Latinos Get Ready To Rumble For NFL Playoffs

By Michael Lopez

Believe it or not, the Super Bowl is just one month away. And that means there's going to be a lot of football talk within the next 30 days. With the Playoffs kicking into gear this Saturday, we thought now would be a great time to reflect on the Latinos who may be walking away with the NFL's biggest prize on February 5.

Lots of eyes will be on the New York Giants this weekend as they take on the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams have some prominent Latinos in their ranks, including one of our faves, Victor Cruz. Known for his touchdown "salsa dances," Victor's a charismatic, dedicated receiver and clearly proud of his Puerto Rican roots.

It's important to note that the Falcons have a pretty prominent Hispanic on their front line too. Tony "Gonzo" Gonzalez is a role model for Dominican Americans and has actually broken the record for most receptions from a tight end. Though many gamblers are putting their money on New York, Saturday's battle could be anybody's game.

On Sunday, you can see a few more Latinos going head-to-head for Playoff glory. Manny Ramirez (no, not the disgraced Dodger, thank you very much) has been crushing heads as a Broncos lineman since January. A proud Mexican-American, he's not a guy you'd want to mess with on the field. Measuring 6'4" and weighing 330 lbs, he's prone to do so major damage during Denver's game against the Steelers.

On the flipside, Pittsburgh's Daniel Sepulveda has got a lot less weight, but a killer right foot. An ace Steelers punter for the past four years, Daniel's already earned one Super Bowl ring. And though he's currently on the injured list, we're sure he'll have plenty of Mexican-Americans from his hometown of Austin waving around those terrible towels.

Perhaps the most high-profile Latino to make the Playoffs this year is Houston Texan Jeff Garcia. One of the only Hispanic quarterbacks in the league, Jeff's fought long and hard to make his way to the show. Interestingly, he first joined the team last month after starting QB Matt Schaub got put on the injured list. And if there was ever a time for Garcia to prove himself, this is it!

Jeff's now in his early 40's and spent the last decade throwing passes for the Detroit Lions, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Half Mexican and half Irish, Garcia's always had pride in his Latino roots and contributed quite a bit of cash to Hispanic Scholarship Funds.

Millions will be watching the four big Playoff games this weekend. And we're keeping our fingers crossed that at least one Latino will walk away with a shiny Super Bowl trophy when it's all said and done.

Who are you rooting for in the NFL Playoffs? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Atlanta Falcons, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cincinnati Bengals, Cultura, Daniel Sepulveda, Denver Broncos, Football, Houston Texans, Jeff Garcia, Manny Ramirez, New York Giants, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Sports, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLVI, Victor Cruz