Hate to say it, but I fear we’re in for another snoozer of a Super Bowl.
As I said in my column today, I have reasons to pull for the Giants, but my heart and head are saying two different things. I don’t believe the Giants defense can stop Tom Brady from doing pretty much anything he wants, especially with an extra week to prepare. Eli Manning has had a good set of playoff games, but the Super Bowl is several steps beyond that. Frankly, I fear for the kid’s safety.
The Giants can change the pace of their ground game with their two interchagable backs. That may be their only way to consistently move the ball, because I see Manning either buried underneath the Pats’ pass rush, or throwing picks at the Patriots’ active secondary, which won’t leave Plaxico Burress alone all day, as the Packers did. New England’s linebackers also have innovative ways to disguise their blitz packages. Manning can look at film all he wants. He’s not ready for that.
Sure, the Giants made a good account of themselves when the two teams met in the last week of the regular season, but the Pats have had two weeks to find ways to confuse Manning, which is New England’s defensive key.
An aside: I heard one of the ESPN talking heads — I think it was Steve Young, who should know better — say that if the Giants win, it’ll be the biggest upset in NFL history. The Jets were 17-point dogs in Super Bowl III against the Colts. I’m just sayin’.
My heart: Giants 23, Pats 20.
My head: Pats 41, Giants 7.
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