NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Super Bowl XLVI Will be Patriots Vs. Giants

Four years ago the New England Patriots came within a few seconds of a perfect 19-0 NFL season. That's when Eli Manning and the New York Giants broke their hearts with a late touchdown. New England will get a chance for revenge on the world's biggest stage now, as the Giants and Patriots each earned three-point victories in their respective conference championship games.

The Patriots took advantage of a missed field goal by Billy Cundiff to beat the Baltimore Ravens, while the Giants beat the 49ers in overtime on a Lawrence Tynes field goal. Both teams already have three previous Super Bowl victories between them, so it is a matchup of teams with championship pedigrees.

Tom Brady will also attempt to tie Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks to win four Super Bowls as a starter.

Let the two weeks of hype begin!

For more on the New England Patriots, check out Pats Pulpit. For more on the New York Giants, check out Big Blue View. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

AFC Championship: Patriots Hold On To Beat Ravens, Earn Trip To Super Bowl XLVI

The New England Patriots held on desperately to a three-point lead as the Baltimore Ravens closed in on the end zone in the waning seconds of the AFC Championship game, but after holding the Ravens out of the end zone, the Patriots celebrated wildly when Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff pulled the game-tying field goal attempt wide left, sending the Patriots to Indianapolis with a 23-20 win and another AFC championship and a spot in Super Bowl XLVI.

As expected, this hard-fought game was close throughout as both teams took turns with the lead. Baltimore appeared to have control of the game late in the third quarter but couldn't quite take advantage of the situation to put the game away. After taking a 17-16 lead, New England kick returner Danny Woodhead fumbled the ensuing kickoff. After the ball escaped the grasp of several Patriots, the Ravens recovered at the New England 28 yard line.

The Patriots defense stiffened and eventually forced the Ravens to settle for a 39-yard Cundiff field goal to go up 20-16. That would not be enough as Tom Brady took the ball on the next possession and moved the Patriots down the field before punching it in himself from the one-yard line.

After the teams swapped turnovers and possessions a couple of times, the Ravens were left at their own 21-yard line with just 1:44 remaining in the game. Quarterback Joe Flacco went to work connecting with Anquan Boldin four times to put the Ravens inside the red zone with two shots at a game-winning touchdown.

For a split second, it appeared the Ravens were headed to Indy when Flacco laid a pass in the arms of receiver Lee Evans in the end zone. But before Evans could get his second foot on the ground, New England defensive back Sterling Moore knocked the ball out of the loose grasp of Evans.

After Flacco couldn't find any options on third down, the game was left to Cundiff to extend into overtime, but his snap-hook kick ended Baltimore's season in an instant and set off a celebration on the New England sidelines.

NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Packers Falls Victim To The Giants Again

The Green Bay Packers were upset at home the last time they played the New York giants in the playoffs, and Sunday the Giants delivered and even more convincing defeat. The Giants routed the Packers, who entered the playoffs at 15-1, 37-20 on Sunday afternoon, thoroughly dominating a team that dominated throughout much of the 2011 NFL Season.Despite having the league's best record, the Packers became the only team to lose a home playoff game so far this year. That sets up a New York-San Francisco NFC championship game at 6:30 p.m. next Sunday that seemed very unlikely at the beginning of the season.

In the AFC, the Ravens held serve at home to beat Houston 20-13 Sunday afternoon and will face the New England Patriots at 3 p.m. next Sunday on CBS. Baltimore forced four turnovers, including a late interception by Ed Reed that all but sealed the deal for Baltimore.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Super Bowl Contenders Will Be Cut In Half

The Divisional Weekend of the NFL Playoffs is almost here, and the eight teams left with a chance at making it to Indianapolis will be whittled down to four by the end of Sunday evening. The action gets underway Saturday at 3:30 p.m. when the Saints visit San Francisco on FOX. The 49ers are playing their first playoff game since 2003, while New Orleans has yet to win a road playoff game in its franchise history.

Saturday night Denver visits New England in a regular season rematch won convincingly by the Patriots. The 7 p.m. kickoff on CBS will see Tim Tebow and his new found passing prowess test a depleted New England secondary.

Sunday afternoon’s games feature the Houston Texans, who are the only team in NFL history that has never lost a playoff game, playing at the Baltimore Ravens at noon on CBS. Sure, the Texans have only played one playoff game, but last week’s win has them confident for this week.

The final game of the week has the Giants at the Packers on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on FOX. The Packers won the regular season meeting on a late drive by Aaron Rodgers for the win.

NFL Playoffs 2012: NFC Final Four Set After Giants Beat Falcons

Wild card weekend trimmed the number of NFC teams vying for a trip to the Super Bowl down to four.