<![CDATA[Deadspin: afc championship]]> http://tags.deadspin.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/deadspin.com.png <![CDATA[Deadspin: afc championship]]> http://deadspin.com/tag/afcchampionship http://deadspin.com/tag/afcchampionship <![CDATA[Willis McGahee Says He's Fine, Ready For Next Concussion]]> "I'm all right. Everything is OK. The MRI and the CAT scan checked out good. I was scared, but I didn't know how serious it was. It was pretty intense." [Baltimore Sun]

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<![CDATA[Baltimore at Pittsburgh: The Right To Be "That Other Team" Playing In The Super Bowl]]> You good people can do your own live bloggin' right here in this thread for the AFC Championship Game.

There is no love lost, between these two... blah, blah... Ben Roffleberger could bounce a game-winning OT touchdown pass off-Steely McBeam's oversized noggin and it still won't get as much attention as what we just witnessed earlier. Still, Ravens vs. Steelers promises to be some good hard-hittin football, so even after all that previous business, the day is far from over.

Enjoy, and I'm sure certain interested parties will be checking in later.

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<![CDATA[AFC Title Game May Come Down To Another Controversial Touchdown]]> A lot's being made of whether the Pittsburgh Steelers could beat any team three times in a season, let alone the Baltimore Ravens. Most of you will remember the controversial Santonio Holmes touchdown that pushed the Steelers past Baltimore in that Week 15 showdown. The goaline catch was originally ruled short of the endzone, but was then ruled a touchdown after a Mike Tomlin challenge, despite the "indisputable visual evidence" needed to change the call. The NFL explained that ruling...sort of.

NFL Vice President Of Officiating Mike Pereira explains the criteria that referee Walt Coleman had to satisfy to overturn the original ruling on the field. I actually watched this game; I originally thought Holmes caught the ball outside of the endzone, and this hasn't changed my mind.

One thing that's indisputable? Santonio Holmes has a huge penis. I bet that thing breaks the plane every time.

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<![CDATA[AFC Championship: Second Half]]> They're underway in the second half and we've already seen Tom Brady throw an interception off of a tipped ball. Everybody but Phil wants to see Billy Volek but Marmalard is still getting plenty on his throws when he has time. They have a got a first down inside the the twenty and it looks like we're in for another good half of action. Follow along after the jump...

-New England's red zone defense clamps down again, and again it's Nate Kaeding for the three pointer.

New England 14 - 12 San Diego

-Finally New England's offense decides to participate in the fun. Kool-Aid Maroney is moving them down the field with ease.

-After a great drive Brady tossed an easy interception to Cromartie in the endzone, who proceeded to return the ball to all of five yards. Nice move dumbass.

-Marmalard's got the ball and he wants a lead.

-But not bad enough. Pats ball, which means the Chargers chances of scoring a touchdown just tripled.

End of the Third Quarter

-Holy shit, it's freezing outside. I thought it was only cold in New England and Wisconsin!

Start of the Fourth Quarter

-And the Pats start driving immediately.

-They got the ball down the field but I was in the bathroom, now it's in the red zone.

-TOUCHDOWN, TOM BRADY TO WES WELKAH! And Patriot nation rejoices with their ivory gods!

New England 21 - 12 San Diego

-Marmalard just kind of flipped it in the general direction of Darren Sproles, for some reason the Pats fans cry for grounding. Oh I know why, they're the spoiled fucking brats of sports fans.

-There's a big 3rd conversion for the Chargers. Once again they look to Antonio Gates. That makes three looks and 2 catches. I'd recommend more of both. Turner keeps things going with another first down, and we see a replay of Marmalard diving like Gregorio Paulisetti. What a competitor! /Mike Patrick

-Rodney Harrison just decked Marmalard for roughly the fifth time. His transition from safety to defensive end sure went smoothly. The Pats are getting it back.

-Maroney continues to run wild on the Chargers defense, which just makes me think of this ridiculous TBL post from a while back and laugh like a little girl (don't forget to check the comments!).

-If Massholes were better people they would have loved Kevin Faulk for the last decade the way they've loved Wes Welker for six months.

-Maroney and Faulk keep doing their thing. Maybe LaDainian should just take the helmet off already.

-You know what's fun to do during the commercials? Download porn! Apparently the internet is full of the stuff.

-Another first down for Maroney, and this one is over. These fucking cocksuckers don't even have the decency to cover the spread. Get fucked, shitheads.

Final Score: New England 21 - 12 San Diego

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<![CDATA[AFC Championship: First Half]]> In a matter of minutes the Patriots and Chargers will kick off Championship Sunday from the frigid confines of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The winner is headed for Super Bowl XLII Pink Taco in beautiful Glendale. I'll be here providing updates on this here post throughout the first half of action, so stick around and follow along.

First Quarter

-Everybody is all caught up in this Marmalard injury, but what they aren't mentioning is that he blows at full strength.

-Yes, Shannon Sharpe is stupid, can we go to the stadium now?

-And we're underway! San Diego gets the ball and Marmalard is ready to lead his men into battle!

-Apparently Rodney Harrison and Junior Seau once played for this San Diego franchise. That's a helpful reminder if you happen to have been born in the last ten years.

-His first throw lands at the receivers feet. We're heading for puntsylvania.

-Antonio Gates is heading for the locker room already. He either forgot his mittens or his crutches.

-Three-and-out for Golden Boy.

-And LaDainian's not coming back onto the field. Yep, this is shaping up to be a classic.

-Gates is back on the sideline and the Chargers are starting to move the ball a bit. Michael Turner is going to be very rich very soon.

-Bill Simmons is positive that Miami and San Diego were out to destroy New England when they made the Chambers deal.

-Yep, it was the mittens

-LT's back but the drive stalls out. Pats ball when we return after this Bud Light commercial.

Dude Dude Bro Dude!

-WELKAH!

-Brady sees some pressure and misfires to his hot receiver. The Chargers are getting it back.

-Phil Simms is hyperbolic when referring to his own hyperbole. It's quite a feat.

-And LT's on the bench again. GO TURNER! Michael, not Norv.

-The king of the backup running backs carries the ball into New England's territory. You know, this whole run the shit out of the ball might just be a good idea. It takes Norv all of one play to abandon the strategy. It's what he does, people.

-Big 3rd down here, and Seau's got himself a sack. See Norv, if you had run on 2nd and 7 instead of telling Marmalard to float the ball over Vinny Jackson's head you wouldn't have been in that position. Dick.

-INTERCEPTION, QUENTIN JAMMER! Holy crap Tom, even the secret fetus living in Giselle saw that one coming!

-On a side note, the name Quentin Jammer always reminds me of the SNL skit in which Quentin Tarantino is hosting a talk show for directors. The whole skit he just asks whether or not a particular directer "jammed" their leading lady.

-Back to the game, San Diego got a turnover like everybody said they would. 2nd and Goal, don't fuck up Marmalard!

-He fucked up.

-Ooooh, Marmalard had time to look around and he gave Chambers a chance at catch in the back of the endzone, but he was all over the line.

-FIELD GOAL is good. So Nate Kaeding's guaranteed botched kick is still exists somewhere in the near future.

San Diego 3 - 0 New England

-Matt Cassel might want to start getting loose.

-Moss finally gets to touch the ball and he breaks free on a reverse. The containment forced him back inside but he had enough room to pick up a first down. That's followed up with a big run around the left side by Kevin Faulk.

End of First Quarter

-Beer me that beer.

Second Quarter

-The Pats go jumbo on 35d and short and Maroney converts in a big way. On the next play Faulk takes a dump-off down inside the one.

-TOUCHDOWN, LAURENCE MARONEY. Nice and easy behind the fullback and right guard.

New England 7 - 3 San Diego

-Give that man some Kool-Aid and a washcloth!

-Marmalard's moving his men right back down the field on the Pats defense. 2nd and goal... broken up, intended for Gates.

-And the 3rd down attempt never even had a chance. Another short field goal for Nate Kaeding.

New England 7 - 6 San Diego

-Has a kicker ever broken his foot on a frozen ball?

-Both teams are starting their drives in great field position, and now they've both shown the ability to move the ball with relative ease (like the Pats are as I type).

-So much for that. Jammer just smacked a 3rd down pass like the ball owed him money.

-Kelly Washington was pretty awesome in college, but he was like 23 at the time. Now he's the fifth or sixth receiver for the Patriots and he just made an awesome play on a downed punt. All of a sudden the field position isn't so great for the Chargers.

-Marmalard to Sprightly Sproles for a key third down conversion. If they hadn't gotten that the Patriots would have had five minutes to operate with ideal field position.

-INTERCEPTION, ASANTE SAMUELS! Vrabel got in Marmalard's personal space in a hurry and the quarterback threw up a 50/50 ball. When corners drop interceptions they say "if he could catch he'd play offense" but they don't say the opposite when a wide receiver can't play a bit of defense.

-TOUCHDOWN, JABAR GAFFNEY! Go Gators! That was quick. Two plays, 24 yards, and a touchdown on the heels of the turnover. The analysts were right, turnovers will play a role!

New England 14 - San Diego 6

-The Chargers absolutely cannot let the Patriots get the ball back with more than a minute to play. That means they need to mount a solid drive right now.

INTERCEPTION, ELLIS HOBBS! Nice hangtime, Marmalard!

-The Pats have a 3rd down with a few yards left to gain as we come to the two minute warning. San Diego needs a stop like I need a some slippers. It's drafty in here!

-They get the stop and get the ball back in a good spot. They have the timeouts but they'd be wise to keep it on the ground.

-Hey, they called a draw on first down and it worked for positive yardage. Norv is a genius!

-A huge run by Sprightly Sproles takes San Diego deep into Pats territory. He fumbled at the end but he was called down, the guys upstairs would like a word with the officials.

-He was clearly down, Chargers maintain possession and waste no time getting the ball in Antonio's hands. Gates, not Cromartie. Two Antonio's and not one Bassanio? Can a Jew get a Shylock?

-I can't even blame Marmalard, New England's defense is just really really good when they're backed up.

-Belichick freezes Kaeding and Jim Nantz urges us to watch. God I can't wait for the CBS coverage of the Masters.

-Kaeding just won't fuck up! The field goal is good!

New England 14 - 9 for San Diego

-Marmalard heads to the locker room early and he doesn't even question the sexuality of any fans on his way. Good thing too, we're in the midst of a powder keg of douchery.

End of the First Half

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