to 42-14 after 3 quarters of football.  The Falcons added a touchdown and the Packers a couple to field goals for the final score of 48-21.

(Prediction: Green Bay 24 – Atlanta 20)

Chicago Bears-35 Seattle Seahawks-24

The Cinderella story ended very early for the surprising Seattle Seahawks.  The Chicago Bears came out strong taking a 14-0 first quarter lead and a 21-0 halftime lead. Jay Cutler passed for 2 touchdowns and rushed for 2 more TDs.

The Bears defense never let Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck find any rhythm. He was pressured and receivers could not make the plays as they did the previous week. The Bears shut down the running game holding the Seahawks to 34 yards for the game.

The Bears led 28-0 with 4:12 left in the 3rd quarter before the Seahawks begin to make plays and kicked a field goal and add a touchdown at the beginning of the 4th quarter to draw within 28-10.

The Bears responded with Jay Cutler hitting Kellen Davis for a 39-yd touchdown with 4:40 in the game to lead 35-10. The Seahawks added a couple of touchdowns late to make the final score 35-24.

(Prediction: Chicago 27 – Seattle 10)

There has always been discussion about the NFL Overtime rule and possible changes. The original OT rule stated that the team that scored first won the game. The opposing team would not receive a opportunity to match the score, but lost the game.

The NFL made a change to the original OT rule for the 2011 NFL Playoffs. Here is a simple explanation of the new rule.

• If 1st team with ball scores TD, it wins.
• If 1st team with ball makes FG, other team gets chance to tie or win.
• If both teams make FG, next team to score wins.
• If defense scores, game is over.

#1-New England Patriots-winners of the AFC East Division. Home-field advantage. 1st round bye in the playoffs.

#2-Pittsburgh Steelers-winners of the AFC North Division. 1 round bye in the playoffs.

#3-Indianapolis Colts-winners of the AFC South Division. Top seed in the Wild Card playoff round. Plays the #6 seed in wild card game.

#4-Kansas City Chiefs-winners of the AFC West Division. Plays the #5 seed in the Wild Card game.

#5-Baltimore Ravens-2nd in the AFC North Division and will travel to the Indianapolis Colts for the Wild Card playoff game.

#6-New York Jets-2nd in the AFC East Division and will travel to the Kansas City Chiefs for the Wild Card playoff game.

The NY Jets beat the Indianapolis Colts to advance to the AFC Divisional round. Peyton Manning had once again led his team to what was believed to be a game winning score with 53 seconds left.

Antonio Cromartie returned the kickoff 47 yards for the Jets to set up a short field for the Jets to have an opportunity. Five plays later Nick Folk kicked the 32 yd field goal to win the game as time expired.

Final Score: NY Jets-17 Indianapolis Colts-16

The Baltimore Ravens used a dominating defense to rout the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2nd half of the game. The game was close with Baltimore holding a 10-7 lead at halftime. The lack of playoff experience showed as the Chiefs just fell apart in the 2nd half.

The Ravens defense had 3 sacks and 5 turnovers from the Chiefs. The defense held the Chiefs to just 25 yards in the 2nd half. The Baltimore Ravens will advance to the AFC Divisional round to play at the Pittsburgh Steelers next Saturday afternoon. The Ravens and Steelers split their division games this season.

Final Score: Baltimore Ravens-30 Kansas City Chiefs-7

Who Dat? Seahawks knock out the Saints in NFL Wild Card Game.

The Seattle Seahawks were not supposed to be in the NFL playoffs. Many said they were undeserving as an NFL team entering the NFL Playoffs with a losing record. The New Orleans Saints were a huge favorite over the Seattle Seahawks.

This is why they play the game on the field! The Seattle Seahawks have knocked the defending Super Bowl Champions out of the playoffs. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 4 TD’s, 3 in the first half. Marshawn Lynch ran for 131 yards, but the biggest play of the game was the 67 yard td run in the 4th quarter that sealed the game.

Drew Brees passed for over 400 yards and threw the ball 60 times. The Saints were one dimensional with no running game. The defense was flat and couldn’t stop the Seahawks.

Final Score: Seattle-41 New Orleans-36

The Green Bay Packers defeated Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles to advance to the NFC Divisional game against the Atlanta Falcons next Saturday night.  The Packers defense came up big again as it has all season.  Vick was contained for the most part and was intercepted at the end of the game to seal the victory for the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers threw 3 touchdown passes and the Packers found a running game with James Starks rushing for 123 yards. The Green Bay Packers could be a real threat in the NFC playoffs this year.

Final Score: Green Bay Packers-21 Philadelphia Eagles-16

There have been 5 NFL football teams to come from the wild card playoff round and win the Super Bowl.

The 1969 Kansas City Chiefs were the first actual non-divisional winner to win the Super Bowl which was before the inception of the term "wild card."

Four NFL wild card teams have advanced to the Super Bowl and lost in the Championship Game. They are the 1975 Dallas Cowboys, 1985 New England Patriots, 1992 Buffalo Bill and the 1999 Tennessee Titans

1. 1980-Oakland Raiders-Super Bowl XV (played in 1981)
2. 1997-Denver Broncos-Super Bowl XXXII (played in 1998)
3. 2000-Baltimore Ravens-Super Bowl XXXV (played in 2001)
4. 2005-Pittsburgh Steelers-Super Bowl XL (played in 2006)
5. 2007-New York Giants-Super Bowl XLII (played in 2008)