So I have to work at this ice rink snack bar during both the AFC and NFC Championship games this weekend. I'm pretty pissed.

I'm supposed to be working during the Super Bowl too, but that's not happening. I mean, who the hell is going to go to an ice rink during the Super Bowl and order hot chocolate and chicken fingers? Nobody, that's who. Even if you don't give a damn about the Super Bowl or football altogether (Mom and Dad), the Super Bowl is as much a national holiday as the 4th of July or Thanksgiving, and everybody in this fine country of ours is doing something during that time span.

The only people who should be allowed to work during the Super Bowl are the game's announcers, the players themselves and the people cooking and delivering food to Super Bowl parties, and they should be paid double. Forget health care, wars, and poverty, Barack, you need to prioritize making the Super Bowl a national holiday. Nobody should have to work during the Super Bowl, especially people writing twice a week for upstart sports blogs.

Anyways.

Bringing things to the more relevant buzz currently surrounding New York, I must say that I've been pretty impressed with the way Jet fans have kept their cool all week. I'd say that the words to describe the current mood of Jet country, based on listening to sports talk radio and talking to Jets fans, would be euphorically satisfied. Sort of like the mood after you've hooked up with a really hot girl and you've just left her apartment.

Thinking about the other teams in town, I'm not sure any other major New York fan bases would ever be as excited about being in a conference championship game or series like the Jets are in now.

Yankee and Giant fans have become accustomed to success and wouldn't be nearly as happy as Jet fans are by simply being in either the ALCS or NFC Championship. Met fans have historically had overblown expectation for their club and they won't be happy until they actually win the World Series. The Nets and Devils don't have enough fans to qualify for this comparison. Ranger fans probably wouldn't be happy until they actually lift the cup. Maybe Knicks and Islander fans would be equally happy to be in the Eastern Finals, but even the Knicks had a string of relatively recent successes until Isiah destroyed the team, and the Islanders will probably be in Kansas City the next time they make the Eastern Finals.

Jet fans are truly content with where their team is right now, from every account I've seen or heard. They don't have to win Sunday. It's all gravy now.

If you don't believe me, read Conor's blogpost from Monday. I'm pretty sure most people don't have the motivation or patience to teach themselves how to mix their own YouTube highlight videos to chronicle a sports game unless they're in a state of complete euphoria .

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts, 3:00 Sunday, CBS

We all know the Jets are on a tear. We all know they're about as hot right now, in the press and on the field, as Sarah Michelle Gellar was during her Buffy days. But this matchup presents a slew of obstacles for the Jets, and I think the combination of the following factors will lead to an Indy win Sunday:

1. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis

Mark Sanchez has been effective when he's had to be the past four games. Obviously, a lot of credit goes to Sanchez for making throws when he's had to and, more importantly, not making mistakes. Part of the credit also goes to Brian Schottenheimer taking the ball out of his hands and simplifying the offense for him. But, probably the biggest amount of credit goes to the offensive line, which has given Sanchez all kinds of time to throw the ball the past few weeks. For a rookie quarterback that's struggled with decision-making, a sturdy offensive line is huge, figuratively and literally.

Giving Sanchez an extra few seconds to throw is especially important considering Sanchez's weakness this season, which has been his decision-making. The line deserves credit for giving him all sorts of time to throw against Cincinnati and San Diego and being a key part of the Jets' wins.

However, the Colts are a whole new beast. Freeney and Mathis are probably faster than any other defensive linemen in the league, especially on artificial turf, and the Colts love to blitz Gary Brackett as well. The Jets' line hasn't seen the likes of Freeney and Mathis this season except during the Jets-Colts game Week 16, of which Freeney only played one half and recorded 2 sacks in that limited time, and Mathis didn't play at all.

Yes, the Jets are not a team that's going to win solely thanks to their air game, but they did need some of Sanchez's clutch throws against both the Bengals and Chargers, and it'll be much tougher to get those key completions against a Colts team  that will be in Sanchez's face all day long. And if Sanchez is ineffective, or worse, throws interceptions, it'll put all the more pressure on an already maxed-out run game.

2. Peyton Manning

Sure, Phil Rivers and Carson Palmer are amongst the best ten quarterbacks in the league, but they don't compare to Peyton Manning. I think this point is so obvious that I'm not going to even bother elaborating.

And for those of you screaming "But we've got Revis! Revis baby!", I ask you to remember that, and I've made this point before, Darrelle Revis is only one human being. Darrelle Revis is not plural. He cannot cover both receivers, and tight end Dallas Clark, by himself. Revis will probably be able to shut down Reggie Wayne. As for the other receivers, they can and probably will be popular targets on Sunday, and I doubt that the Jets can cover all the Colts' wideouts all game long Sunday, even with Revis Island.

Facing Peyton for two full halves will prove to be the biggest test for the Jets' secondary this year. Not many secondaries pass the test of Manning.

3. The Dome

I never have nor will I ever play a sport in a sellout 80,000 seat dome, but people are really emphasizing the whole dome thing, so I guess I'll follow the hype and do the same. I mean, I get it, an indoor arena is probably way louder than an outdoor one. Mr. Sanchize is going to have to scream those audibles real loud Sunday. That is, if he can hear the play call. The Jets were killed the first time they played in a dome, Week 4 against New Orleans, and Colts fans were too busy booing their second team to pay attention to screaming at the Jets' offense Week 16. It might not be that big a deal, but keep this in mind on top of everything else the Jets are going to have to deal with on Sunday.

I just don't think the Jets can overcome the best quarterback in football AND the league's best pass rushing defensive ends. The Jets haven't faced a team like this since, well, the Colts in Week 16, when they benched all the guys I'm talking about. 

The Jets can win this game, but it's probably going to take a peak performance, with added pressure from the defensive line, from Sanchez. I don't think he can do it. Prove me wrong, Marky Mark.

Colts 21, Jets 13

Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints, 6:40 Sunday, FOX

There's something special about this Vikings team to me. Maybe the most impressive thing about Minnesota is that they really haven't been relying on the guy who everyone thought would be the team's go-to player: Adrian Peterson. Instead, the Vikings have been dependent on a 40-year old quarterback with a flair for off-field drama.

But man, it's hard not to be wowed by Brett Favre. I hate him just like most of America. He's a total pain in the ass, an attention hog without the benefits who sucks up valuable SportsCenter time that could be better spent covering, uh, ANYTHING else. Ok, now that that's out of my system, I have to speak the truth: he's good. Like, really good. Perfect throws like these touchdown passes against the Cowboys last weekend make me think that Favre is playing with a chip on his shoulder; I think he really wants to shoot down all his haters (and there are plenty) and he really, really wants to win the Super Bowl.

It'll be tough against a Saints team that was clicking on all cylinders Saturday, but I do think Favre is the difference. Even with Drew Brees on the other end of the ball, I like Minnesota's intangibles, starting at the top with a determined and cool-headed Favre.

Plus, I think the scoreline from the Saints' win last weekend was more than a little deceiving. It really was Arizona playing awful more than how great New Orleans played, though Reggie Bush was ridiculous. The Cardinals' secondary couldn't have covered Rex Ryan if they wanted to, and on top of that they couldn't tackle anybody, and Kurt Warner played like total crap.

At least my friends got to spend 15 solid minutes making Matt Leinart jokes like, "I wonder if the Cardinals have to hire someone to keep him from hitting on front row blones," and "I'll bet you $5 he has condoms in his shoulder pads."


Insert Southern California stereotype here.

I think Minnesota comes in fired up, and they squeak by late on the road with a Favre-to-Rice bomb. If I get that last sentence right, by the way, I think I deserve earn 5 bonus points in the contest, or at least $5 off my next Modell's purchase.

Vikings 35, Saints 31

I'll leave you with some highlights from 1999, the year the Jets were last in the AFC Championship game. I must preface this list, though, by warning that absolutely nothing compares with my discovery of Britney Spears' insane hotness. That was huge.

-The hottest year for any female celebrity, ever. Period. Let me repeat this. Britney Spears in 1999 is the absolute hottest year for any female celebrity ever. Pre-psycho, still a "virgin" and absolutely smoking hot. Don't believe me? Watch this video, and tell me I'm wrong.

-Remember cargo pants?

-Probably the best year I've been alive for for my sports teams. The Broncos went on to win the Super Bowl over the Falcons and UConn won the NCAAs, and the Rockies....sorry, I forgot nobody cares about the 1999 Colorado Rockies.

-The New York Knicks were still relevant, even making the NBA finals that year, though they lost to the Spurs 4 games to 1. Speaking of which, weren't the late 90's basketball heaven in New York? No Isiah, Knick-Heat game fights, LJ's 4 point play, not having Isiah, Charles Oakley and everything about him, John Starks raining 3's, the NBA on NBC theme song, not having Isiah....man, those really were the days.

Enjoy the games everybody! And don't forget to submit your picks!