Admit it. You were rooting for San Francisco to beat New Orleans out of spite for the Saints eliminating Detroit. That's what I was doing. So I was happy Saturday to see that Drew Brees still can't win playoff games on the road.
But is there more to it than that? Absolutely. Maybe I'm tired of seeing the same teams every year in a league that's supposed to have parity. Or maybe, it's more fun to watch a "team" than to see an offense.
What I mean is this: the Saints have a great offense but they're defense isn't that great (see here). So every game they play becomes very one dimensional: Pass, pass, and more pass. And because the opposition is often playing catch-up, they also fall into the same pattern.
The 49ers, on the other hand, have a much more balanced team. Offensively ranking 11th in average points per game in the regular season (see here). And obviously their defense is great. The fan gets a more dynamic game with this team. With them, all parts of the game are important. Look no further than their pro bowl special team kickers.
Most of all, despite our coaches being enemies (see handshakegate), I really like San Francisco's team. I remember the good ol' days when having a running game was essential to winning. When the Lions had Barry Sanders, it seemed like any quarterback would do. So seeing Frank Gore get lots of carries, and Alex Smith run for a touchdown in the playoffs, is my kind of football.
What about New Orleans? They were a great running team this year. That's true, but their leading rusher, Mark Ingram, had less than 500 yards this year. Running back by committee is also boring to me... that sounds like a great topic for another day.
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