Injuries in sports are a sad but common occurrence especially in the game of football. Even with injuries, many teams are still able to compete and win games. Backup players are key for any team and the skill and value of backups can turn a good team to a great one. The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots have been decimated by injury this season — especially on the offensive side of the ball — and although both teams are having trouble scoring the ball, they seem to win games. Both Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have shown thus far into the season why they are firmly entrenched in the most elite group of quarterbacks in the NFL.

Even with injuries to his offense, Aaron Rodgers like Tom Brady has performed well this season. By Mike Morbeck, via Wikimedia Commons

Even with the loss to defensive star Clay Matthews, the Packers are only one game out of the division lead and they should be happy with the way they have played despite all the bad luck.

By the Numbers – Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has thrown for 1,646 yards, 10 TD, and has a passer rating of 101.9 thus far.

The same thing can be said for the New England Patriots who have fallen victim to injuries yet still hold a record of 5-1. They have played all six games this season without both tight ends. Tom Brady has looked frustrated at times with the astonishing number of dropped balls his receivers have made this season. Losing Wes Welker to Denver was supposed to hurt the Patriots despite Danny Amendola being brought in to replace him. Even Amendola has missed time due to injury so the Patriots have had to rely on Kenbrell Thompkins, whom has emerged as a good young receiver for the Patriots.

Tom Brady has shown time and time again why he is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and this season, he is showing why yet again.

By the Numbers – Tom Brady

Brady has thrown for 1,480 yards, 8 TD and has a passer rating of 79.5.

Eyes will be glued to flat-screens nationwide for the entire weekend come the first kickoff Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. Rounds of golf will be cancelled. Agendized voyages to The Home Depot and Costco will be shoved aside. America’s dominant sports passion is nearing its penultimate moment. Adjectives attempting to describe will ring in hyperbole and previously planned objectives will mire below the paramount. One item takes precedence over everything this time of year: the NFL Divisional Playoffs are a can’t-miss – a must-see.

New Orleans @ San Francisco, Saturday @ 1:30pm PST, FOX

“Supposed” unbiased on-lookers seem to tab the Niners as the “most complete” team in the playoffs. I need coke-bottle specs to be able to focus on that description realistically, seeing as the Niners’ offense seems to stall against the few legit defenses they have faced, as well as even mediocre defenses for that matter.

This tends to happen when San Fran’s jumbo personnel – power scheme is stymied on first and second downs, and third and medium plus becomes a remote prospect for Alex Smith. A pee-wee football offense only takes you so far, and a conference championship game, unfortunately for Niner fans, isn’t that place.

Turnovers, special teams play and “x-factors” will be be the difference. The fundamental questions become – do you trust Drew Brees or Alex Smith with turnovers? Easy answer – Brees. Who has the special teams and xfactor-advantage? Easy answer, Darren Sproles over Ted Ginn, Jr.

The Niner defense takes a stand that ends up becoming too little – too late, and San Francisco’s offense tries to match the touchdowns scored by the Saints with field goals. In what should be the last game played in the wind-tunneled, seagull-infested dump known as Candlestick, New Orleans eventually separates themselves in victory, 27-16. Give this storied franchise a new stadium already.

Denver @ New England, Saturday @ 5:00pm PST, CBS

Denver will try to make the game shorter early, but will fail with the inability to convert first downs on 3rd and medium-plus after conservative first and second down calls. Tom Brady loves the middle of the field, as Rob Gronkowski to the post and Wes Welker on the crossing route underneath will gain the Pats field position. Denver’s chances are dismal at the half and will become non-existent deep into the 3rd quarter, as New England will lead comfortably.

In what will eventually be only a B+ day for the Pats due to the stubborn Denver defense, New England will manage the clock with first downs after the ball is punted to them time and time again due to the ineptitude of the Broncos offense, and will end up with a somewhat notable 28-10 victory.

Tebow, while not in victory, will righteously justify his creator by thanking the Almighty for the learning experience. As soon as the next Super Bowl Champion is done celebrating and spring camp is soon to open, the “Tebow polarization” question is still the NFL lead.

Houston @ Baltimore, Sunday @ 10:00am PST, CBS

There are a lot of people picking a Houston upset, yet the funny thing is, it is based on absolutely nothing other than a thirst for the unforeseen outcome. The bottom line is, Arain Foster alone won’t be enough to save the rookie-captianed cattle.

Baltimore has every advantage you can think of: home field, playoff experience, defense, quarterback play, and even the running back factor is a push at best for Houston. But even if Foster out-produces Ray Rice, there are simply too many disadvantages for the Texans to overcome.

While not quite a blow-out at the mid-point, the Ravens will come out after lunch and take control, outscoring Houston from the half somewhere in the range of 17-7, and coast into the AFC Championship game, 27-13. Baltimore in January is no place for a third-string, rookie quarterback. That’s a rule.

New York @ Green Bay, Sunday @ 1:30pm PST, FOX

The New York Giants can run the ball. The New York Giants can play in the elements. Eli Manning has solidified himself as an “elite” quarterback, which he so desperately tried to assert himself as to the media before the season got underway. But can Manning match the highest-tier of “elite level” that Aaron Rodgers is capable of in his own back yard?

Considering The Pack gets back from injury: starting guard Brian Bulaga, veteran tackle Chad Clifton and go-to receiver Greg Jennings; picking against Green Bay in the confines of Lambeau Field would tend towards the suicidal, I’m not looking to swallow cyanide just yet after only 31 years.

That being said, two weeks of rest for most of Green Bay’s starters may result in some rust for the favorite, as I wouldn’t be surprised if New York climbed out to a 7-0 or 10-0 lead early. But in the end, the frozen tundra, Sunday night momentum and juggernaut capabilities gets the Packers by with a defense that bends but doesn’t break, 31-20.

* * * * * * *

Baltimore @ New England and New Orleans @ Green Bay – could you ask for two better conference championship games? I guess you could if you are a fan of the teams picked to get beat? But that’s why… they play… the games.

Nothing is that easy to predict, right? Nothing is set in stone, right? Anyone’s crystal ball could end up being a bit foggy from time to time after all. But after a wild card weekend in which all the highest seeds advanced for the first time since god was an infant, the expected will again come to fruition.

Its time to separate the men from the boys. Favorites will rule and the conference championship games next weekend will feature those who we thought would end up remaining afterall. Yeaaa yeaaa Coach Green. Back off. The royalty check is already in the mail.

First of all, how this situation was even picked up by the media comes highly into question. Could something have been intentionally leaked by Favre’s long-time yenta, his agent Bus Cook, in an attempt to try and upstage Rodgers during his moment on top of the quarterbacking world?

The events of this situation are eerily similar to Alex Rodriguez choosing to announce his free agency when the Boston Red Sox were winning their most recent World Series a few years ago. Both Favre and Rodriguez are equally transparent and pathetically out of touch as to the right way to handle yourself with even the slightest amount of integrity.

Honestly, ask yourself how the media would even know if Favre were about to give Rodgers a stupid phone call? How would something this simple and personal to the parties involved end up on national media radar? Why this is a relevant discussion point on the afternoon talking head forums of the evil-four-letter defies explanation.

Charles Woodson said in a recent interview that Favre had plenty of opportunities over the past few years to reach out to Rodgers, as most mentors with even a speckle of class would generally do. Did he choose to reach out at any other random time that wasn’t Super Bowl championship time? Of course not. He had to play the role of the spiteful juvenile who was losing the attention to his little brother. It is becoming ever that much more clear that Favre’s only motivation is to try and strategize for the benefit of his now tainted legacy.

My question is, why does Rodgers even need Favre’s approval? He doesn’t. The misconception that he does is only a creation of the media and Favre’s massive, unsubstantiated ego.

Do you think Rodgers cares about getting some sort of blessing from Favre? Of course not. He now has the same amount of rings that Favre won in his entire career. He has only been a full-time starter for three years and is only 28 years of age. With Rodgers’ talent level and the fact that he could possibly display that level of talent for another decade or more, inevitability says there are more rings to come. This should scare Favre’s over-inflated head, and it’s blatently obvious that it does.

There is also a good chance Rodgers will go down in history someday as a greater Packer quarterback than Favre. I guarantee you a personality like Rodgers will not end his career in Green Bay by trying to be bigger than the franchise, and hold it hostage in the final three offseasons of his tenure.

Favre grew up in the sticks of Southwest Mississippi. He stayed in Southwest Mississippi to go to college. I’m no pyschologist, and I only play one on the internet – but I believe Favre’s disconnect as a youth from competing with the world outside of the swamp and mud played a major role in the immaturity he has displayed as a grown-man.

With this recent “news,” Favre wants nothing more than to steal some of the spotlight from Rodgers, like a junior high “it” girl would, who becomes outlandishly envious and jealous when she is overtaken by the next “it” in the eyes of the peers.

The timing of this supposed reach-out, right after Rodgers is “going to Disneyland,” is a clear cry for “please, still look at me” by Favre. He wants everyone to know that he still holds something over the Super Bowl-winning quarterback – well at least something he thinks he still holds over Rodgers. Rodgers was Favre’s understudy in his final three years in Green Bay, and Favre wants everyone to know that. To a certain extent, he wants everyone to think that Rodgers wouldn’t be what he is today without being that understudy.

All this aside, what really is disappointing is how a legend like Favre has wilted away to nothing but a grasping pub-hound that oozes desparation, and how this kind of behavior only cements the answer to the question of whether or not Favre has created all the drama we have seen over the past few years, or if the media simply had over-sensationalized the entire saga.

The link of egomaniacal behavior between the off-season holdouts and this current drama with Rodgers, which cleary bares no semblence of relevancy, significance or time and place, only confirms the personality flaw Favre suffers from. You have become the senile old man, Brett. Nobody has actually cared for quite a few years now.

But what should we really expect? Favre was always the epitome of chuck and duck, going for broke when it means the most, just closing his eyes and letting it rip. So in that regard, I guess it’s not suprising that on the way out the door, he has managed to throw one final embarrassing and befuddling interception, one we have all picked off.

The next move for the ol’ gun-slingin’ “Silver Fox?” You’re a shoe-in for the daytime soap opera circut.

Peanut-gallery pleading from the stands by a rabidly-insane fan? Hardly. This was the proposal Inez Gomez-Mont of TV Azteca shouted in Brady’s direction, white gown and all, during the 2007 Super Bowl media day–or as it is so cavalierly labelled.

Yes, she was a credentialed member of the media, one of a few thousand that are allowed access to this annual three-ring circus. The swirl of global media that flocks to the spectacle each February should be covered by a tent upon arrival. The media director for the event should be dressed as the ringleader, whip and all, and the PR slaps accessorized with red clown noses. Credentialed woman in a wedding dress? (Cue the horse-whip sound effect).

Reportedly, there are 5,000 credentials issued this Super Bowl, ranging from 26 different countries. “Zu viel,” “trop,” “demasiado,” or simply “too much,” in the language most NFL fans speak. Maybe it’s the small beach-town kid in me, but I hate tourists, especially ones that get in the way of ruining one of your biggest events of the year (see also, 4th of July).

What truly baffles the mind however, is how the week leading up to the Super Bowl and the week leading up to the conference championship games are complete polar opposites in not only the department of scrutiny, but more so, the direction of it. The week prior to the conference championships is AP English class, nothing but a hardcore study of the X’s and O’s, almost to a fault.  The week prior to the Super Bowl is a lunch break, where the only scrutiny is about who said what about who, while the campus outcasts partake in a tree-climbing or backpack-swinging exhibition for entertainment of the picnic. How the game with more on the line became less of a pinnacle and more of an expo is beyond coherence.

It seems even the commissioner of the league has caught the virus and is joining the party. Roger Goddell announced this week that when he was contemplating the punishment of Ben Roethlisberger before the season (Ben was accused of sexual assault at a Georgia nigh-club by a 19-year old–the charges were later dropped) he polled two dozen random players and to quote Goddell, “not one of them had one positive thing to say about him.”

Okay, boss. Let me pull the knife out that you, with perfectly executed timing, stuck in my back while I’m in the elevator on the way to my biggest presentation of the year. Is this the buttoned-up NFL or an MTV reality show? Why this week brings out the inner TMZ of everyone, even the commissioner of the league, defies explanation. The irresponsibility displayed by the supposed most responsible and leading figure of the league borders on the deplorable.

That’s not the only story this week that has been erratically sensationalized. Ambulance-chasing scoop-fiends used the tweets of both IR riddled Green Bay Packer middle linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley to drum up a controversy about the Green Bay Super Bowl team picture. Apparently Barnett and Finley were disappointed about not being featured in the picture. If you were to buy into the media hoopla, you would be lead to believe that the two gave an ultimatum to be included in the photo, or not show for OTA’s in the spring. The way the hacks of the media construed it, you would think fixing the misunderstanding would have rivaled brain surgery. It’s a stupid picture!

When the bandwagon of misguided hype passes and Mason Crosby finally kicks off to Antonio Brown, the insignificant fodder that amounted prior to the game, that didn’t regard the game itself – rather just the “idea” of the game, will disappear. The Italian reporter that doesn’t know if the football is filled with air or feathers will be in a press box, his back to the action on the field, talking on his blackberry. The inquiry about opinions of movie stars recently converting to Islam are gone and the inner-question becomes, “how are we going to convert on third down against the zone-blitz?”

There will only be the game. The white-hat’s whistle will start the play clock and the sticks will measure ten. Rogers will be throwing dimes on time, not answering 20 questions about his new movie-star girlfriend. Polamalu will be playing like his hair is on fire and with the fever-pitch of the Tasmanian devil, not being asked his opinion on hair products. Condition or not to condition?

When the final whistle sounds, we will realize that what we saw was a football game. It will be a great football game, maybe even an epic bout, but nothing outside of that. A classic clash of two of the league’s all-time greatest franchises, but nothing outside of that. What we will realize we didn’t see, was a game that was affected by knowing where Hines Ward was on Tuesday night until 11:30pm or whether or not B.J. Raji thinks he is an inspiration to fat people everywhere.

Real journalists will be pounding away at their keyboards, trying to describe what they just saw for their die-hard football readers. The imports posing as journalists will be pounding away at the cab driver to get them to the airport as quickly as possible.

The point? The glitz and the glamour isn’t what is on trial here, Mr. reporter who was sent over the Pacific by TV Japan to cover “the game.”  We know why our game is “Super, #1,” and it has nothing to do with Chris Kemoeatu reminding you of a popular sumo cartoon from back home. You are only getting in the way of the real stories.

When the game is over, ‘go back to Fresno.’