NFL Conference Championship Games, the Race for 2nd Place, or Nobody's Perfect?

Of all the possible story lines in the battles to win the respective NFL conference championships for the right to meet the other conference winner in the Super Bowl, to this observor, the best two are: will Brett Favre return to the Big One after an absence of a complete decade? 2. Can the New England Patriots become only the second team to go through an NFL season undefeated?

The 1972-73 Miami Dolphins went 17-0 with the league having 14 games in those days. Included were the 'Phins 3 postseason victories. The Patriots thus could become the first NFL team to go undefeated since the league adopted the 16 game schedule in 1978. That would give the Pats a place in history all by themselves.

First of all, let me say that there are two other teams involved in this weekend's action. The San Diego Chargers and New York Giants both bucked the odds to win on the road last weekend to advance to the conference championships, so they will have something to say about it. Both teams received some breaks and to their credit, made the most of them. San Diego particularly is to be commended for overcoming injuries to both reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and their starting Quarterback Phillip Rivers. Unfortunately, if most of the experts are right, both teams will end of their season next Sunday. I concur, not that I am an "expert", but my track record is better than some of the talking heads of ESPN.

One of the more interesting tidbits in the two games is the possibility of a pair of players who were traded for each other squaring off in the Super Bowl. On draft day a few years ago, the Chargers picked Eli Manning in spite of his objections and his statement that he wouldn't play for the team if they chose him. The team within hours traded the rights to Eli to the Giants for the rights to Phillip Rivers and two future draft picks.

The pair of picks turned out to be All-Pro defender Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding, the Chargers current kicker. Despite the recent emergence of young Manning, most would give a big edge to San Diego on that deal. But forget it, it's not going to matter in my opinion: