Divisional Rivals Face Off in NFC Title Game

49ers travel to Seattle for the NFC Championship. Photo credit NFL. 

by Nathaniel Herrick

While the AFC title game is match up between old-school, gunslinging rivals, the NFC title game features new school, multi-dimensional team rivals, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. These teams are facing off for the third time with season, with each winning at home.


Seahawks Defensive Back Richard Sherman called this match up back in March, and quite honestly, I think most of America saw this game happening this year, so who will win? Most signs point to Seattle.
They have the roughest, toughest defensive secondary in the NFL, headed by Sherman, and an offense who has proven reliable this season with a Pro Bowl caliber QB, Russell Wilson, the electric Marshawn Lynch and Seattle has home field advantage which has allowed them to outscore San Francisco 71-16.

Although it appears that Seattle will walk away with this one, they did struggle a little bit against the Saints, and they're going to be without Percy Harvin this week, so it wouldn't be a complete shock if the 49ers pull off the "upset" in Seattle.

The last 2 times these teams have faced off this season, the 49ers were short handed one way or another, but now they're riding an 8 game winning streak, including wins over the Packers in the bitter cold and Panthers. The San Francisco 49ers receiving corp is preforming better than ever, having a 100+ yard receiver in both playoff games, and Frank Gore running the ball consistently and successfully.

San Francisco has been hailed as the best road team in the NFL, especially in the playoffs, where over the last 3 seasons they've never lost a game on the road in the playoffs, with the Super Bowl being played on a neutral field. So who will pull this one out? Who knows, but what I can tell you, is that it will most likely be the Game of the Century, kind of ironic seeing how it's going to be played at CenturyLink Field.

Side Note: The Seahawks have banned ticket sales to residents in California in hope to reserve their "12th Man" advantage, but California residents can still buy tickets to the game through other ticket vendors.