As an Englishman by birth I never used to understand the appeal of football (we call it ‘American football’ back in the UK). I didn’t understand just how anybody could work themselves up enough to get excited about a sport in which the action stops seemingly every few seconds. I had nothing against the sport, you understand, but I decided it wasn’t for me.

And then I moved to the US.

Within a few weeks of arriving I found myself in Pittsburgh, standing in the middle of thousands of baying fans and the Steelers took to the field against the Lions. I’d been dragged to the game and had little hope of enjoying myself, but by the end (in a 23-7 victory for the Steelers) I was yelling with the best of them.

There was something about being there in the flesh, you see, that had never translated through my TV screen back in the UK. What had seemed to me a slow, dull crawl across a field with the occasional burst of action was, in fact, a dangerous game of strategy, strength, speed and heart. Football is chess, plus violence.

I’ve been here a couple of years now, and since that first game I’ve followed the Steelers (hey, you never forget your first love, right?), and I couldn’t be more on edge right now. The NFL playoffs begin this week, and right now my team is all set to go through the wild card round next week. I’m on the hunt for some last minute cheap nfl playoff tickets . I gotta see that game.

In any case, the action is hotting up in this final week of the regular season. In the AFC the Patriots and Ravens are already safely into the divisional round, and the Packers and 49ers are through in the NFC. This coming week will see a mad dash from the trailers to see who can secure themselves a spot in the playoffs.

So who’s gonna go on to win the Superbowl? Already the Packers and Patriots fans are scouring the Internet for superbowl tickets, and I’m sure the Ravens and 49ers will be confident they’re in with a shot. At this point it’s anyone’s game. We’re at the time of the year when one lucky throw, a stupid fumble of a quick interception could change the face of the postseason.

Whatever happens, the next few weeks in the lead up to the Superbowl are gonna be exciting for everyone. If the gods are smiling my beloved Steelers will ride it all the way, but al I can do right now is keep my fingers crossed. Maybe some I will find super bowl tickets for sale at a reasonable cost