Aaron Rodgers has been my favorite quarterback for quite a while now, probably as long as it has been since he led the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl title in 2010, and most likely a bit before that.  He and his hurt calf, along with the rest of his Packers’ teammates will head to the very unhospitable region of the northwest reigned by Russell Wilson and his dauntingly tough defense to try and win another chance to play for the Lombardi Trophy and bring it back to what I’m sure they believe is its rightful place, “Titletown U.S.A.”

The conference championship games coming this weekend pit possibly the four best quarterbacks in the game today, which is fitting for the right to play for the Super Bowl championship, something all of them have done except Andrew Luck.  The other three still play for the same teams and have the same head coaches years after their last titles, a rarity in today’s game.  The Indianapolis Colts, on the other hand, said goodbye to their championship quarterback a few years ago and threw their chips in with the top pick in the draft (Andrew Luck), a big, fast and athletic son of  former NFL QB Oliver Luck.  The Colts’ management must have had a real sense of fulfillment and contentment, watching their improving franchise QB handily take down the guy they replaced him with.

Now that the Denver Broncos failed to win the championship again this year and lost at home in the divisional round, the talk about Manning’s failing physical ability began immediately, followed by thoughts that he may have actually played the final game of his illustrious career.  This chatter reminded me of the beginning of the season, when the Patriots had not rounded into form yet and Brady’s abilities were being questioned.  He put that talk to rest as he and his team started piling up the wins and outdistanced the entire AFC to the home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  I have felt that Brady was going to will his team to another chance at a Super Bowl, even if he is starting to wane just a little bit in physical ability.  He did just that this past weekend, down two scores to a very tough Ravens team (with the help of Edelman’s TD pass).  Tom Brady still has to take down Andrew Luck and the Colts, but outside on his own home field, expect Gisele Bundchen’s husband to have what it takes to get the job done.

After watching and expecting the Seattle Seahawks to beat the Denver Broncos in last year’s big game with their stifling defense and Denver’s over reliance on Manning, expect the peaking Seahawks to repeat that performance against the ailing Aaron Rodgers and his Packers.  Without all of his physical abilities to count on, I don’t think there is any way he can avoid getting beat up by that ferocious rush and the unmatched physicality of Seattle’s secondary.

So, to put a bow on it, plan on Tom Brady and Russell Wilson seeing each other in Arizona February 1!