This is the preview to the road to the Super Bowl.

 What I want to happen — The AFC Championship

What I want to happen in the AFC Championship would be two different teams playing.

Until their late-season breakdown and lackluster win against the Bengals, I thought Houston was destined for great things with their stellar defense and the often times deadly attack of Arian Foster and the sure hands of Andre Johnson. Plus, they have the coolest uniforms in the NFL. If the Redskins suddenly folded I would be a Texans fan.

This is not to be so now we’re stuck with the Ravens and the Patriots.

I thought I liked Ray Lewis until the game against the Broncos, which sent the Ravens to the AFC Championship. I thought his post-game humility was a little over the top and I took it as insincere. Like I said, I have tried to like Ray Lewis but I can’t. I do, however, like Ray Rice and Joe Flacco but that doesn’t explain what I want to happen because I don’t want either of these teams to play for the AFC title.

Then you have the machine that is the New England Patriots. They remind me of any Cold War-era Soviet team that didn’t know how to lose and if they did it was very rare.

They are the most disciplined team in the NFL and I wish other teams would take Bill Belichick’s no-nonsense approach to the game. The man doesn’t care what people think about him and was unflinching during the whole spy gate affair.

Still, I would have been happier if the Texans and the Broncos were playing for the title instead of the way it is.

 What I think will happen — The AFC Championship

Obviously, this stands to be a heck of a game and many are rooting for a Harbaugh Brothers Super Bowl. I don’t think it will happen and the Patriots will exact revenge for a 31-30 loss to the Ravens in Week 3 in Baltimore. The Patriots have only lost two games at home, one a possible fluke to the Cardinals and one to a tough 49ers team. So, what I think will happen is a very close game, with New England getting the edge in a high-scoring game.

 What I want to happen — The NFC Championship

I have a mental block to tattooed quarterbacks. I have a mental block to the San Francisco 49ers as a whole. These are not rational mental blocks. I just hate this team and always have.

On the other hand, I like Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Julio Jones and Michael Turner when he’s not driving drunk behind the wheel of a car. Tony Gonzalez is a class act.

Therefore, I want to see the Falcons destroy the 49ers. I want to see Ryan throw three TD passes to White, at least one to Gonzalez and Turner break one for at least a 50-yard touchdown run.

From what I can tell Colin Kaepernick is actually a nice and well-spoken guy and his tattoos are mainly from scripture. It still doesn’t change the fact I hate the 49ers and want them to lose.

 What I think will happen — The NFC Championship

If this game is close it will surprise me. San Francisco is a well-armed team and presents threats in the air and ground. The Falcons struggled to stay in the game against Seattle Sunday despite a promising first half.

This game will go San Francisco’s way and I believe you will see a Patriots-49ers Super Bowl in February so we will know the difference between fantasy and reality next week — Lance Martin