NFC Championship Game Spread Picks; 2011 NFL Playoffs Predictions

After going 6-2 in my Wild Card round picks, and 5-3 in my Divisional round playoff picks (Spreads and O/U), I look to keep the hot picks coming with the NFC Championship game and the AFC Championship game. Here are my NFC Championship game picks. (All spreads are taken from Yahoo! Sports Odds taken from the top betting sites on the internet)

Green Bay Packers (-3.5) @ Chicago Bears O/U 44
A dream matchup for the NFL and television networks as the Green Bay Packers travel to Chicago to take on NFC North rival in the Chicago Bears. They split their previous two matchups with both teams winning at home by 7 points or less. Their is much more at stake in this matchup and although the Packers are on the road in Chicago where they lost in week 3, they are the favored team.

Notes from Last Week (Chicago Bears)
Despite the Bears beating the Seahawks last week by 11, they were not by any means impressive. Cutler threw many dangerous passes that were nearly intercepted and playcalling was just plain awful by Mike Martz. Why would anyone have Matt Forte throw the ball in an important game when up 28-3? The Bears let the Seahawks back in the game, something they cannot afford to do against the Packers. I was not impressed by the offense at all, but the defense was fantastic for three quarters.

Notes from Last Week (Green Bay Packers)
The Packers did it all last week, but special teams was terrible! A Starks fumble out of bounds and allowing a kick return for a touchdown is almost as bad as it can get on special teams. Aaron Rodgers was a robot and tore apart the Falcons 22nd rated pass defense just as I had predicted.

Prediction: Green Bay Packers 35-21 (Packers -3.5, OVER 44)
Explanation: The Bears are 2nd in rush defense, but the Packers don't need to run the ball. The 20th rated pass defense in the league will not be able to contain Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers targeted 8 different receivers against the Falcons and will go after any of his targets that are open. The Bears are 28th in passing yards and 22nd in rushing, and going against the Packers defense will not help them look any better.

I do expect decent scoring in this game due to the tendency of the playoff games to go over (All 4 games last week went over). The Packers will score on offense and defense, and the Bears should be able to get a Hester touchdown against the weak special teams unit of the Packers.