by Keith Hayes

Created on: January 20, 2007   Last Updated: July 27, 2011

This is it!

This is why we as football fans put ourselves through 17 weeks (21 for some) of high and lows. This is why we play fantasy football, or office pools "for entertainment purposes only", this is why people are flying into Best Buys and purchasing over-sized hi-def televisions. All of this to watch these match ups, and to be honest, sometimes the conference championship games are better than the Super Bowl itself. This weekend could be just that, but before I get into my views I just want to send out a personal message to Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.

"Hey Donovan... Didn't you read my Chunky Soup Curse piece back in 2002? Don't you remember my quote, calling it a bowl of hearty meat, potatoes, veggies, and warmth that was evil incarnate in disguise? I guess not, because you still continue to hawk it while standing on the sidelines injured yet again watching your team struggle without you. When are you going to learn McNabb? Is the curse going to have to take your mom Wilma, Betsy (Hasselbeck's Mom) or Elleanor Starks (Steelers' Mom) down for the season with a freakish ACL tear while filming a commercial? What's it going to be? Get out of the contract while you still have some body parts left!"

Game One: New Orleans Saints (10-6) at Chicago Bears (13-3)

Last weekend both of these teams squeaked past their opponents by a field goal while putting up the same amount of total points (27), but now it's time for me to make a decision as to who I like in this NFC match up. The Saints won last week for one reason and one reason only... Their fan base. If roles were reversed this weekend the Bears would be going into the Superdome with that rabid fan base and after what they've been through over the last two years, it's the hardest emotion for a visiting team to deal with. Granted the Saints have  certain players and staff that were never affected by Katrina, but after playing there for an entire season they know what winning means to those people, and they have built a base that seemed almost like a family atmosphere when watching last week.

These Saints are good, and they are going to be that much better next year with rookies RB Reggie Bush (565 yds for the season) and WR Marques Colston (1038 yds for the season) having one season under their belts. As a matter of fact, WR Marques Colston was my pick for the NFL rookie of the year over Tennessee Titans' QB Vince Young yet he didn't win, and it will probably be a debate amongst fans that will go on till next

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