NFC Championship Game: Green Bay Packers v Chicago Bears Preview and Prediction

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The Green Bay Packers head to Soldier Field this Sunday to take on The Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game, which will decide who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLV in Dallas.

The most epic rivalry in NFL history will occur in a playoff game for the first time since 1941. The teams have played each other 182 times total, more than any other two teams have played eachother in the history of the NFL.

I couldn’t think of a better way to start Conference Championship Sunday. This game will be a true Black & Blue Division battle between two teams who know eachother well and two quarterbacks who both still have a lot to prove.

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Seattle in on McDaniels talks

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Update: ESPN's Chris Mortensen confirms that Josh McDaniels is a candidate to replace Jeremy Bates as Seattle's offensive coordinator.

Fantasy Impact:  Talks with the Rams apparently have hit a road block, many believe due to money, but McDaniels has no lack of suitors for his services.  Expect him to land someplace this week.

 

 



Seattle in on McDaniels talks

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Update: ESPN's Chris Mortensen confirms that Josh McDaniels is a candidate to replace Jeremy Bates as Seattle's offensive coordinator.

Fantasy Impact:  Talks with the Rams apparently have hit a road block, many believe due to money, but McDaniels has no lack of suitors for his services.  Expect him to land someplace this week.

 

 



Moore wants to return

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Update: Panthers free agent quarterback Matt Moore (shoulder) would "love" to re-sign with the Panthers in 2011.

Fantasy Impact:  The Panthers are expected to bring in a veteran quarterback this offseason, and this means with Jimmy Clausen in the mix, Moore is competing with Tony Pike for the 3rd quarterback spot.  It is highly likely he played his last game in Carolina.  



Moore wants to return

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Update: Panthers free agent quarterback Matt Moore (shoulder) would "love" to re-sign with the Panthers in 2011.

Fantasy Impact:  The Panthers are expected to bring in a veteran quarterback this offseason, and this means with Jimmy Clausen in the mix, Moore is competing with Tony Pike for the 3rd quarterback spot.  It is highly likely he played his last game in Carolina.  



RB Smith interested in Dolphins

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Update: The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Lions running back Kevin Smith, scheduled to hit restricted free agency this offseason, wants to play for the Dolphins in 2011.

Fantasy Impact:  Smith had a slew of injuries in 2010 and had ACL surgery last offseason.  The Dolphins have free agents in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, but Smith is nothing more than a backup at this point.  

 



Links Olivia Wilde Would Love: Blake Griffin Scores 47, Dunks Once, MLK Day NBA Roundup, and NFL Championship Week Begins

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It’s morning. While you get out your favorite coffee mug, pour a glass of orange juice, and make sure you have enough milk for your bowl of cereal, get yourself back up to date with the happenings in, or at least somewhat near, the sporting universe.

The following are links that we’re certain Olivia Wilde would love.

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What did Jim Irsay? – The @JimIrsay Tweet(s) of the Day for January 18th, 2011

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Twitter has done many things since it exploded onto the scene a couple of years ago. From the perspective of a die-hard, obsessive sports fan like myself, one of the great effects of Twitter has been to give us peeks behind the curtain, so to speak, at what our favorite athletes and sports figures are like.

Well, there is perhaps no more entertaining and off-the-rails curtain to peek behind than that of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay. He joined the micro-blogging site not too long ago and quickly became a prolific, must-follow tweeter. Knowing a little something about Irsay’s backstory – especially his indefatigable love of music – will help you to put his tweets into context. This quick Irsay biography tells you all you need to know.

What did Jim Irsay? is our daily (for the most part) segment that celebrates the most compelling of Irsay’s tweets. In today’s episode, Jim is apparently seeing near-naked ladies in Indianapolis…and may not actually be Jim at all. [Read more...]

Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com



Mora to land in Denver

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Update: According to the Denver Post, former Falcons and Seahawks coach Jim Mora will likely take over as the Broncos' new defensive coordinator.

Fantasy Impact:  Mora was believed to be the leader for the Eagles job, but apparently the meeting in Denver went well, and he is expected to take the Broncos job. Dick Jauron would seem to be the favorite now in Philadelphia.



McDermott gets Panthers job

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Update: ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports the Panthers have hired former Eagles DC Sean McDermott for the same position in Carolina. McDermott had interviews set up with the Panthers and Broncos less than 24 hours after he was canned in Philadelphia.

Fantasy Impact: Denver now must look for another option after losing out on McDermott.  Packers DL coach Mike Trgovac may now become the favorite to land in Denver. 



Crushing the Myth

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Tom Brady can’t win the big game.

He wants to be the star. He wants all the attention (just look at his hair). He wants all the glory, but one simple fact remains. He can’t win the big game.

He has gone 5-5 in the playoffs since 2005. He finished with QB ratings of 74, 57.6, 79.5, 66.4, 82.5, 49.1, and 89 in seven of those games. In his last three playoff games (all losses), he has thrown 5 TDs and 4 INTs. He has averaged a rating of 73.5 in those games. By the way, those losses came with teams that won 16, 10, and 14 games respectively. He lost to quarterbacks named Eli, Joe, and the Sanchize.

Can you say choke?

(Cue: Sound of record coming to a screeching halt)

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Jon Washburn @The_Dr_Twitch

Reed to return to Ravens

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Update: Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is of the opinion that he'll have veteran Ed Reed back for another go-round in 2011, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Fantasy Impact:  Harbaugh told the Sun, "I've seen him say publicly where he plans on playing for as long as he can, and he's told me — I don't think he'd mind me saying this — he wants to play football," Harbaugh said. "Ed's got a chance this offseason to be healthier than he's ever been going into a season because I don't think he has anything major — that I'm aware of right now — any major injuries. He's got some things he's got to work through, and I think he's going to have a full year of offseason conditioning. He's really excited about that. I don't want to speak for him. He'll have to tell you all that, but I think Ed's going to have a great year next year."



Reed to return to Ravens

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Update: Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is of the opinion that he'll have veteran Ed Reed back for another go-round in 2011, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Fantasy Impact:  Harbaugh told the Sun, "I've seen him say publicly where he plans on playing for as long as he can, and he's told me — I don't think he'd mind me saying this — he wants to play football," Harbaugh said. "Ed's got a chance this offseason to be healthier than he's ever been going into a season because I don't think he has anything major — that I'm aware of right now — any major injuries. He's got some things he's got to work through, and I think he's going to have a full year of offseason conditioning. He's really excited about that. I don't want to speak for him. He'll have to tell you all that, but I think Ed's going to have a great year next year."



Favre files retirement papers

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Update: Two sources told FOXSports.com on Monday that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has already filed his retirement papers with the NFL, just weeks after the end of his 20th season.

Fantasy Impact:  We have been down this road before with Favre, so nothing is certain.  We won't believe he is actually done until the first snap of the 2011 season takes place without him. 



Links Natalie Portman Would Love: The NFL’s Championship Sunday is Set, and, Did Anything Else Happen This Weekend?

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It’s morning. While you get out your favorite coffee mug, pour a glass of orange juice, and make sure you have enough milk for your bowl of cereal, get yourself back up to date with the happenings in, or at least somewhat near, the sporting universe.

The following are links that we’re certain Natalie Portman would love.

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