49ers Vs Falcons

Last weekend, the NFL reminded us why playoff football is worthy of our attention, with two of four games decided by last-minute drives. We'll soon find out whether today’s NFC Championship between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons delivers more of the same drama.

Both teams come into the game out to right wrongs of the past. Last week, the Falcons won their first playoff game since 2005, but Atlanta hasn’t won an NFC title game since 1999. And despite posting a regular-season record of 13-3, the team is not favored against the 49ers. As for San Francisco, the 49ers had the NFC title within reach last year, but a fumble by backup return man Kyle Williams on an overtime punt set up the New York Giants’ game-winning field goal. But that team didn't have rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who gives the 49ers a dual threat every time he snaps the ball.

The teams did not play each other this year. The last time they met in the playoffs was the 1998 divisional playoffs, which was the first game back for Atlanta’s then-coach Dan Reeves after triple bypass heart surgery. Atlanta won the game to reach the only Super Bowl birth in team history. The Falcons could accomplish the same thing today.

Super Bowl 2013 preparations to be outlined in final media luncheon before the game

Local organizers of Super Bowl 2013 are holding the last in a series of news media briefings on Wednesday about preparations for New Orleans to host the massive event. The NFL’s championship game kicks off at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in 18 days with a plethora of related events beginning about a week before that.

The agenda for the media luncheon, taking place at the House of Blues, includes remarks from the political pundit couple and co-chairs of the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee James Carville and Mary Matalin, Quint Davis, the rganizer of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival who is running a free festival in Woldenberg Park in conjunction with the Super Bowl and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

The festival along the Mississippi River, called Super Bowl Boulevard, will include music, food, games and the display of the towering Roman numeral XLVII, a monument to professional football’s 47th championship game. Davis is set to make announcements about the performer lineup and schedule.

Landrieu is scheduled to discuss the “state of the city.” Government agencies have been undertaking widespread infrastructure improvements in advance of the game, including French Quarter street restoration, construction of a new streetcar line in the Central Business District and renovations at Louis Armstrong International Airport.