Conference Championship Games and Superbowl XLIV

The Super Bowl approaches.

The focus and media attention will be on the likes of Drew Brees, Jeremy Shockey, Peyton Manning and the other usual suspects - but in these games and the Super Bowl game itself - the occasion can get to any of the top players. Just as 'ordinary' players can step up to win the game.

So who do we love this year.

Indianapolis Colts: odds range +100 to +120.

Everyone loves the Colts - who couldn't enjoy watching Manning throw the football. They come up against the defense minded New York Jets and defense is about all that they have in their locker. But at the prices as they stand the Colts are hardly attractive and we won't be having our football bet on the Colts.

New York Jets: odds range +700 to +800.

The New York Jets' defense 'is' the team - it is what it lives and breathes off.

The Jets are the big outsiders and they should go down against the Colts who will probably have too much in their locker for them - but at the prices we would take the Jets for the Bowl and maybe look to take the other finalist too after these games for a no lose situation.

New Orleans Saints: odds range +200.
The Saints crushed the Cardinals - everyone who saw it had to be impressed. But firstly it was the Cardinals and secondly New Orleans had come off a two week break as opposed to Arizona who had played a tough game against the Packers less than a week earlier.

Minnesota Vikings: odds range +450 to +500.
We would take the Vikings for the Bowl - but their road record is a worry. It could be a cruel day for them - remember, as an aside, their Super Bowl record in terms of appearance vs wins stands at 4-0. But who knows, Brett Favre might still have a say and take them to the big one.

Know this, had the Vikings been playing at home they might have been the shorter price of the two teams...such is their home record.

In summary, we would take the Saints before the Colts - but before we took the Saints we'd split stakes on the two outsiders Minnesota and New York - in the hope that we get at least one upset.

You can get odds on the games here - football match-ups

Jets Fly in to Semi-Finals

The big upset of the weekend was the Jet's tight thee point victory over the San Diego Chargers to make it to the AFC Championship decider. They are also the
only wild-card team to have beaten seeded opposition on the road, in the weekend's games.

It was no mean achievement for New York, who have a rookie head coach and a rookie QB. Their reward is a fairly daunting match up against the Indianapolis Colts - who in turn got to this stage by beating the Baltimore Ravens.

San Diego were the strong favourites in the betting and had gone into this match-up having a regular season eleven game winning run - ending up 13-3 and the AFC West champs.

In sharp contrast, the Jets stole into the post-season on the final day of the regular season with an overall record of 9-7. This was really the second upset of their Superbowl run since they turned over the Cincinnati Bengals.

New York gave away little and were only 7-0 down at the end of the 2nd quarter.

Jay Feely finally got the Jets on the points board and the defence then set about smothering Rivers, leading to two interceptions and a missed field goal attempt for the Chargers.

In the final quarter, Sanchez threw a touchdown pass for Keller before running back Greene grabbed the win with a 53 yarder for another touchdown - putting the Jets 17-7ahead.

It was always going to be tough for Sand Diego from this point on but Rivers got them back to within three, when he charged over the goal-line a few seconds before the 'two-minute-warning'. But the Jets retained the football and won the game.

Marauding Vikings put Cowboys to the Sword

Defence was the order of the day and Brett Favre and most of Minnesota were grateful. Dallas couldn't live with them and the Cowboys were simply brushed aside as the Vikings set up the NFC Championship decider against the Saints, which will be played on Sunday.

The hapless Tony Romo spent most of the game 'dancing' with the Vikings offence, fumbling or turning over the ball to the opposition. His 40 year old opposite number, Brett Favre, was in contrast allowed to craft a crushing victory on home turf.

Brett Favre inflicted the kind of pain that you could would have expected him to lay down only in his prime. But his four scoring passes didn't tell the whole story. Favre completed 15 of 24 passes for a snip under 235 yards. For Romo it was a case of more attempts and less yardage.

Vikings' kicker Longwell added 4 points between the uprights.

The Vikings now visit the New Orleans Saints who made a point against the Cardinals in a 45-14 victory - reinforcing their top seed status. The winners of that game will have their ticket to the Superbowl.

Super Bowl Betting Odds now available.