With the Super Bowl less than two weeks away, we’ve got four teams trying to get to the big game.

And this upcoming Sunday should bring two great games coming out of the AFC and the NFC.

AFC Championship Game:  Batlimore Ravens at New England Patriots

Date: Sunday, January 22nd 3:00pm Eastern, Noon Pacific.  Channel: CBS

This is going to be a good one in my opinion.  Tom Brady and the Patriots high-octane offense versus Ray Lewis and the No-Bull Defense of the Ravens.

It should be next to a stand-still in this front considering that the Ravens have the 3rd-ranked defense in the league, (holding opponents to 288.9 yards a game), and the Patriots have the 2nd-ranked offense, (racking up 428 yards a game).

Tom Brady, and Wes Walker would have to worry about Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs in the passing game.  But the Ravens would have to account for Walker, Deion Branch and their tight ends; Gronkowski and Hernandez during the passing game accounting that they expect their front seven to shutdown the Patriot running game.

The big difference in this game would be the Ravens offense or the Patriots defense.  If one of them will step up big, (which would be expected considering the Super Bowl is on the line), and get a big play or two; then either team will win the game.

My Prediction:  Ravens.  The Raven are just hungry enough and well-rounded talent- and age-wise to pull a upset over the Patriots.  It seems like the Patriots are just complacent and not determine to get to the Super Bowl again.  On top of that I don’t see Tom Brady being on his A-Game as greatly as he was against Denver in the Divisional round espically against this defense of the Ravens.   I see Ray Rice and Joe Flacco being the difference makers for the Ravens to get them the victory.

Now to the NFC Championship Game. 

The New York Giants at the San Francisco 49ers

Date: January 22; Time:  6:30 Eastern, 3:30 Pacific; Channel: FOX

This should be another great game.  Two teams who are pretty much even on the field.

These two teams played one another week 10 when the 49ers pulled off the 27-20 victory during their 8-game winning streak.  In that game, the Niners had to score 15 in the fourth to win the game.

More or less it’ll come down to that in my opinion, who can out-duel the other.

Similar to the Ravens/Patriots game; it’s Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs versus the fourth-ranked Niner defense with Patrick Willis and Justin Smith.

If the Giants can nick-pick the Niner defense like they did over Green Bay, then the Giants will win.  If the Niners manage to get pressure on Eli and the Giants passing game, they’ll get the bid to the Super Bowl.

Also like the Ravens and Patriots game; it’ll be a stall mate with the Giants offense and the Niner defense and the difference maker will come from the Giants defense and the Niners offense.

The niner offense has shown signs of hope outside of the “Give Frank Gore the Ball” campiagn with Alex Smith stepping up and giving some love to Vernon Davis, (who set the playoff Tight End record with 180 yard recieving against the Saints last week in the Divisional Rounds) and Michael Crabtree has stepped up as well in the passing game.

But they have to worry about Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck up-front on the Giants defensive line.  Two great defensive forces that can stop the pass and run.  If the Giants have a chance on defense, it’s through these two guys up front to lead their defense to the promise land.

My Prediction:  49ers.  Both teams are hungry, both teams are looking to get back to the promise land; but I think the cinderella story with the Niners will carry them to their 6th Super Bowl apperence off of that if the Niners defense did what they did to Drew Brees in the passing game last week, they should do that easliy to Eli Manning (considering he’s a step behind Brees) and they will have to rely on the running game which the Niners are one of the best in the league to defend at.

Super Bowl:  Ravens vs. Niners