“Although we’ve come. To the end of the road. Still I can’t let go. It’s unnatural. You belong to me. I belong to you.” These words are more than lyrics to Boys to Men’s 1992 hit “End of the Road,” but are the sentiment to how many fans felt including myself this past weekend after the conclusion of the second round of the playoffs. Even as I write this article the replay of Aaron Rodgers rolling left throwing a perfect sideline pass to set up the winning field goal to defeat my Dallas Cowboys still makes my stomach hurt. Ask any fan of the Texans, Chiefs, and Seahawks and I am pretty sure they can recall a plethora of plays that doomed their teams' Super Bowl chances as well.

But fret not my friends. The playoff gods have provided a way of healing this weekend’s pain by giving us two matchups that feature Tom Brady vs. Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan vs. Aaron Rodgers (still hurts to say). Yes, yes, and yes. These games will feature four quarterbacks whose 2016-17 (postseason included) stats included over 18,508 yards passing, 148 TD’s and 35 interceptions. And that’s with one QB (Brady) suspended for four games. So it’s plain to see who and what will be displayed as we push forward into conference championship weekend - the quarterbacks.

Who can raise their hands and remember back on November 23, 2016, when Aaron Rodgers, who was coming off a defeat to the hands of the Washington Redskins, said this, "I feel like we can run the table, I really do. The offense is starting to click a little bit more; we've just got to put together a game where we're more consistent from the first snap to the last. We've been, I think, getting closer to that. We've really been clicking, at times, in the last few games.” Ok. You can put your hands down. As we prepare for the NFC Championship game (Sunday 3:05 pm ET) between the Atlanta Falcons and the Green Bay Packers, those words are like a mantra to a team that was 4-6 at the time but believed in their leader.

This is the fourth postseason meeting between these two teams and the second meeting this season (Week 8 the Falcons won 33-32). It will be a very interesting matchup between the hottest quarterback over the last 8 weeks in Rodgers and the blazing QB over the entire season in Ryan, who is number one on a lot of voter’s ballots for league MVP. They will cancel each other out eventually and I feel the game will be decided by whoever has the best defense. Fortunate for “Matty Ice,” his team has the better one. Led by the NFL’s leader in sacks, Vic Beasley (15.5) and the rest of the defense that has been playing very well all season which compliments that high octane offense that produced 540 points this season. I pick the Falcons to win this game.

If those last two quarterbacks are considered the “Young Whippersnappers,” then these next two are considered “Old Fogies,” in NFL years. With a mutual respect for each other, Brady and Roethlisberger approach each meeting with each other like two gladiators ready for battle. The Pittsburg Steelers and New England Patriots meet in the AFC Championship game (Sunday, 6:40 pm ET) for a third time for the rights to represent the conference in the Super Bowl. New England won the previous two meetings and went on to win it all afterward. If they want to win it all again they must rely heavily on Brady who has been phenomenal this year and showed that he is only getting better in a win over the Houston Texans. He also displayed his toughness by getting back on his feet hit after a hit that was laid on him by that Texans defense. Brady will need to duplicate that when the ball is kicked off because the defense will be looking for every opportunity to obliterate him with the postseason leaders in sacks and ageless wonder James Harrison breathing down his neck all day. The Steelers will have a tough time this week playing against the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time), especially when they almost lost to a quarterback (Alex Smith) who isn’t fit to carry the bag Brady’s game balls are in. And that is not heavy at all. Let that last sentence marinate for a while and you will get that joke.

With the ability to stretch the field with Antonio Brown (232 yds. receiving) and run the ball with Le’Veon Bell (337 yards rushing), Pittsburg will look to exploit the weakness in the Patriots defense. But they have to be able to score touchdowns this week if they are looking for the upset. But anytime you have a seasoned veteran like Big Ben taking snaps, you have every opportunity to win the game. He never gets rattled and there isn’t a situation he has not seen or been in. Those factors alone are the reason I am picking the Pittsburg Steelers to win this game.

Well, I guess I will fire up the old iPhone 5. Push play on this CD Walkman (things I have kept since the last Cowboys Super Bowl win). And continue having my pity party over the Cowboys defeat. Maybe I will go on Facebook Live like Antonio Brown and let the world partake in my misery.

Fade to Black with “End of The Road” playing