Elimination Chamber 2019 Review

 
                

                                     Cruiserweight Championship Kickoff Show Match
                                          Buddy Murphy (Champion) vs. Akira Tozawa

Murphy takes control early with an arm bar, but Tozawa flips out and grabs a wrist lock. Murphy reverses into a wrist lock of his own, but Tozawa breaks free and chops the chest. Tozawa lights up Murphy in the corner before taking the action to the outside. Murphy goes for a chop of his own, but Tozawa ducks, and Murphy’s hand slams into the ring post. Tozawa rolls Murphy back into the ring, quickly dumps him to the outside, and connects with a baseball slide. Tozawa goes for a suicide dive, but Murphy catches him in mid-air and counter into a suplex on the outside. Murphy and Tozawa head back into the ring, but Tozawa’s back is clearly hurting after the suplex. We cut to backstage where Kayla Braxton is trying to get a work with Kofi Kingston. Kingston is still getting ready for the Elimination Chamber match, so instead Big E and Xavier Woods assure her that Kofi will be ready and will become the new WWE Champion tonight. (Okay, putting a championship match on the Kickoff Show is one thing, but cutting to a backstage interview in the middle of that match is just plain insulting. The Cruiserweight division deserves so much better.) Back in the ring, Murphy locks in abdominal stretch, but Tozawa hip tosses Murphy to the outside. Murphy heads back into the ring but eats a backdrop driver and a Shining Wizard from Tozawa. Tozawa heads up top, but Murphy gets to his feet. Tozawa leaps down to the mat and then takes Murphy up top. Murphy goes for a pop-up powerbomb from the top, but Tozawa counters into a super hurricanrana for a two count. Tozawa heads back to the top and goes for a crossbody, but Murphy catches him and rolls through. Murphy goes for Murphy’s Law, but Tozawa breaks free. Murphy slaps Tozawa, but Tozawa fights back with chops to the chest. Tozawa goes for a German suplex, but Murphy blocks. Tozawa levels Murphy with a clothesline and then hits the German suplex. Tozawa heads up top and hits an inverted hurricanrana that sends Murphy to the outside. Tozawa quickly follows up with a suicide dive followed by a second suicide dive. Tozawa rolls Murphy back into the ring and heads up top, but Murphy heads to the apron. Tozawa drapes Murphy across the second rope and hits a top rope senton to Murphy on the rope for a two count. Tozawa hits the ropes and charges at Murphy, but Murphy catches him with a leaping knee. Tozawa locks in the Iron Octopus, but Murphy fights back to his feet and reverses into Murphy’s Law for the three count.

Match Result: Buddy Murphy defeats Akira Tozawa with Murphy’s Law.
Match Length: 13:18

Mr Blu's Thoughts: This match was pretty damn entertaining for a pre-show match. When WWE has main roster PPV’s that can top 6 to 7 hours in length, there was no good reason for this to be bumped to the pre-show. They told a basic story, but they told it well enough to get the crowd engaged.

It was also pretty evident to me that WWE didn’t care much for it, since a backstage interview aired during the match. While I don’t think this was the level of awesome in which you’d feel bad if you missed it, I’d definitely see this match bell to bell. Another high quality performance from the Cruiserweights. Murphy is still awesome. 

Mr Blu's Rating: ***1/4

                        Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
                        Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Nia Jax & Tamina vs. The Riott Squad vs. Mandy Rose &                                            Sonya Deville vs. The IIconics vs. Naomi & Carmella

Beth Phoenix joins the commentary team for this historic women’s match. Sasha Banks & Bayley start the match against Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose. Deville and Rose take control early and double team Bayley. Bayley levels Rose with a clothesline as Banks catches Deville with a drop kick. Banks and Bayley make simultaneous covers but only get two counts. Deville and Rose get dumped onto the steel, and Banks follows up with a top rope crossbody onto Deville and Rose. Rose heads back into the ring and catches Bayley with a backbreaker. Deville and Rose take control of Banks and Bayley and whip them into the chains. Deville goes for a kick to Banks, but Banks ducks, and Deville’s leg slams into the chains. Rose gets her leg stuck in the chains, and Bayley hits her with a neckbreaker on the steel. The Riott Squad’s pod opens. Logan slams Banks’ arm into the pod and then head butts Bayley. Logan and Morgan head into the ring to square off with Deville and Rose. Morgan and Deville trade slaps, but Morgan gets the best of the exchange. Morgan rolls up Deville but only gets a two count. Bayley heads back into the ring and delivers a back suplex to Logan. Bayley heads up top, but Deville and Rose join her, and then Morgan and Logan sneak under them for the Tower of Doom. The IIconics’ pod opens.The IIconics pin anyone they can find but repeatedly only get two counts. The IIconics post Morgan in the corner and then do the same to Logan. They hit Deville with a facebuster and follow up with a camel clutch / knee shot combo to Bayley. Royce covers Bayley, but Banks makes the save. Royce dumps Banks onto Kay’s knee, and Banks covers Banks for a two count. The IIconics drags Banks and Bayley to the steel and then grind their faces into the chains. Royce snaps Bayley over the top rope, and Kay follows up with a forearm shot. Royce hits a slingshot leg drop onto Banks and Bayley before dragging them back into the ring for another set of two count. Naomi & Carmella’s pod opens.Carmella and Kay start to climb the chains, but Kay drops down and goes for a powerbomb, but Carmella counters into a hurricanrana that sends Kay into the pod door. Carmella catches Morgan with a crossbody as Bayley goes to work with suplexes. All of the competitors start trading finishers until all ten women are down. Carmella locks in the Code of Silence on Deville, but Rose makes the save. Naomi goes after Rose and hits her with the Rear View. The IIconics set their sights on Naomi and double team pin her for a three count. Naomi & Carmella have been eliminated. Everyone in the match surrounds the IIconics, but that’s about to be the least of their worries. Nia Jax and Tamina’s pod opens. The IIconics try to hide in a pod, but Jax and Tamina pry the pod doors open. Jax and Tamina rag doll the IIconics in the chains and then toss them back into the ring. Jax and Tamina hit double Samoan Drops and get simultaneous three counts. The IIconics have been eliminated. The Riott Squad dump Jax to the steel and double team Tamina. Deville and Rose go after Jax but can’t get a three count. Deville and Rose work over Banks and Bayley, but Bayley catapults Deville into the corner. Banks hits double knees to Deville and Rose but can only get a two count on Deville. The Riott Squad climb to the top of a pod and dive onto Jax, Tamina, Deville, and Rose. Morgan tries to climb to the top of a pod, but Jax catches her and hits a Samoan Drop from the second rope. Tamina follows up with a top rope splash to both Morgan and Logan before pinning them both for the three count. The Riott Squad have been eliminated. Jax launches Bayley onto the steel and tries to spear her through a pod, but Bayley slides out of the way, and Jax crashes straight through the pod door. Banks, Bayley, Deville, and Rose quadruple team Tamina while Jax is down and out. Bayley hits a top rope splash onto Tamina and gets the three count. Nia Jax & Tamina have been eliminated. We’re down to Banks & Bayley vs. Deville & Rose, right back where we started. Bayley whips Rose into a knee from Banks. Banks hits Deville with the Backstabber, and Bayley immediately follows up with Bayley-to-Belly, but Rose breaks up the pin. Rose climbs to the top of a pod, but Banks and Bayley join her up top. Banks and Bayley slam Rose into the chamber wall. Deville tries to join them up top, but Bayley kicks her down to the steel. Bayley gets kicks down to the steel, and Deville whips her into the pod door. Rose climbs down and hits Banks with the Bed of Roses, but Banks kicks out at two. Banks goes for the Bank Statement on Deville, but her injured shoulder prevents her from locking it in properly. Banks uses her leg to lock in a modified Bank Statement, and that’s finally enough to force Deville to tap.

Match Result: Sasha Banks defeats Sonya Deville with a modified Bank Statement.
Match Length: 32:56

Mr Blu's Thoughts: I was glad to see WWE bookend this PPV with the Elimination Chamber matches. That’s the right way to do it. We got some decent action in the first five minutes with the first two teams (Sasha Banks/Bayley & Mandy Rose/Sonya Deville). The Riott Squad were out next, and they gained the advantage immediately. There was a fun strike exchange between Liv Morgan and Sonya Deville, but the former ruined the moment just seconds later when she appeared to fail spectacularly on an attempted Matrix evasion. A big Tower Of Doom spot took place before The IIconics came out, and they both tried to score quick falls on everyone who was down (a nice spot that fit well with their characters). They were in control for a bit (this included an ugly dive to the Chamber floor by Peyton Royce) until “Fabulous Glow” came out and started to clean house. Everyone got the chance to hit their signatures, and in the aftermath, Naomi ended up getting pinned by both IIconics to eliminate Fabulous Glow. Then the Nia Jax/Tamina team made their entrance and everyone else failed to gang up on that. The aforementioned IIconics tried to hide in a pod, but they were quickly disposed of. The Riott Squad had their turn to take on the Nia Jax/Tamina team (including both of Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan diving off one of the pods), but then met the same fate as the IIconics. Jax then charged through one of the pods as she tried to take someone out, and this allowed the other two teams to take out Tamina for the elimination. It came down to the same two teams that started the match, and they had a fun exchange in the final few minutes until Bayley & Sasha Banks finally won. I think we were all worried that this would be terrible, but it ended up being pretty good. Even though it wasn’t the smoothest match in the world, everyone involved worked hard (or as hard as they could, given that there weren’t a ton of good wrestlers in there), and there were some cool moments throughout. Bayley & Sasha Banks seemed like the obvious choice on paper, and it was good to see them get the win. 

Mr Blu's Rating: ***1/2

                                                  Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match
                                         The Miz & Shane McMahon (Champions) vs. The Usos

Miz and Jimmy start the match, and Miz quickly goes for the Figure Four. Jimmy blocks and makes the tag to Jey. Miz catches Jey with a knee to the gut and follows up with his patented corner clothesline. McMahon gets the tag and sets up for the Coast to Coast, but Jimmy distracts him. McMahon kicks Jimmy off the apron and hits Jey with a slingshot sunset flip for a two count. Miz gets the tag and dumps Jey to the outside. Jimmy rushes into the ring, but Miz and McMahon clothesline him to the outside. The Usos strategize on the outside before Jey rushes back into the ring. Miz goes to work with the It Kicks in the corner, but Jey breaks free long enough to tag Jimmy. Jimmy works over Miz and quickly makes the tag back to Jey. Jey continues the assault and makes the quick tag back to Jimmy. Jimmy levels Miz and once again makes the quick tag back to Jey. Jey locks in a chin lock and whips Miz to the corner. Jimmy gets the tag and whips Miz to the corner. Jimmy hits Miz’ patented corner clothesline and taunts McMahon. Jimmy goes for another corner clothesline, but Miz catches him with a clothesline. McMahon FINALLY gets the hot tag as Jimmy tags Jey. McMahon levels Jey and follows up with a DDT. McMahon sets the Usos in adjacent corners and connects with a Coast to Coast to Jimmy. McMahon heads back up top and goes for a Coast to Coast to Jey, but Jey counters with a mid-air super kick. Jey heads up top and hits a diving splash, but Miz breaks up the pin. Miz gets the tag and levels Jey with a springboard double ax handle. Miz connects with a Big Boot, but Jey catches Miz with a Samoan Drop. Miz fights back with a spike DDT but only gets a two count. The action spills to the outside, and Miz preps an announce table for carnage. Miz and Jey brawl at ringside, and Jimmy accidentally levels Jey when he misses Miz with a suicide dive. Miz sets Jey on the announce table, and McMahon hits the Leap of Faith from the top turnbuckle through the announce table. The action returns to the ring, and it looks like Jimmy is now legal for the Usos. Jimmy hits a super kick and heads up top. Jimmy goes for a diving splash, but Miz gets his knees up. Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale, but Jimmy kicks out a two. Jimmy rolls Miz into a crucifix pin and gets the three count.

Match Result: Jimmy Uso pins The Miz with a crucifix pin.
Match Length: 13:50

Mr Blu's Thoughts: This match had the most unpredictable winner of the night. I just didn’t know how long WWE was intending to have Shane and Miz beat established tag teams. This makes me question why bother giving them the tag titles in the first place if you’re just going to give it back to an established team on the next PPV.

As for the actual match, it was solid, I suppose. I liked their Royal Rumble performance a bit better, because there was more drama towards the finish while the Uso flash pin sort of just came out of nowhere. Match was definitely solid, though. 

Mr Blu's Rating: ***

Handicap Match for the Intercontinental Championship
Bobby Lashley (Champion) & Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor

Lashley and Rush will have to tag in and out of the match. Rush starts the match but immediately makes the tag to Lashley. Lashley drops Balor with a knee to the gut and then stomps on Balor’s ribs. Balor gets back to his feet and levels Lashley with a clothesline. Lashley heads to the outside to strategize with Rush. Lashley climbs back into the ring and slams Balor to the mat. Lashley traps Balor in the corner and hits a stiff forearm shot to the lower back. Lashley whips Balor to the opposite corner and charges after him, but Balor hops the ropes and connects with a kick over the top rope. Lashley goes for a powerbomb, but Balor counters and dumps Lashley to the outside. Balor sets up for a dive to the outside, but Rush trips Balor from the outside. Balor chases Rush around the ring, but Lashley cuts him off and slams him into the barricade. Lashley rolls Balor back into the ring and tags Rush. Rush punts Balor in the ribs and stomps a mud hole in him in the corner. Balor briefly regains control of Rush, so Rush quickly makes the tag back to Lashley. Lashley locks in a modified Cobra Clutch and drags Balor down to the mat. Balor fights back to his feet, but Lashley slams him to the mat for a two count. Rush gets the tag and locks in abdominal stretch to continue the assault on Balor’s ribs, but Balor counters into a hip toss. Lashley gets the tag and works him over in the corner. Lashley hits the ropes and drives a shoulder into Balor’s ribs. Lashley sets up for a spear, but Rush makes the blind tag. Rush goes for a frog splash, but Balor rolls out of the way. Rush tries to tag Lashley, but Balor cuts him off. Balor knocks Lashley off the apron and hits Rush with a standing double stomp. Lashley rushes back into the ring but eats a Sling Blade. Lashley and Rush head to the outside, but Balor them both with a dive. Balor rolls Rush back into the ring and hits the Coup de Grâce for the three count. After the match, Lashley takes out his frustration on Rush and leaves him.

Match Result: Finn Balor defeats Lio Rush with the Coup de Grâce.
Match Length: 9:29

Mr Blu's Thoughts: A handicap match for a singles title? Seems like something straight out of WCW during the Vince Russo Era. Of course, if Finn Balor could pin either Bobby Lashley or Lio Rush, he would become the new champion. The story was that Lashley and Rush used the tags to their advantage whenever Balor tried to get an extended string of offense in, but eventually, Rush got cocky, and it ended up costing them. Finn Balor pinned Lio Rush to win Bobby Lashley’s Intercontinental Championship in a Handicap Match. That’s a sentence that Vince Russo would be proud of. We then got Lashley taking out Rush after the fact, as he was clearly frustrated (as he should be). The bout itself was basically your typical RAW match, but to be fair, I wasn’t expecting much from this anyway. 

Mr Blu's Rating: **1/4

Raw Women’s Championship Match
Ronda Rousey (Champion) vs. Ruby Riott

Charlotte Flair is sitting at ringside for this match to find out who she will face at WrestleMania. Rousey goes right after Riott with a quick arm drag. Riott heads to the outside to regroup before heading back into the ring and catching Rousey with a punch to the jaw. Rousey regains control with Piper’s Pit and then locks in the arm bar for the submission. After the match, Flair heads into the ring to stare down Rousey. BUT HERE COMES THE MAN!!! Lynch hobbles through the crowd on crutches and gingerly climbs into the ring. Lynch stares down Rousey and Flair. “She’s the man! She’s the man! She’s the man!” Lynch throws one crutch at Flair and then beats her down to the mat with the other crutch. Lynch viciously works over Flair with the crutch as Rousey watches in delight. Rousey picks up the other crutch and heads for Flair, but Lynch attacks Rousey from behind. Lynch beats down Rousey and Flair as security rushes down to the ring. THE MAN stands tall as both Rousey and Flair are down and out. Security escorts Lynch through the crowd and out of the arena.

Match Result: Ronda Rousey defeats Ruby Riott with an arm bar.
Match Length: 1:42

Mr Blu's Thoughts: I won’t pretend to be disappointed, because Ruby really had no business being out there. This was all about Ronda, Becky and Charlotte. I don’t even know they even bothered announcing this match. If you’re not gonna give Ruby any offense, you might as well just can the match altogether and not blatantly show how unimportant she is right now.

Match obviously gets no rating.

No Disqualification Match
Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin

Corbin throws his vest at Strowman to start and then quickly retrieves a kendo stick from under the ring. Corbin goes to work with kendo stick shots to Strowman’s ribs and legs. Corbin wedges the kendo stick in the corner with the end sticking straight out. Corbin tries to whip Strowman into the kendo stick, but Strowman puts on the brakes. Strowman grabs the kendo stick and snaps it in half. “I don’t need a kendo stick to kick your ass!” Corbin heads to the outside, but Strowman chases him and slams him into the barricade. Corbin launches a chair at Strowman, but it barely fazes him. Corbin whips Strowman into the ring steps and then slams the steps into Strowman. Corbin beats Strowman around the ring with the steps and then rolls Strowman back into the ring. Corbin drops Strowman with a punch to the jaw, but Strowman fights back with a clothesline and a big boot. Strowman grabs a table from under the ring and slides it into the ring. Strowman props up the table in the corner and power slams Corbin through it. HERE COMES DREW MCINTYRE!!! McIntyre comes down to the ring carrying a steel chair, but Bobby Lashley comes through the crowd and attacks Strowman with a steel chair from behind. McIntyre and Lashley beat down Strowman with steel chair shots before sliding the ring steps into the ring. Strowman tries to fight back, but Corbin levels him with a chair shot to the back. Corbin and McIntyre slide two more tables into the ring, and then McIntyre drops Strowman with a Claymore Kick. Corbin and Lashley set up on table on top of the other and then drag Strowman onto the ring steps. SHIELD TRIPLE TEAM POWERBOMB THROUGH TWO TABLES! Corbin covers Strowman and easily gets the three count.

Match Result: Baron Corbin defeats Braun Strowman after a triple team powerbomb through two tables.
Match Length: 10:20
Mr Blu's Ratings: I just don’t get it. I’m rarely at a loss for words, but I just do not understand WWE’s infatuation is with this whole Strowman getting jumped by the same trio for three months routine. Sure, The Shield jumped Ryback for Vince knows how long, but they were trying to establish themselves. This is just baffling.

We have Lashley turning on his manager earlier tonight, the assumption being that he’s a face again. But then he sees Drew and Lashley jumping Strowman, and then something goes off in his head thinking he needs to be there too.

Why does Drew still have beef with Braun? I can get Corbin, but why can’t we just let Drew be dominant on his own? What’s the purpose in putting him in a faction that’s accomplished nothing?Where was Kurt Angle? Or Balor? If we are going to be consistent, why do the faces only decide to show up when they want to? Are they just that cowardly?

Oh, and why didn’t Strowman foresee that the No DQ stipulation made something like this liable to happen? Did he not have some sort of contingency plan in place? Did getting beat up by the same three same guys not signal to you that you maybe need people in your corner?

As you can see, this match left me with more questions that shouldn’t exist than closure. The worst part? It’ll probably continue.

They just basically did on PPV what they’ve been doing on RAW, but just wanted to make it a match. Braun loses another big match, looks helpless and no one benefits.

Mr Blu's Rating: 3/4*

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship
Daniel Bryan (Champion) vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton vs. Samoa Joe 

Daniel Bryan and Samoa Joe start the match. Bryan heads out to the steel as Joe begs him to come back to the middle of the ring. Bryan eventually heads back into the ring and lands a leg kick, but Joe laughs it off. Joe kicks Bryan down to the mat and locks in a knee bar. Bryan escapes, but Joe continues to beat him around the ring. Bryan creates distance by whipping Joe out to the steel and then takes control by whipping Joe into a pod. Joe uses his size and strength to regain control from Bryan. Kofi Kingston’s pod opens.Kingston cleans house, but Bryan drapes him across the second rope and drops a knee on the back of Kingston’s neck. Joe turns his attention back to Bryan, so Bryan flees to the safety of the top of a pod. Kingston joins Bryan up top, so Bryan climbs across the chains of the chamber to escape. Kingston and Bryan brawl on the chains, but Joe pulls Bryan back down to the steel. Kingston climbs even higher and then dives onto both Bryan and Joe. The action returns to the ring, and Joe takes control of both Bryan and Kingston. Joe tosses Bryan back to the steel, traps him against the chains, and goes back to work with chops to the chest. AJ Styles’ pod opens. Styles immediately goes after Bryan and hits both Bryan and Kingston with an inverted DDT / DDT combo. Styles hits a slingshot forearm shot to Joe on the steel and then connects with a Phenomenal Forearm to Bryan as Bryan was climbing the chains. Styles catches Kingston with a slingshot sunset flip and then tries to transition into the Styles Clash, but Kingston blocks. Styles slams Joe’s face into the chains, but Joe then slams Styles into the chains before back body dropping him into the ring. Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch on Kingston, but Kingston breaks free, and Styles hits the Phenomenal Forearm out of nowhere for a three count. Samoa Joe has been eliminated. Jeff Hardy’s pod opens. Hardy hits Styles with a low double leg drop for a two count and then levels Bryan with a mule kick. Bryan hits Poetry in Motion off Kingston to Bryan on the steel. Hardy climbs to the top turnbuckle, but Styles joins him up top. Hardy kicks Styles down to the steel and then sets Styles chest-down on the top turnbuckle. Hardy heads to the top of a pod and connects with the Swanton Bomb onto Styles on the top turnbuckle, but Bryan immediately connects with a running knee to Hardy for a three count. Jeff Hardy has been eliminated. Bryan takes Kingston up top and ties up Styles in the tree of woe in the same corner. Bryan goes for a superplex, but Styles pulls himself up and hits a German suplex / superplex Tower of Doom. Randy Orton’s pod opens. Orton whips Kingston shoulder-first into Styles in the corner, but Bryan backslides him for a two count. Styles gets back to his feet and whips Kingston to the corner. Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Orton catches Styles on the ropes and hits the RKO for a three count. AJ Styles has been eliminated. Kingston heads up top, but Orton knocks the ropes to crotch Kingston on the top turnbuckle. Orton pulls Kingston into a rope-assisted DDT and sets up for the RKO. Bryan goes for the running knee, but Orton counters into a power slam. Kingston catches Orton with Trouble in Paradise for the three count! Randy Orton has been eliminated. We’re down to Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston, and the crowd is going wild for Kingston. Bryan and Kingston stare at each other from across the ring. They slut it out in the middle of the ring and then trade kicks. Kingston misses Trouble in Paradise, and Bryan kicks out the knee on the landing. Bryan goes to work with the Yes! Kicks, but Kingston ducks the final shot and hits the S.O.S. for a looong two count. Bryan gets back to his feet and posts Kingston in the corner. Bryan hits three running drop kicks on the corner, but Kingston counters a fourth into a double stomp to the chest. Kingston struggles back to his feet and sets up for Trouble in Paradise, but Bryan rolls out to the steel. Kingston joins Bryan on the steel and slams Bryan into the chains. Kingston goes wild, repeatedly throwing Bryan into the chains. Kingston tries to bulldog Bryan into a pod, but Bryan counters and throws Kingston through the pod door. Bryan and Kingston roll back into the ring, and Bryan connects with the running knee. One… Two… Kingston kicks out! Bryan grabs the arms and viciously stomps on Kingston’s face. Bryan covers, but Kingston again kicks out at two. Bryan goes for the running knee, but Kingston counters with Trouble in Paradise. Kingston covers, but Bryan rolls for a two count. Bryan locks in a modified LeBell Lock, but Kingston makes it to the ropes. Bryan heads up top, but Kingston joins him up there. Bryan flees to the top of a pod, but Kingston again follows him up. Kingston repeatedly slams Bryan’s head into the chamber wall. Kingston goes for a superplex from the top of the pod, but Bryan reverses position and starts slamming Kingston’s head into the chamber wall. Bryan goes for a superplex, but Kingston blocks. Bryan heads back down to the top turnbuckle, and Kingston kicks him down to the mat. KINGSTON GOES FOR A SPLASH FROM THE TOP OF THE POD, BUT BRYAN ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY. Bryan follows up with the running knee, and that’s enough for the three count. After the match, Big E and Xavier woods join Kingston in the ring. “Thank you Kofi! Thank you Kofi! Thank you Kofi!”

Match Result: Daniel Bryan defeats Kofi Kingston with the running knee.
Match Length: 36:51

Mr Blu's Thoughts: Like all the best Chamber matches, this one utilized everyone in a cool way. Though he was eliminated first, Samoa Joe got a chance to shine. He’s great in small bursts, so I felt that worked. Jeff Hardy delivered one of the biggest spots of the night with a fantastic Swanton Bomb off a pod onto AJ, who was laid across the top rope. AJ Styles took offense from basically everyone and made sure they all looked good. Randy Orton played the vicious role he’s excelled in lately. The RKO he used to eliminate Styles was great and more of a Diamond Cutter, which I appreciated. Getting to see Kofi Kingston eliminate Orton as revenge for 2009 was satisfying. At that point, this was a great Chamber. Then, Daniel Bryan went against Kofi Kingston and it turned into something special. This wasn’t Santino Marella getting a few close calls against Bryan in 2012. This was Kingston reminding the world that he’s one of the best to ever do this. His desperation was clear and the hope spots were so well done without ever going overboard. When he kicked out of the Busaiku Knee, I lost my mind. The crowd was MOLTEN hot for Kofi. Don’t let anyone tell you differently because they’re wrong. Kofi came close so many times, but made a crucial mistake when he tried a splash off the Chamber. From there, Bryan used the LeBelle Lock to retain in 36:51. An incredible match that rivals the best Chambers ever. Phenomenal action, a hot crowd, and a stellar performance from Kingston and Bryan. Outstanding. 

Mr Blu's Rating: ****1/2

Final Thoughts: That’s three straight WWE Pay-Per-Views that have BANGED. The last Chamber match ranks in my top 5 ever. The woman's chamber match was well done with the right winners. That would be enough to make this a recommended show. Throw in a very good Cruiserweight Title match, hella fun Smackdown Tag Title match, Finn Balor winning the IC Title, and a great Becky Lynch segment to top it all off. That Corbin/Strowman stuff dragged, but skip it and enjoy the rest.  

8/10

"THE KING IS DEAD - LONG LIVE THE KING" RATING AUSTRALIA'S PRIME MINISTERS

On Tuesday. 15th September 2015, Malcolm Turnbull became our 29th Prime Minister.

How will history remember his predecessor Tony Abott? How does history remember Prime Ministers?

We, unlike the Americans, rarely compare our leaders one to the other. Peter Beattie, the ex Labor Premier of Queensland, was the last to do so in an article for The Australian.

The game of ranking Presidents in the US  is played every few years and uses a number of different methods. The generally accept method is to ask learned historians and political journalists to rate Presidents against a predetermined criteria which includes integrity, luck, willingness to take risks, avoiding crucial mistakes as well as on ability and performance. Other methods used include - historical remembrance or weight of history or whether the President was a success or failure at election time. There are also mystical qualities and legends to take into account. Washington is the "Father of the Nation", Lincoln is the "Saviour of the Union" as well as dying tragically by an assassin's bullet and Franklin Roosevelt, he of the "New Deal", won the Second World War. It is no surprise that these men are considered the greatest Presidents.

So lets play "Where Do they Stand" with Australian Prime Ministers.

Most Australians were shocked with the knowledge that Malcolm Turnbull is our fifth PM in the last 5 years. What is not so well known is that ten Australian PMs (including Tony Abott) have served less than 2 years in office and four more less than 3 years. Julia Gillard lasted a few days more than 3 years.

Of these short timers we can remove four from the game altogether. Forde (7 days), Page (19 days), McEwan (22 days) and Fadden (41 days) only served as PMs in an interim capacity following the death of the then PM (Lyons, Curtin and Holt) or in Fadden's case after the collapse of Menzies' coalition 1939.

The others however were short timers because they were removed by their Parliamentary colleagues or by the electorate or in Holt's case by his own misadventure. US Presidents can only be removed by the people (short of becoming impeached by Congress). Australian PMs can however be removed under the Westminster system by fellow Parliamentarians. In the early days of Federation political alliances were loose. There was no such thing as the structured (and generally) well disciplined party machines we have today. Our earlier short-term PM's (Watson, Reid and Cook) all fell victim to shifting allegiances.

Josh Gorton was effectively removed as PM by his own party in 1971. He tied with McMahon in a party room ballot for leader and then fell on his own sword. There is accordingly nothing new or extraordinary about the removal of Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and now Tony Abott. Seven of our PMs or almost a quarter have gone out in that manner. Of the remaining short timers Scullin was turfed out in 1931 because his government was not coping wit the Depression, McMahon was turfed out in 1972 and the "It's Time" election and is not well remembered.  Laurie Oakes (Australia's senior political journalist) rates McMahon a zero out of ten and even questioned McMahon's personal honesty, recalling how McMahon had purloined a recorder belonging to Oakes' news agency and claimed it as his own. Holt had the great misfortune of accidentally drowning himself - hardly a positive notch to put on history's belt. The best legacy Holt left was the old Cronulla wag who said "Waiting for Cronulla to win a flag is like putting the porch light on for Harold Holt to return" - Of course Cronulla has now one the NRL grand final.

                                          No official federal government inquiry was conducted, on the grounds that it would have been a waste of time and money. Neither was an inquest held at the time because Victorian law did not provide any mechanism for reporting presumed or suspected deaths to the Victorian Coroner. However, the Commonwealth and Victoria Police compiled a 108-page report into the disappearance, including statements from all eyewitnesses and details of the search operation.

The law in Victoria was changed in 1985, and in 2003 the Victoria Police Missing Persons Unit formally reopened 161 pre-1985 cases in which drowning was suspected but no body was found. Holt's son Nicholas Holt said that after 37 years there were few surviving witnesses and no new evidence would be presented. On 2 September 2005, the Coroner's finding was that Holt had drowned in accidental circumstances on 17 December 1967.

These short timers must necessarily occupy the lower levels of our ranking table. If they cannot gain the confidence of their fellow Parliamentarians or party or the people why should history rehabilitate them? Moreover contemporary biographies can play a part. Paul Kelly's "Triumph and Demise" is not likely to assist either Rudd or Gillard up the ranking table any time soon.

The middle part of our table - the average performers - are necessarily going to populated first by our early PM's. This may be unfair but unlike America's Founding Fathers, Australians do not even know, let alone hold in high esteem our founding PMs. Barton our first PM set up the High Court and promptly became its first Chief Justice. Deakin and Fisher are described on the official PM site as being remembered as the "founders of the statutory structure of the new nation". That is about exciting an accolade as winning a bronze ribbon for third place in an underage running race. No doubt these men were honourable and hardworking but their legacy hardly shines brightly and not brightly enough to pierce the veil of history.

There are others which, fairly or not, fall into this average category - Billy Hughes, Stanley Bruce, Joseph Lyons and Malcolm Fraser. Of these I think Lyons is the most unfairly treated by history. He stabilized the nation in the 1930s after the Great Depression. He won, as PM, three elections and died in office. The people liked him and kept returning him to power. He also had a wonderful wife - Enid Lyons. Well thought of partners can help a leader greatly, Lyons being a case in point. But think of Margaret Whitlam, Hazel Hawke, Eleanor Roosevelt and the very glamorous Jackie Kennedy as examples.

One reason why Lyons' reputation suffers is that he, like Billy Hughes, is considered a Labor party rat. Prejudice from half the political divide is not conducive to leaving a shining legacy. Both Hughes and Lyons left the Labor party to form new (and successful) political parties. Hughes won two elections so he passes the electoral test for success, but has not been able to shake off his opportunist tag. His unwavering support for conscription during the first World War has also not helped.

Bruce was Prime Minister during the 1920's . A suave urbane man he won two elections. He oversaw the establishment of Canberra, but his passion for all things British and his perceived failure to ready Australia for the Depression count against him.

If being seen as a rat is bad enough, Australians take even less kindly to those perceived as back stabbers - as Julia Gillard found out. Malcolm Fraser's legacy is forever tainted by the way in which he took power. However during his prime ministership, Fraser won three elections and was in power for 8 years. so that perception was not immediate. What happened to Fraser however was a growing view (now solidified) that his was a do nothing government - a government of missed opportunities, particularly when it came to modernising Australia. Losing and blubbering does not recommend one to history's embrace either. Within these ranks, historical perceptions and reappraisals can take place - for better or worse. It will be interesting to see whether there is any future upward movement in the historical view of these PMs.

Now we move up the ladder to the top echelons - the near great or great PMs. Paul Keating once famously observed that Australia has had no great leaders since at least the time of Curtin - writing off in the process Chifley, Menzies and most particularly his rival Bob Hawke. However it is these men along with John Howard who must be considered our top PMs. Peter Beattie rated Howard, Hawke and Keating as our greatest PMs, but marked Menzies, Curtin and Chifley down. Whilst his assessment were reasonable and pragmatic I do not think he paid sufficient regard to history's romantic side - myth, legend and story.

In respect to Curtin, Chifley, Hawke and Keating, legends and stories have or are forming. Curtin was our war time leader, reformed alcoholic who stood up to Great Britain and called the troops home. He also had the great fortune from a historical perspective - much like Lincoln and FDR - of dying in office when victory was secured. Chifley was a train driver who rose to oversee post-war construction with the Snowy Mountains scheme and the immigration programme that contributed so much to revitalising and driving Australia. It was he who first coined the phrase "the light on the hill". Hawke
(he of the boss is a bum line) and Keating transformed Australia's economic settings. Keating also introduced Indigenous land rights legislation and famously kissed the ground on the Kokoda track. Menzies and Howard (and I am not suggesting they are stuff of legends) nonetheless won twelve decisions between them and presided over years of peaceful and generally prosperous progress. Voters love that sort of thing so why should history not follow?

Of course each of these leaders had their faults and failures - but the point is their positives, in comparison with the others below them, stand them in good historical stead.

That leaves one PM that is difficult to categorize - Gough Whitlam. He was Prime Minister for only 2 years and 11 months. He won two elections. Is he great or is he a disaster? On the positive side of the ledger is his transformation of Australian life - free university studies, fault free divorce, modern trade practices and corporation legislation and recognition of China. On the negative side is the poor economic management and the scandals. When he left office Whitlam was, in truth, considered a failure. Now 40 years on, his star is rising. Australians forget the temporary things whilst history focuses more on the noble - which is a good thing. Whitlam too, like Kennedy, is one of our few legendary figures. His Prime Ministership may not have been great - but he himself is increasingly remembered as being great. Right now I put him at the top of the average group - but I will not be surprised if his legacy, like Kennedy's in America, will continue to rise. Legend and myth are powerful forces when playing the game.

Are there lessons here for Malcolm Turnbull? Firstly make sure you are not seen as a back stabber. A model here is how Hawke dealt with his disposal of Billy Hayden - as a necessary evil. Secondly give people some hope and vision like Chifley did. Thirdly win next years' election and finally avoid the big scandal or big mistake like Howard or Menzies did. It actually sounds easy. Pity only a very few seemed to have pulled it off.

Here then is the ranking:

GREAT OR NEAR GREAT

1. John Curtin

2. Bob Hawke

3. Robert Menzies

4. John Howard

5. Paul Keating

6. Ben Chifley

AVERAGE 

7. Gough Whitlam

8. Joseph Lyons

9. Malcolm Fraser

10. Stanley Bruce

11. Billy Hughes

12. Alfred Deakin

13. Andrew Fisher

14. Edmund Barton

FAILURES OR BELOW AVERAGE

15. Julia Gillard

16. Tony Abbott

17. Kevin Rudd

18. James Scullin

19. Joseph Cook

20. John Gorton

21. Chris Watson

22. George Reid

23. Harold Holt

24. William McMahon

---------------------------------

- Written by Mark Mony de Kerloy

NFL Conference Championships - BEST BETS.

TBM. NFL

                                 BEST BETS - NFL PLAYOFFS WEEK 3 2013/14 SEASON. 

                                                                                                                                  

New England Patriots +6  @ Denver Broncos

                                       

It’s only fitting that the 2014 AFC Championship Game comes down to the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. They finished the regular season with the best two records in the conference, and it’s been a few years since Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have met in the playoffs. Now, perhaps the best quarterbacks of their generation will go head-to-head one more time with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have been regular participants in the NFL playoffs for many years now, but they have also been regular losers at the betting window in January. Denver is just 2-7 against the spread over its last nine playoff games, while New England is 3-9 ATS over its last 12 postseason contests. 

The Patriots and Broncos clash in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday afternoon in Denver.

For the third straight year, New England made quick work of its opponent in the Divisional round coming out of the bye with a blowout win. The Patriots looked sharp on both sides of the ball in a 43-22 win over Indianapolis on Saturday.Their to the rush paid off against the Colts with 234 yards and six rushing touchdowns. While Tom Brady is still the face of this New England offense, Stevan Ridley and LeGarrette Blount have emerged as a legitimate one-two punch in the running game to give this team a balanced attack on offense. Brady is 10-4 SU in games against Peyton Manning, but one of those four losses came the last time these two quarterbacks met in the AFC Championship Game when Manning's Colts beat Brady's Patriots 38-34 in 2006. 

Denver just defeated San Diego in an AFC divisional-round game 24-17, grinding out a 17-0 lead, then hanging on from there. The Broncos out-rushed the Chargers 133-65 and held the ball for 35 minutes, only giving up the cover as eight-point favorites on a late Bolts field goal. Like with Brady in New England, Manning and the passing game get most of the media attention. But Denver can bang the ball, too, with Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball. On the season, the Broncos out-rushed foes by 16 yards per game, and as mentioned above, that's a good sign when it comes to covering spreads. Also, the Denver defense has held opponents to a total of 44 points over the last three games, just six points in first halves. The Broncos, who are 8-3 ATS in their past 11 games overall, lost to the Patriots back in November, but they should have won that game. They dominated the first half, grabbing a 24-0 lead, and ended up rushing for 280 yards. When these teams have met in the playoffs, the home team has won and covered all three times. Denver's postseason hiccup against Baltimore last year is officially in the past, and all eyes are now on the future.

Patriots 

In the last four meetings with the Broncos, the Patriots have averaged 461.0 yards, 37.8 points and 4.8 offensive touchdowns. The Pats have succeeded with both run-heavy and pass-focused attacks against Denver, which gives them a wide range of game-planning options entering Sunday’s rematch.

In recent weeks, the Patriots have leaned more heavily on their ground game, rushing for 643 yards on 123 carries in their last three games, all victories. The bruising LeGarrette Blount has become their primary tailback, with Stevan Ridley playing a complementary role. The 6-foot, 250-pound Blount, who rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns in the divisional playoff win vs. Indianapolis, is top form. While Blount and Ridley figure to see a good deal of work on Sunday, don’t be surprised if the Patriots attack with their passing game. Brady thrived in the regular-season matchup with Denver, completing 34 of 50 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. After throwing for just 81 yards in the first two quarters, Brady went to work on a Denver secondary that lost cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at the end of the first half. While Rodgers-Cromartie will be in the lineup Sunday, the Broncos will be without their other starting cornerback, Chris Harris, who suffered an ACL tear in the divisional playoff win vs. San Diego. The Patriots’ passing game is down a major contributor from the first matchup, with tight end Rob Gronkowski also out for the season with an ACL injury. With Gronkowski sidelined, the Broncos can focus on wide receiver Julian Edelman (seven catches, 110 yards, two TDs vs. Denver in November).

Here’s the problem, though: if Denver stacks the box, New England will attack with the pass. If Denver plays pass, New England will pound away with Blount and Ridley. It falls to Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio to solve the New England riddle. It also falls to Denver’s front four to generate pressure when the Broncos drop seven into coverage. In the first meeting, Brady was sacked three times — twice by outside linebacker Von Miller, another key Denver defensive player now on injured reserve with an ACL tear. On both of Miller’s sacks, the Broncos rushed just four players and Miller quickly got to the quarterback. The Broncos also figure to show some pressure looks. On their other sack of Brady, defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson came free as Denver brought a blitz and New England appeared to make a pass-protection error. The Broncos cannot sit back and allow the Patriots to dictate terms. Denver must take something away from New England and not be overpowered by the Patriots’ counterattack in the process. That’s easier said than done.

Broncos 

 In their divisional round win vs. the Chargers on Sunday, the Broncos’ offense had just one gain of 20 yards or more. Also, the Broncos left some points on the field, committing two turnovers in San Diego territory and missing a field goal. However, Denver converted nine of 13 third downs, controlled the clock for more than 35 minutes and finished off San Diego with a 10-play drive in the final four minutes in the 24-17 victory.

With good weather expected, the Broncos should be able to employ a pass-focused attack. In the November meeting with New England, Denver emphasized the run in windy and cold conditions, and tailback Knowshon Moreno racked up 224 yards on 37 carries. Moreno and rookie Montee Ball give the Broncos a solid tandem in the backfield, and should the Patriots overplay the pass, Manning will gladly hand the ball off. Nevertheless, when the Broncos have the ball, all eyes will be on Manning and how he performs. He played well in the divisional round win, completing 25 of 36 passes for 250 yards and a pair of scores. However, he turned in a subpar performance in the regular-season matchup vs. the Patriots, throwing for just 150 yards on 19 of 36 passing. The play of Manning’s receiving corps also will be closely watched. Slot receiver Wes Welker, the ex-Patriot, was held to just four catches for 31 yards in the first meeting with his old club. Eric Decker, one of the Patriots’ primary outside receivers, was even quieter, catching one pass for five yards. Tight end Julius Thomas, who was inactive for the first New England game with a knee injury, will be back in the lineup for the rematch, adding to Manning’s options. The Patriots could elect to put top cornerback Aqib Talib on Broncos Pro Bowl wideout Demaryius Thomas, a major playmaking threat. On paper, if the Patriots take away Thomas, the Broncos have the receiving depth necessary to cope, but New England’s deep, versatile secondary gives it a chance to match up pretty well with this formidable opponent.

Aside from the marquee Brady vs. Manning matchup, another battle may prove more decisive in the final outcome of the AFC Championship Game. This epic battle between the two biggest brains in football is sure to span all 60 minutes and will mostly exist undetected by the average fan during the live broadcast. But believe me, at the end of every series, both sidelines will be scrambling ferociously to make adjustments and stay one step ahead of the competition. When not in the game, Peyton’s time will be spent almost exclusively studying photos of the various defensive looks the Patriots throw at him. Meanwhile, Belichick and his defense will continuously scramble to decipher verbal code and the pre-snap checks Manning makes throughout the game. Any attempts to blitz Peyton must be carefully disguised and timed to near perfection or else he will sniff it out and make New England pay. However, if the Pats are able to successfully catch him off guard, it’s very likely they will disrupt the Denver offense significantly. Risk is an unavoidable element in attacking this talent-laden Broncos offense. The trick, then, is to figure out how to get that pressure without letting Manning know it's coming. And pressure up the middle is far more disruptive for the Broncos QB than from the flanks.

With that said, considering the talent surrounding him, the odds are heavily stacked in Manning’s favor. Belichick will ultimately be forced into a game of poker with Manning by going “all in” every time he plays a hand.  

 Tom Brady vs. Broncos Secondary

The Patriots will need Brady to play extremely well if they are going to advance to their sixth Super Bowl with him under center. He’s beaten this opponent before, engineering an epic comeback from 24 points down at half time to win, 34-31, in overtime back in Week 12, but the location has changed and both teams are different. Brady certainly knows the stakes, having dueled with superstar signal-caller Peyton Manning on 14 prior occasions. While the Pats quarterback has won 10 of those matchups, they have mostly all been tough games that could have gone either way. He owns a 2-1 playoff record over Manning, but the two future Hall of Famers are split in their AFC Championship meetings, with each winning one apiece. Brady was gifted an advantage in this matchup on Sunday after Broncos starting cornerback Chris Harris went down for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He was replaced by Quentin Jammer in the divisional round against the San Diego Chargers, and Jammer was exploited repeatedly by Philip Rivers and his receivers.

Expect head coach Bill Belichick to take advantage of this and draw up numerous plays designed to target the unproductive veteran defensive back. If successful, the Pats should have an advantage on the scoreboard at the end of regulation.

X-Factor - LeGarrette Blount, RB, Patriots

Blount has gone absolutely bonkers over the past two games and is developing into the feature back that the Pats need to win a Super Bowl. In the season finale against the Buffalo Bills, this veteran rusher broke out for 189 yards and two scores on 24 touches. He improved upon that in the divisional-round blowout of the Indianapolis Colts, gashing the defense for 166 yards and four scores on the same number of carries.The Broncos rush defense was strong in 2013, ranking No. 8 in the league with only 101.6 yards per game conceded on the ground, but the team will have to alter its game plan and drop more guys into coverage in order to make up for the loss of Harris. If it does that, Blount should be in line for a big day statistically.

This week we are on New England with the points. (+5.5 / 6 )

Manning has struggled against Patriots in his carreer as Bellechik genius schemes have confused him. Great game that should come right down to the wire with one or the other winning by late field goal. Brady has won 10 of 14 matchups against Peyton Manning. He's won most of them with teams inferior to the teams Manning has quarterbacked. Brady can get it done because he has the best running game maybe he's ever had and that Broncos defense isn't great. It's been good in the past month or so but can still be had.  But with Manning and the Broncos at home. Look for a ball-control game plan from Manning and an opportunistic Broncos defense as John Fox's team advances to the Super Bowl. They also have a disruptive defense, which is just the thing they'll need to keep Tom Brady off his game. The home-field advantage doesn't hurt, either, but the Patriots won't make it easy......

• Home team has won and covered three playoff meetings of these teams.
• Past four meetings played OVER the total.
• Patriots are 5-1 SU and ATS past six vs Broncos.
• Patriots are 2-7 ATS past nine road games.
• Patriots are 7-2 ATS past nine games as underdogs.
• Broncos have played four straight UNDERs.
• Denver is 8-3 ATS past 11 games overall.
• Broncos are 2-7 ATS past nine playoff games.
• Patriots are 3-9 ATS past 12 playoff games.
• Patriots won and covered eight straight vs AFC West teams.
• Broncos on 0-5 SU and ATS run vs AFC East teams.

PREDICTED SCORE:  New England Patriots 27, Denver Broncos 30.

                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                  

Seattle Seahawks  vs.  San Francisco 49ers +3.5

What could be better for a conference championship game than the most heated rivalry in the league at the moment? One that matches two head coaches with a history of animosity that goes back to when they were both college coaches and trickles down to the fans and the cities involved? That's what we have for the NFC Championship Game when Pete Carroll and his Seattle Seahawks host Jim Harbaugh and his San Francisco 49ers on Sunday evening.

The Seahawks are coming off of solid win over the New Orleans Saints. This was a game in which the defense of the Seahawks made its presence felt. They are extremely good. They were able to beat the Saints 23-15, but all 15 points for the Saints came in the final period, making the game a little bit more interesting than it had been.

The 49ers were looking for a little revenge from an earlier lost to the Panthers during the regular season. They lost the first game 10-9. This was a game that started out the same way, but the Niners pulled together on offense and defense. They shut out the Panthers in the second half and scored 10 hard earned points, when it mattered most.

With apologies to fans of the Patriots and Broncos, the two best teams in the NFL won't be meeting in the Super Bowl. Instead, they'll play on Sunday evening in Seattle for the NFC title, as the San Francisco 49ers take on Seattle Seahawks in what's become the NFL's most heated and physical rivalry. This will be the third meeting between the 49ers and Seahawks this season. In Week 2, the Seahawks dominated, winning 29-3, which made the overall score total of their last two games at CenturyLink Field 71-16 in favor of the home team. But in Week 14, the 49ers triumphed at Candlestick Park in a 19-17 thriller. On Sunday, they'll face off in the rubber match for the right to go to the Super Bowl. Forget about the Seahawks having the league's best home-field advantage. Forget about the 12th Man. Forget about 71-16.

The 49ers are going to go into Seattle and beat the Seahawks and advance to their second consecutive Super Bowl.....

49ers

It's almost hard to believe, but the defending conference champions are the team that's been playing under the radar. The Niners hit some minor turbulence back in November, losing two games in a row.

But since then, they've won eight games in a row, including two straight on the road in the playoffs.

San Francisco beat the Packers in Green Bay on Wild Card Weekend and just knocked off Cam Newton and the Panthers in Carolina. QB Colin Kaepernick caught some flak earlier this year, but he's been great lately, making good reads, making almost all of the throws and using his legs to pick up key first downs. He's also thrown just two interceptions over this eight-game winning streak. For the season, the 49ers have out-rushed opponents by 42 yards per game. They have shown that controlling the ball is a good way to win games and cover spreads. San Francisco has the look and feel of a team of destiny, and it's playing its best football of the season when it matters most. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has escalated his game to dizzying heights, and the run game and defense are humming on all cylinders. Plus, the team has Jim Harbaugh, who is the only coach to lead a team to the conference championship game in his first three seasons on the sideline.

Seahawks 

Following its 23-15 victory over New Orleans in an NFC divisional-round game on Sunday, Seattle is now 26-9 straight-up, 24-11 ATS with Russell Wilson at quarterback. It's also 16-1 SU and 12-5 ATS with Wilson quarterbacking at home. Needless to say, the Seahawks love playing in front of that 12th man. Seattle just ran for 174 yards against the Saints and, on the season, has averaged 137 yards per game on the ground. Add that to the No. 1-ranked defense in the league, and it's easy to see how the Seahawks have gotten this far. Over the last two seasons, these teams have split their four games, each team winning twice on its home field. But Seattle is 4-0 ATS over that span, because it won two blowouts at home and lost two close games at the 'Stick. They are 8-2 ATS in 10 home games against the Niners and look to make it 9-2 Sunday.

Wilson vs Kaepernick.

The quarterback matchup in the NFC Championship Game is in stark contrast to the AFC iteration. While the Patriots and Broncos feature two surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famers, the San Francisco 49ers (Colin Kaepernick) and Seattle Seahawks (Russell Wilson) have two up-and-coming young guns who are clearly on a path toward greatness.

Wilson has gotten the better of Kaepernick thus far, holding a 2-1 record against him. Both wins came at CenturyLink Field, which is where Sunday's NFC Championship tilt will be contested. That would appear to give Wilson the advantage. But in the end, it'll be Kaepernick who makes more big plays and leads his team to the Super Bowl.

It's important to note that the hoopla surrounding Wilson's recent run of poor form has been overblown. Yes, he only threw for 103 yards last week against New Orleans, but the game plan didn't call for him to air it out 40 times. When the lights are brightest and it matters the most, Wilson plays his best, and he's proven that throughout his young career. Expect him to sparkle on Sunday. The problem is that Kaepernick will also dazzle. He's played tremendous football over the course of the 49ers' eight-game winning streak, buoyed by the return of wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Over the last eight games, he's tossed 12 touchdown passes against only two interceptions. He has also the poise and wherewithal to handle both the Seattle defense and crowd. Kaepernick will out-duel Wilson, and he'll start in his second consecutive Super Bowl.

Harbaugh vs. Carroll

This is the seventh meeting in the NFL between these former college rivals. Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers are 4-2 against the Seahawks under Pete Carroll. But Seattle has covered the spread in the last four. The last two games between these teams in Seattle have both been lopsided Seahawks victories. Harbaugh led Stanford to two upset victories over Carroll’s heavily-favored Southern Cal teams when the two coaches were both in the Pac-12. Stanford was a 39-point underdog when the Cardinal beat USC 24-23 in 2007, Harbaugh’s first season. It was the biggest straight-up upset of the BCS era.

In 2009, the Cardinal ran it up on Trojans in a 55-21 win in Los Angeles, prompting Carroll to condescendingly ask Harbaugh “what’s your deal” during the post-game handshake. You can watch the video of that incident on YouTube.      

X-Factor - Frank Gore, RB, 49ers

In the San Francisco 49ers' Week 14 win over the Seahawks, running back Frank Gore had the play of the game, scampering for 51 yards on a 4th-and-1 on the final drive, which set up a Phil Dawson field goal as time expired. That run was part of a 110-yard day from Gore on the ground, and it's no surprise the 49ers beat Seattle when he had success running the football. In Week 2, when the Seahawks crushed the 49ers, Gore only rushed for 16 yards on nine carries. There's no question he'll need to play well if the 49ers are to advance to their second consecutive Super Bowl. And he will. Gore will make another game-changing run and eclipse the 100-yard mark in a 49ers victory. San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh is in awe of Gore, telling Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com:

"My admiration is as high as my admiration can be. But then every time I think he's 10 out of 10 in that regard he finds another wrung on the ladder. I think he is a mystical man. I think he sees things that we don't, I don't, we don't see."

On Sunday, the mystical man won't have success at first as he rushes into the heart of the Seahawks defense. But over the course of four quarters, he'll begin to wear them down, and by the final stanza, he'll be ready to explode. As the game winds down, Gore will make a game-changing run, similar to his 51-yard burst in Week 14, setting up a Phil Dawson field goal that will ultimately provide the game's winning margin.

REGULAR SEASON OFFENSIVE STATS

• •  
  • 49ers
  • Seahawks

• • TOTAL YDS

  • 323.8
  • 339.0

• • PASS YDS

  • 186.2
  • 202.3

• • RUSH YDS

  • 137.6
  • 136.8

REGULAR SEASON DEFENSIVE STATS

• •  
  • 49ers
  • Seahawks

• • TOTAL YDS

  • 316.9
  • 273.6

• • PASS YDS

  • 221.0
  • 172.0

• • RUSH YDS

  • 95.9
  • 101.6

The 49ers have proven they can win on the road this year and even better San Francisco is an amzing 8-2 ATS in road games this year. Close hard fought game as both Seahawks and Niners play amazing defense, no love lost in this hard hitting slugfest. Seattle has struggled in recent weeks to run the ball and think that holds them back from Super Bowl for 2nd straight season. 

Take the points and the Niners. 

• Niners have won three straight playoff road games.
• Seahawks won six straight playoff home games.
• Seahawks have played five straight UNDERs when favoured.
• Seahawks are 21-3 SU past 24 games as favourites.
• UNDER is 6-1 past seven Seahawks games vs. NFC West foes.
• 49ers won five straight vs. NFC West foes (4-1 ATS).
• Seattle is 8-2 ATS past 10 at home to San Francisco.
• 49ers are 7-3-1 ATS past 11 times as an underdog.

PREDICTED SCORE:  San Francisco 49ers 22, Seattle Seahawks 20.