NFL Czar: Battle for NFC supremacy

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With just weeks left in the NFL season, the time has come for teams to establish their dominance. The National Football Conference has seemed a bit up in the air at times, with no team really standing out above the others.

Whether you talk about the Super Bowl hangover that has plagued New Orleans, or the general inconsistency of teams like the New York Giants, you can't call a team the favourite to win the conference. That brings me to my game of the week. This week, we take a look at the game in the Georgia Dome. The Green Bay Packers visit the Atlanta Falcons. Both of these teams have looked downright dominant at times, but this game will help determine the new favourite to win the NFC.

Key Matchups
1. Charles Woodson vs. Roddy White: White has been on an absolute tear this season. It seems he and Matt Ryan are always on the same page. He will have a tough time dealing with last year's defensive player of the year Woodson. Despite getting up there in age, Woodson is still one of the game's premier cornerbacks, and he will have to prove it here.

2. Aaron Rodgers vs. Matt Ryan: The two QBs in the matchup have matured greatly during the season. Rodgers has become one of the better quarterbacks in the league, while Ryan has become more consistent than in years past.

3. Clay Matthews vs. Sam Baker/Tyson Clabo: Matthews is making a case for defensive player of the year this season, and will look to continue his dominance against the Falcons. It will be on the pair of tackles for the Falcons to shut him down. Not an easy task.

The Rundown
Boy oh boy, I don't make these calls easy with my game selections, do I? I generally pick a lot of points for both sides, but I am going to change my tune a bit for this one. I think it will end up as a defensive struggle, with the Packers winning by a score of 17 — 10.

For next week, it's back to a triple header of great games, with three crucial divisional matchups on the slate.

For more from the NFL Czar, check out his blog at jvzsblog.blogspot.com