NEW YORK // Few predicted the San Francisco 49ers would be hosting the New York Giants in the NFC championship game tomorrow for a shot at the Super Bowl.
Most believed the road to the NFL championship would go through Lambeau Field, right up until the Giants toppled the defending champion Green Bay Packers 37-20 last weekend, setting up the trip to the west coast to face the 49ers.
Jim Harbaugh, the San Francisco coach, called his team "the mighty men" after they stunned Drew Brees and the favoured New Orleans Saints 36-32, winning on a 14-yard touchdown pass by Alex Smith with nine seconds to play.
The 49ers and Giants, Smith said, showed that no assumptions can be made in the play-offs.
"These teams, at this point, we're all capable of beating each other," he said.
Just as intriguing will be the preceding AFC championship game, at Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are hosting thanks to a high-powered offence that piles up points and yards.
Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens got there with a hard-hitting defence that made it a major challenge for opponents to move the ball.
"We've got our hands full this week," the linebacker said. "You watched what the Patriots did last week against Denver, just the way they came out and ran their offence, how efficient [Brady] was, how many different receivers he hit with the ball. I think their offence, period, is playing at a very high level."
Brady picked apart the Denver defence in a 45-10 divisional playoff win. By halftime, he had thrown five of his six touchdown passes. He had plenty of time to survey the field as the Broncos put little pressure on him. The Ravens plan to give him some company when he tries to pass.
"I think pressure is going to be crucial, but it's always crucial," said Terrell Suggs, the Baltimore linebacker, who led the AFC with 14 sacks. "But particularly when you are playing these type of quarterbacks, it's pivotal."
Brady's regular season was exceptional, even by his lofty standards. He passed for 5,235 yards, the second most in NFL history, with 39 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions.
The Patriots, with the receiver Wes Welker and the tight end Rob Gronkowski doing much of the damage, were second in the NFL with 428 yards per game and third with an average of 32.1 points.
"It's a very clever offence," said John Harbaugh, the Baltimore coach and brother of the 49ers' coach. "It's well put together."
The Ravens excel on the defensive side. They allowed 288.9 yards and 16.6 points per game; each mark was No 3 in the NFL.
They had four takeaways in the 20-13 divisional play-off win over the Houston Texans, the last by Ed Reed with 1:51 left. Lewis had a team-high seven tackles.
"When you do watch how the games are played, nine times out of 10, I just truly believe defence is going to find a way to win the championship," Lewis said.
"You can go back however many years you want to go back, and defences have a way to come out to make a play that changes the outcome of games."
Brady, however, could give that theory a stern test.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
India cancels school-leaving examinations
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
RESULTS
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group One (PA) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner RB Money To Burn, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner Ekhtiyaar, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Zakouski, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group Two (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Kimbear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
10pm Dubai Trophy Conditions (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Platinum Star, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Key Victory, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
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THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh