With only three games to go, Chris still leads – while the battle for third is as tight as ever. Our writers are overwhelmingly picking the Steelers and Packers to meet in the Super Bowl, except for one writer…who will explain his picks below. On to the picks!
| 1/23 games | Chris Morelli | Jay Siegel | Rusty McCracken | Dustin Parks | Dave Glass |
| Points are doubled! | |||||
| Jets-Steelers | Steelers | Jets | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers |
| Packers-Bears | Packers | Bears | Packers | Packers | Packers |
| Last Week | 6-2 | 6-2 | 6-2 | 4-4 | 6-2 |
| Year-to-date | 128-68 | 125-71 | 118-78 | 116-80 | 114-82 |
The Last Word:
Chris: “Packers: I think Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers is playing too well right now and I just can’t trust Jay Cutler in a big game. Packers will leave Soldier Field with the NFC crown. Steelers: If the Steelers don’t shoot themselves in the foot like they did in the first meeting between these two teams, they win. It will be close, but I will take Big Ben over Mark Sanchez with the game on the line. Steelers go to their third Super Bowl in six years.”
Jay: “With the Gant Challenge almost over, I’m going to have to do my best George Costanza and pick the opposite of who I think will win and pass the leader, Chris Morelli, if my “opposite-picks” end up correct. After proclaiming last week that the Jets would no way beat the Patriots, I will say there’s no way they beat the Steelers Sunday night at Heinz Field. Also, the Packers will definitely BEAT the Bears in Soldier Field Sunday afternoon. They are the hottest team in the NFC the last three weeks. Those bold statements being said, my official Gant Challenge picks are Chicago and New York (go, Costanza, go!).”
Rusty: “Jets fans have had their last reason to cheer – Yeah they beat the Steelers a few weeks ago, but no such silliness will take place this week. As always, defense wins championships. The Packers are simply on a roll and looking better every week. This rivalry will bring out the best in both teams, but Green Bay has found new life on the ground to have the advantage.”
Dustin: “In the NFC picture, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have all the momentum right now. They went into two hostile environments in Philadelphia and Atlanta, and simply silenced the crowd. Rodgers was incredible against Atlanta, and the Packer defense just shut down the Falcons. They’ll have a strong challenge against Chicago, but at the same time Green Bay is feeling it. They are ready to storm Soldier Field and give the Bears everything they can handle.
Now, the AFC. I admit that Rex Ryan has backed up his talk, and has overcome two of the three best teams in the AFC this year. When you beat Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in successive weeks, you have a right to talk big. But, Mike Tomlin is not getting into the same game. He knows Ryan loves to have fun with the media and trash talk, but he lets his team do the talking on the field. The Steelers came from 14 points down to beat Baltimore, so they know what to do when their backs are against the wall. Roethlisberger and company also know the Jets outperformed them the last time they faced at Heinz Field. Lightning will not strike twice in the same place. I expect Pittsburgh to pick up right where they left off last week and punch their ticket to Dallas. If these two games work out this way, Super Bowl XLV will be an exciting night.”
Dave: “As usual, more to follow in my regular Glass Eye column – but those who have read my NFL columns this year know that I have long considered the Packers the best team in the NFC, and I see no reason to change that thinking now. As for the Steelers and Jets…like last week against the Ravens, I think the teams are even except at QB, and in that case I always take the better QB – so I like the Steelers to advance to their eighth Super Bowl.”