Super Bowl XLII

New York Giants (13-6) vs. New England Patriots (18-0) (-12, 54 1/2 O/U) at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona 18:30 - FOX.



The New York Giants enter this game as only the third team in NFL history to win three playoff games on the road to reach the Super Bowl, joining the 1985 Patriots and the 2005 Steelers. The Patriots enter this game as the only team to reach the Super Bowl undefeated at 18-0 and could become only the second team to end the season absolutely perfect, joining the 1972 Dolphins (17-0). The Patriots are 3-2 all time in Super Bowls and tie for the second most Super Bowl appearances (6 with Denver and Pittsburgh. Dallas leads with 8). The Giants are 2-1 in Super Bowls and are 4-11 in NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era.

These two teams played in Week 17 at the Meadowlands, where the Patriots eeked out a come from behind 38-35 victory. Even though the Giants lost, they played a superb game and it gave them tremendous momentum in the playoffs. The Giants need to get pressure on Patriots QB Tom Brady and make him throw before he wants to. They also need to contain WR Randy Moss who had 6 catches for 100 yards in that game, by jamming him in the first five yards. If the Giants double team Moss then look for WR's Stallworth, Welker, Gaffney, Brown, TE's Watson and Brady, RB's Maroney and Faulk to have huge games.

On offense, QB Eli Manning needs to continue to play mistake free football as he has in the Giants three playoff wins. It would be helpful if the Giants could control the line and run the ball, chew up clock and keep the Patriots offense on the sidelines. The health of Giants WR Plaxico Burress is huge. He's a big threat and could have a huge impact on the outcome if his balky knee can handle it. No one expected the underdog Giants to be playing in this game so they should be loose and laying it all out.

What can you say about the Patriots? Most prognosticators and football "experts" (including yours truly) picked them to not only play in this game but win it handily... back in April. The Patriots are gunning for their fourth championship in seven years. They are the epitome of cool.

Here's a comment I made on another blog this week. The blogger stated that the Giants were the only team to give the Patriots a close game all season:

Ahhh, how they forget that, in addition to the New York Giants, the Patriots also came from behind late at Indianapolis and also had trouble with Baltimore and Philadelphia before winning. The Patriots are no stranger to winnning close games.

As for predictions:

Well, let's see, Giants WR Plaxico Burress predicts a 23-17 Giants win, which is totally insane considering the Patriots scored 38,38,38,34,34,48,49,52,24,56,31,27,34,20,28 and 38 for a league record 589 regular season points. Add in 31 and 21 so far in the playoffs (a 26.0 ppg average) which leads one to the conclusion that Burress is drinking some delusional kool-aid this week if he thinks the G-men will hold the Patriots to only 17 points.

Let me remind you of what came of Anthony Smith's (Pittsburgh) and Igor Olshansky's (San Diego) guarantees for a victory. {umm, nothing.}

Plus you're talking about a coach who is 15-3 in the playoffs (as a head coach - not including two SB wins as a Giants assistant) and a QB who is 14-2 in the playoffs. Brady lives for big games like this and rivals hero Joe Montana for cool under pressure.

Despite a close game in Week 17, my prediction is:

New York Giants 31
New England Patriots 41

... and at least 7 of the Giants points will come in garbage time, when the outcome has long been decided.

Sorry Eli.

ACTUAL RESULT: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14: Wow, what a downer that was for Patriots nation. But if you're a football fan and you wanted a great game, you definitely got what you asked for. It certainly was one heck of a football game, no questions about it. The key was the Giants defense getting pressure on Tom Brady and preventing the Patriots from getting into any kind of offensive rhythm early on and for most of the game. Eli Manning played a clutch game, especially in the fourth quarter when championships are won. As hard as it is for me to write, I must give credit where it is due - the Giants fought hard and made the plays that they had to to win. I do think it's neat that the Manning brothers captured back to back Super Bowl MVP honors.