Well folks, it’s finally here. The Super Bowl we’ve all been waiting for – Manning vs. Brady. Okay, not quite – but this should still be a pretty good game. The Patriots won 38-35 in their only meeting this year (Week 17 in New York), and that game propelled both teams into the playoffs and gave them each the momentum they needed to roll all the way into the Super Bowl. Will the off-week help these teams by giving them a chance to relax and nurse their banged up players? Or will it throw their momentum out of whack and force them to start from scratch? Here are my thoughts…
New York Giants vs. New England Patriots (-11.5)
It’s hard to say that any team has been “hotter” than the Patriots (I mean come on…they are 18-0)…but if anyone can make that argument, it’s the New York Giants. They have played incredible football over their last five games (yes, I am including the loss to the Pats in there), and only once during that span were they actually favored to win (Week 16 vs. Buffalo). So does that 11.5 point spread scare the Giants? Nah. Not at all – they feel right at home.
Now on the other hand – the Patriots have been favored by double-digits in nearly every game this season, so they are used to being a heavy favorite. However, they have only covered twice in the last ten games, and not once in the last five (yes, I know I used this stat last time, but hey – it still applies). And now Brady may or may not be in a walking boot, and he isn’t practicing, and blah blah blah. Guess what? It doesn’t matter. Everyone knows that. Tom Brady would have to lose his right arm to not play in this game – and even then I bet he’d just switch over and throw left-handed and still complete 75% of his passes. The media should stop wasting their time covering the latest update on Tom Brady’s phantom injury and start focusing on what people really want to know: will Paula Abdul actually perform alongside Tom Petty at this year’s halftime show?!? (Man, I hope so…)
Okay, but seriously – onto the game itself. It is a joke to think that the Giants secondary will be able to stop the BMW Trifecta (get it? Brady-Moss-Welker? Come on – that is good!). But it’s not a joke to think that their front-four should be able to get some pressure on Brady – especially if he is actually bothered by that ankle sprain. That may be the one key to the game for the Giants – pressure the QB. If you give Brady enough time to wait for Moss and Welker to blow past their defenders, then this game will be over before Paula pours her second drink – whether she’s at the game or not. But if you get pressure on him and force him to make quick decisions, things could get interesting.
By now, everyone has figured out that the Pats have had a little trouble stopping the run this year. This bodes well for the Giants, because they have a solid 1-2 punch with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Jacobs is sneaky fast for a 6’ 4’’ 260 lb. running back – and he can flat out run over people. Bradshaw has been drawing Dave Meggett comparisons, which means he is pretty good too. He is small (5’ 9’’), quick, and can provide a nice change of pace from the smash-mouth style Jacobs provides.
More than 85,000 votes have been cast on NFL.com (as of Tuesday afternoon) asking you, the fans, who you think will win the Super Bowl. You know how many are picking the Giants? Half. Half?!? Are you kidding me? 50% of America thinks that Eli and the G-Men can take down the Perfect Patriots? Well I’m not one of them.
Overall, I think this should be an entertaining game. I don’t think it will be that close, and I do think that under the big “Super Bowl Spotlight”, Eli Manning’s true colors will show – and those are not pretty. I also think we will see some big plays (The BMW Trifecta), a couple key turnovers (Eli), and about 250 camera shots of Peyton & Archie Manning in the stands shaking their heads, both wishing that dad had just pulled out.
PICK: New England Patriots 34 – New York Giants 20
Fun Fact: Seventeen sets of brothers have played in the Super Bowl. One set, the Griffins, had three siblings (Archie and Ray in Super Bowl XVI, and Keith in S.B. XXII). However, Eli and Peyton Manning will share the distinction of being the first set of brothers to start at Quarterback in a Super Bowl.
