Bernard Pollard's history against the Patriots is weird.

He was the one who hit Tom Brady low, tearing the Patriots quarterback's ACL in the 2008 season-opener when Pollard was with the Chiefs. Pollard's tackle on Wes Welker at the end of the 2009 season resulted in a torn ACL for Welker. And when Rob Gronkowski suffered a high ankle sprain last season that affected him in the Super Bowl, it was Pollard who delivered the tackle.

Pollard, a safety with the Ravens now, took out another Patriot on Sunday and it was a huge momentum swing in the AFC championship game.

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Dennis Pitta took one of the hardest hits of the season from one of the NFL's toughest linebackers, then came back on the next play to give the Ravens the lead in the AFC championship game.

The sequence says plenty about Pitta's toughness.

The Ravens tight end caught a short pass near the end of a long third quarter drive against the Patriots, and before he could react, Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo planted him. And, after you got done cringing and wondering if Pitta would get up, you wondered if that looked a lot like other hits on defenseless receivers that get 15-yard penalties, former NFL linebacker Kawika Mitchell is with you:

Matt Ryan and the Falcons' passing offense had a great Sunday against the 49ers, but when Atlanta needed 4 yards, San Francisco didn't let receiver Roddy White have an inch of open space.

The moment of truth in the NFC championship game came with 1:13 left. The Falcons trailed 28-24 and had fourth-and-4 at San Francisco's 10.

White lined up tight to the line and tried to run a slant, where he was met by linebacker NaVorro Bowman.

Bowman didn't let him loose.

[Also: 73 players granted special eligibility for 2013 NFL Draft]

Watch Harry Douglas' fourth-quarter catch a dozen times and you might change your opinion on the call each time.

Catch? Not a catch? Depending who you are rooting for, the answer might be different.

Well, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh had his answer. And when the play was ruled a catch, Harbaugh went nuts.

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The officials came back with the ruling that Douglas made the catch. Harbaugh went crazy, doubling over in disbelief and then flipping his headset away.

Harbaugh got the last laugh when his 49ers ended up winning the NFC Championship Game, but his reaction will go down as one of the funnier reactions to a call you'll see.

(@Patriots)

Wind will be a factor in New England today, especially judging from the goal posts on the nearby practice fields that look like they're going to topple over.

The Patriots tweeted out a picture that it said was the goal posts on the practice fields, which are near Gillette Stadium. So (if the picture is legitimate and not a fake, of course), good luck to the kickers trying to line up a field goal, considering the uprights might not be in the same position after they've kicked.

It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the AFC Championship Game.

Vernon Davis finally re-emerged for the 49ers in the second quarter of the NFC Championship Game. Tony Gonzalez wasn't going to be upstaged, however.

Davis, who strangely disappeared from the 49ers offense once Colin Kaepernick was made the starting quarterback, helped get San Francisco back into the game.

Kaepernick and the 49ers offense had a tough first quarter, not picking up one first down. But with San Francisco down 17-0 and the Georgia Dome rocking, the 49ers' coaching staff smartly got Kaepernick in a rhythm with short, high percentage throws. Many of those went to Davis, the team's incredibly athletic but recently ignored weapon.

[Also: 73 players granted special eligibility for 2013 NFL Draft]

(USA Today Sports Images)Although Mark Helfrich was reportedly chosen by Oregon to replace Chip Kelly well before Kelly actually left, the Ducks made it official and introduced Helfrich as their new head coach on Sunday.

Helfrich, who was promoted from offensive coordinator, will have a hard time replacing Kelly, who built Oregon into a regular national title contender, but he has the same mentality that helped make Kelly so good.

"Going forward, we will attack in all phases," Helfrich said, the Register-Guard's Rob Moseley reported.

(USA Today Sports Images)Atlanta's passing game having a big first quarter was a small surprise, but not a total shock. What the Falcons defense did to start the game is something nobody saw coming.

Atlanta held San Francisco to minus-2 yards in the first quarter. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was great against Green Bay a week ago, couldn't even get his team a first down in the first quarter.