NFL Championship Games (Updated and Bumped) Giants, Patriots Win

New York Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes (9) celebrates with teammates after kicking a field goal in overtime during the NFC Championship football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, in Green Bay, Wis. The Giants won 23-20 and advance to the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. Giants' Michael Strahan is at right. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

UPDATE 10:55: New England wins by nine and the Giants stun Green Bay 23-20 in overtime.

Boy, did I ever get that hunch about Lawrence Tynes right.

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We've roared through the playoffs with a 7-1 mark against the spread thus far, the only blemish being Seattle getting buried in the snow last Saturday.

Today we have both games in cold weather sites with prohibitive favorites in New England and Green Bay, but like the underdogs getting the points in both games.

Chargers +14 PATRIOTS: After last year's playoff debacle against the Patriots in San Diego, the Chargers have undergone a coaching change, a slow start this season, and now key injuries heading into the title game. The Patriots, meanwhile, have lost once, this time last year at Indianapolis. I like San Diego getting two touchdowns here since I expect a heavy does of LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, and keep an eye out for the diminutive Darren Sproles. The Patriots haven't been covering much the past couple of months, but still have way too much firepower for the depleted Bolts. San Diego will stick around into the third quarter, but Tom Brady Company have come too far to screw this up at home. Patriots 30-20

Giants +7.5 PACKERS: At the start of the 2007 season, these are two teams nobody thought would be playing for a shot at the Super Bowl. The Giants are on one of those rolls now for the past four games where they're finding ways to move the ball and Eli Manning has minimized his errors. Granted, Brett Favre has been magic in the cold throughout his career, but keep in mind his supporting cast is very young and hasn't faced a huge moment like this while the Giants have basically been in playoff mode for two months now. There's a reason they're 9-1 on the road and that's mental toughness. A couple of mistakes doesn't lead them to pack it in. Will Green Bay be able to overcome a couple of turnovers again this week? One name that's been rarely mentioned for the Giants this year is Lawrence Tynes, the placekicker; he's yet to be put in a pressure spot to win a game. Tonight, he could well be the man to send New York to the Super Bowl. Giants 20-17