NFC Championship Peek

Yesterday I looked at the AFC Championship game. If you didn't catch it, you can find it here. Today, let's view some keys for the battle for the NFC crown between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.

1. QB matchup- Vikes Brett Favre and Saints Drew Brees.

Every time I'm watching any type of sports channel, I see Brett. Kind of hard to ignore, but Favre is playing at a level we're all unaccumstomed to seeing. But who would you rather have? The 40 year old with a ring or the commander of the most explosive passing offense over the past few years? There's no wrong answer here. You might want to ponder on who's more trustworthy with the ball. I'm anxious to see if Favre will retreat to his gunslinger mentality if the Vikings get behind by more than a TD.

2. Vikings defensive line v. Saints offensive line.

If you scan the injury report, three of the four Vikings starters are on it. Ray Edwards (knee), Kevin Williams (knee) and Pat Williams (elbow) are listed as questionable. Even backup DT Jimmy Kennedy (thumb) is listed, but he is probable. If you believe that Edwards and the Williams' aren't going to play, you're sadly mistaken. And there's always DE Jared Allen. The Saints O line must keep Brees upright and that's priority #1.

3. Vikings DBs v. Saints WRs.

Once again, the Vikings defensive backfield will face a talented group of receivers. Cowboys TE Jason Witten had a good game with 10 catches for 98 yards, but after that, it was Miles Austin with 4 catches for 34 yards. I'd say Minnesota stepped up and stymied the Cowboys receivers. The Saints present a bit more of a challenge. Throwing the Saints receivers off their routes will upset the timing and just may result in a turnover. And New Orleans will also look to go deep on least 3-5 times.

4. Saints running backs.

Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and the "new" Reggie Bush. The most complete backfield in the NFL? They have a great case for that claim. Bush revealed a side we've never seen last week against the Arizona Cardinals. He was physical. He went for the hit when he needed, but he also looked for the juke when he needed that. Bush will present the obvious matchup issues both on offense and in the return game. It's Thomas and Bell that really need to be addressed. Bell has shown his willingness to pound the ball inside. Thomas is almost as versatile as Bush. He only lacks that burst. If you fall asleep on any of these backs, you will receive a rude awakening.

5. Saints S Darren Sharper.

Before New Orleans took their nosedive at the end of the regular season, Sharper was receiving a lot of chatter for Defensive Player of the Year. That honor went to Green Bay's Charles Woodson, but Sharper knows the big picture and his role. If any Saints player knows Brett Favre, it's Sharper. Their time together in Green Bay may give Sharper an edge. You could look at it as it gives Favre the edge, bit I think that goes to Sharper. Favre is running practically the same offense.

Bonus key: "Who Dat Nation" will play a key role. If New Orleans starts quickly, they will get into the game and make situations difficult for Minnesota from a sound standpoint. The Vikings must be the team with the quick start and have that Suprdome crowd sit on their hands. The level of crowd noise will be an excellent indicator on who has the momentum.