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Tags: AFC and NFC | Conference Championship | Firecats | high school football | NFL

This brings us to the Conference Finals.

 Now you find the best teams in the AFC and NFC, ready to battle until the last second and breath, to cap a season in itself already, already so very positive.

In other words, these games are a prelude, "the hall" for the port to "event with the capital E, or the Super Bowl.

After 16 exciting games of the regular season, the Wild Card-thrilling encounters that could not be wilder, and after the 4 divisional games at the highest level of adrenaline, and "seasoned" with great surprises, now the "gladiators" of the arenas of pro football came at the first moment.

In fact, in the evening / night of Sunday, we will be able to assist two Conference Championship.

For AFC, we will confront the New York Jets, who for the second time this season to visit the most popular Steelers, while the NFC, on the grounds of Soldier Field, the helmets will cross two of the most successful teams, the richest in tradition of all the NFL: Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers-a challenge that is played from the far 1921.

Now, with that premise, let's go into more detail in the match program.

NFC Conference Championship

Green Bay Packers - Chicago Bears

As has already been largely gutted during the two seasonal challenges, including Green Bay and Chicago, the rivalry has its roots in the history of pro football: in fact, the two franchises were born early last century, namely, Chicago was founded by George Halas, one of the founding fathers of professional league in 1920 as the Decatur Staley's, in 1921, moved a few miles, and became the first Chicago Staley's, and since 1922, Chicago Bears.

Halas himself, as well as the position of the owner on several occasions, he held also the position of head coach. Under his leadership came with 8 titles NFL-NFL Championship was the "name" of the first title of champion of annexation between AFL and NFL.

In the modern era, the Bears have so far won only one ring in the 1985 season, under the command of the great coach Mike Ditka, or rather, one "Vince Lombardi Trophy, sometimes fate plays some nice jokes, since Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the Packers, was the most bitter rival of the "Monsters of the Midway", as the Bears were called at the time of the unforgettable and ever dear Halas.

Coming to our days, thanks to the excellent ability to Lovie Smith, the front office, and secondly, the players in camp, Chicago managed to repeat the great 2006 season, when they returned to the Super Bowl, even though he had to surrender to the Colts Manning. The Bears have been widely and fairly easy to control while the competitive NFC North, securing a spot in the Divisional, where they also caught a nice revenge on the Seahawks, who had beaten them in the regular season.

But now comes the difficult, "form" of the Packers, a team of more "hot", fit, motivated you could ever meet in this season.

The Packers, meanwhile, are slightly more "experts" of the Bears in fact, were founded by Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Calhoun in 1919.

Thanks to the "Indian Packing Company, Lambeau obtained supplies of uniforms by-game and from that day, the team took the name of Wisconsin at Green Bay Packers. Earl Curly Lambeau assumed, since 1921, was appointed head coach, and he came through the first six titles in the history of the Packers.

In the sixties, but under the guidance of the equally legendary Vince Lombardi, came five more titles: namely, in 1961 / '62 / '65, the last "NFL Championship, and in 1966/1967, the Packers win the first two Super Bowl-however it was a Super Bowl before its time ", given that the final formula of the NFL today was adopted in 1970.

Under this formula, the last Super Bowl won by the Packers back to the year 1996-a young Favre, helped by fast Desmond Howard, the Patriots managed to beat the "Big Tuna" Parcells.

In 1997 / '98, the Packers will play another, but were defeated by the Broncos great John Elway, which also broke the record loss of Super Bowls played and lost his Broncos.

"By the way, let's get back to us.

This season the Packers had gone very well, except for having a sharp decline in mid-season, which coincides with the exit from the line-up Rodgers. However, when the number 12 has taken possession of the control room, the Packers have soared toward the playoffs: great final of the regular season, landing the Wild Card, where they dug out the field the Eagles.

However, so far the masterpiece arrived in the Divisional fact; the boys of Coach McCarthy have also dug out the Georgia Dome, home of the Falcons with a super-ensemble test. After initially quite "slow", they closed all access to their own half, and have "cooked" to perfection the hapless Falcons.

Now, however, the Packers have to overcome the difficult obstacle of the Bears, who, in turn, do not want to miss this golden opportunity. Coming to the challenge in itself, we are talking about a rivalry began in 1921, and the challenge of tomorrow, got to number one hundred eighty-two clash, including regular and post season match.

The Bears record is 92 wins, 83 draws and 6 Packers. The first meeting was in November 1921, and resulted in a great away win for Chicago, 20-0. The ultimate challenge is recent, January 2, 2011: Green Bay a place to run to the playoffs needed a victory as has happened, 10-3 in playoffs, and Rodgers and members insured.

Here, in the post season they met only once, in 1941, and in that time, Chicago won, 33 to 14. In addition, both teams had periods of domination: Chicago had a streak of eight victories between 1985 and 1988, Green Bay, however, between 1994 and 1998 he won ten consecutive matches.

In addition, record-level in the Championship, Chicago is tied, 2-2 (2-1 at home last appearance was in 2006). Green Bay has the same record, 2-2 (and 1-1 away, the last victory dates back to 1997 season).

Finally, we get the news from the field, only the LB Tinoisamoa to Chicago, did not attend the training, and among the owners, some doubts about the safety Harris, but could make it. For Green Bay, however, the injury report is pretty crowded, but the various Juhn, Matthews, Woodson, Jenkins, Pickett, Lee, are all listed as "probable", then, unless a sudden debilitating influence, none of these will miss the above. So, meeting Sunday at around 21/21.30, on EspnAmerica, broadcaster Fox.

AFC Conference Championship

New York Jets - Pittsburgh Steelers

Also on Sunday, but during the night after the show that will surely be offered by Green Bay and Chicago, we will have a few minutes to recover and relax, because, from 02.00, on the ground dell'Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, will take the field for the final AFC, the New York Jets and Steelers owners.

This is not an unusual challenge in the AFC: just to narrow down the statistics for the last ten years, in the regular season, the Steelers have been imposed three times as many wins against Jets - the last of which ended 22-17 for boys coach Ryan. In terms of victories, tradition, reputation, Jets-Steelers cannot possibly be compared, especially in number, a Bears-Packers, however, the two teams are two of the most important in the landscape of pro football.

Let's start from the Steelers, the first football franchise of the city of Pennsylvania was founded in 1933 by Art Rooney, and since it was also an avid football fan, decided fastened her to the fledgling football team the same name as the baseball franchise, the Pirates.

This nickname was held until 1939. Between 1940 and 1942, it became almost official put the Steelers-name in connection with the industry that produces and sells steel during World War II, the name was changed twice: in 1943, "born" the Phi-Pitt Steagles, in 1944, as Card-Pitt. Finally, since 1945, summed up the team in Pittsburgh and kept from that hour the name Steelers.

During his affiliation with the professional leagues, the Steelers often changed location, such as division. Since 1970, they were placed first in the AFC Central, and after the realignment of 2002 in the North Division. During these decades, the owners, the Rooney could see his own "creation" to create a true dynasty: in fact the birth of the modern NFL, the Steelers have won six Vince Lombardi Trophy (1974 / '75 / '78 / '79, and then, 2005/2008).

7 times won the AFC, 20 times champions of the AFC have graduated and delal North Central Division. In the face of Sunday will have to deal with a New Yok Jets that will surely ruin the plans of a decidedly Pittsburgh launched, and, always talking about the Jets, to convince even the most skeptical that the "New York white-green" this year, after beating the Patriots twice, once before and the Steelers themselves, wants to finish his great journey.

In fact Ryan has been successful in a large company that the Jets back to levels, splendor, that is lost in time. Despite looking at the statistics, the cold numbers, the Jets cannot be considered a "superpower" of football, however, the team in green and white was one of the franchises of the era's most influential and important "pre-NFL" modern.

Born as Titans of New York, since 1963, assumed the name of the stadium where the Jets play their home games was near La Guardia Airport, and because they shared Shea Stadium with the Mets, Jets was also among the assonantal two names. In fact, after some years of "environment", the Jets front office guesses some managerial choices and field, and thanks to the couple Webank Webb on the bench, Broadway Joe Namath in the control room, he succeeded to defeat in Super Bowl III, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami the strong, popular, favored Baltimore Colts, Don Shula as coach of The Master and Johnny Unitas on the field.

In Pre we remember especially the swagger, almost with pride that Namath "promised" the victory of his Jets: all observers agreed in considering the Colts a clear advantage, but Broadway Joe had a great surprise in Serbia, and it was: 16 -7 for the Jets.

In the run to the locker room, Joe Namath finally gave indelible image for every football fan: the index on the sky, cinematically said "We are the number one !!!". It was also noted in the MVP race, just to enjoy.

But aside from these notes of color, you remember the Super Bowl III anhce because the first Super Bowl won by an AFL team against an NFL (the second was won in 1969 by the Chiefs). Unfortunately, after these exploits, the Jets fans had to swallow many bitter pills. However, in the last ten years, notably in 2002/2004/2009, the Jets are back in vogue and have also won their first game of the playoffs: a pity that they were always the Wild Card

Until last year, when, before the Bengals defeated the most popular, then the Chargers, but had to stop at the Championship, when they lost against the Colts in Indianapolis. But this year, Coach Ryan has been successful in half a miracle: after all, the leadership must also rigraziare Jets who brought home Tomlinson and Holmes, to name but two.

But already in the regular season the Jets have taken a lot of satisfaction, type and the Steelers beat the Patriots, two true superpowers, two "systems" almost perfect. Came the playoffs before, they took their revenge against the Colts, Manning, then, last week, have ruined the plans of "perhaps) already sure of victory Patriots.

So now the Jets are required quite a last effort to overcome a big and heavy rock. Also because, with respect to the Championship itself, New York is 0-3 (and all the defeats have come away from home). While Pittsburgh is tied, 7-7, at home and has won 5.

In conclusion, giving a ball injury last report, we read that in New York are the most important players as "probable", then, less than "earthquake," should not "mark visit, to Pittsburgh, a speech like this: at the end At this point, nothing can stop this kind of players, true gladiators of our time.