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This year’s NFL Playoffs have certainly re-affirmed that a team’s performance, now more than ever, is closely tied to the results produced by their quarterback.

The pressure in the NFL’s second season to reach the Super Bowl has knocked off the likes of San Diego’s Phillip Rivers, the Cardinals’ Kurt Warner and the Bengals’ Carson Palmer.

So what are the skills and challenges facing the Final Four in Sunday’s NFC and AFC Championship Games?

Down in New Orleans, prolific thrower Drew Brees (over 4,000 yards passing) and the Saints host the franchise’s first conference title game. Certainly with all they have been through, Hurricane Katrina, the bag-over-the head ‘Aints, the team’s long-losing history as sort of the lovable loser Chicago Cubs of pro football, on one level they merit a Super Bowl trip.

“There’s no fan base that deserves a championship more than New Orleans and the ‘Who Dat’ nation,” says Brees. “Just the bond that we have with them is special. They give us strength and motivation.”

Drew Brees

But Brees faces a Viking defense that is strong and motivated.

Chris Myers, an NFL television broadcaster for Fox Sports, explains how good a unit Brees will be facing Sunday after his up close observations when Minnesota rolled Dallas.

“The Cowboys have a very offensive line, but they had no chance against the Williams Brothers and Jared Allen. The Vikings defensive line reminded me of the fearsome Purple People Eaters with Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and company, ” says Myers who adds, “Brees gets rid of the ball quicker with a timing offense that offers more options. He should have more success than Dallas did, but I don’t know if they will get it in the end zone enough.”

Returning to the scene where he won a Super Bowl leading the Packers over the Patriots, this is sort of a homecoming for Viking quarterback Brett Favre.

The 40 year-old grew up not far from the Superdome. And it is in a dome that he has grown to be comfortable, leading Minnesota to an undefeated home dome record this year.

Brett Favre

While Favre won’t be facing a defense as talented as his own, Saints coordinator Gregg Williams is known as an aggressive, gambling coach. Still Williams may not have the horses to get the pressure he’d like to apply.

With a solid core of receivers and running backs, including Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Adrian Peterson, Favre does have the horsepower, but just as important, like the NBA’s Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, with his pride, enthusiasm and competitiveness he brings out the best in his teammates. Look what Brett Favre has done in one year.

In the AFC title game it is The Rookie versus The MVP.

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning does not have the superb arm strength or mobility, but what he does have that concerns defenses the most is his ability to know an opponent’s tendencies in a given situation.

Study, practice and execution – that is Peyton. It doesn’t matter what type of formation or how good a defense is – Manning will know where the blitz will come from and a cornerback’s flaws.

The challenge is while he can count on veterans like Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne, will the Colts youngsters, Collie and Garcon, perform up to speed under the spotlight of a game of this magnitude?

The fourth quarterback this weekend is the baby of the group. No rookie has led his team to the Super Bowl, but the Jets’ Mark Sanchez can make history Sunday.

It is indeed ironic New York could be the team that defeats Indianapolis, less than a month after the then undefeated Colts (14-0) lost by resting key starters like Manning. By losing, Indy kept the Jets’ playoff hopes alive and led by Sanchez they hope to knock them off again.

Sanchez has done it by operating in a system similar to that which has made other young quarterbacks able to fare well.

“I think what has made Sanchez successful is what made Joe Flacco at Baltimore successful and that is a great running game and a good defense,” says Myers.

Mark Sanchez

But the veteran NFL broadcaster adds that this type of offense does not bode well against the Colts given the style of play these days.

“In today’s game you simply have to score a lot of points. I think the days of winning with 17 or 20 points are out the window,” observes Myers. “The Colts get ahead and by forcing Sanchez to throw to catch up or even run that helps Indy chew up the clock, that would be their downfall. That will catch up with him, like it would any great rookie whether it is Joe Montana, John Elway or Mark Sanchez.”

Another rookie, Sanchez’ coach Rex Ryan, fresh from knocking off the number two seed Chargers in San Diego, likes his team’s chances and invokes a seasoned phrase – “It’s the playoffs, anything can happen.”