AFC Championship

Sunday's game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts will be contested by two completely contrasting teams. The Colts, coming off of a near-undefeated season, rely on the arm of Peyton Manning to outscore opponents. The Jets, who limped into the playoffs at 9-7, prefer to pound the ball up the middle and play shutdown defense. The AFC Championship will tell if Manning's air-it-out style can move the chains against Darrelle Revis and Co.

The Colts' offense is engineered for one purpose, letting Manning drop back and throw. Their running game is virtually nonexistent, averaging an unheard of 1.7 YPC against Baltimore. Against an aggressive Rex Ryan defense, the Colts' inability to run will resurface. Should Revis neutralize the dynamic Reggie Wayne, Manning will have to look at the rest of his deep receiving corps. More than likely, he will like what he sees. Between Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon (Mt. Union grad, more on that in the upcoming weeks), and Austin Collie, the Colts have the depth, despite being without the reliable Anthony Gonzalez, to challenge New York's top-ranked pass defense.

Mark Sanchez has matured at an astounding rate for a rookie QB, a pattern that must continue for the Jets' hopes to stay alive. Without a doubt, the backfield combination of Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones will pound through Indianapolis' undersized defense, but the Jets cannot afford to be one-dimensional. Sanchez will need to prove that he can hurt a defense through the air in order for Greene and Jones to see open running lanes. Part of Sanchez' success will rely on the hands of Braylon Edwards, who has shown inconsistency when it comes to catching a football. Look for tight end Dustin Keller to play a major role in New York's offensive gameplan.

The stats don't favor New York, but they seem to play with a grudge due to being continually counted out. The key stat lies in the Jets' inability to outscore Manning. They have only eclipsed the 30 point mark twice this season, once against the dysfunctional Raiders and another time in a meaningless Week 17 matchup with Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the Colts have reached that plateau seven times thus far.

Will the football gods punish Indianapolis for ignoring a perfect season and granting New York free access to the postseason? Or will the Peyton Manning have a chance to become the first MVP to take home the Lombardi Trophy since Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXIII? The guru predicts an Indianapolis victory. But it should be noted that, despite a 4-0 record on Saturdays, the guru has yet to accurately predict a winner on Sunday.

Prediction: IND 27 NYJ 17