The temptation is strong all week was to choose the New York Giants over the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XLVI.
Why?
Well, there were several reasons.
The Giants are apparently the version of the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals 2011: a team rather ordinary prematurely counted, only to cast a magical and unlikely to return a world championship. The Giants were 7-7 after 14 games and went 1-6 between November 13 and December 18. But here they come, having won their last five games. The Giants 'run is reminiscent of the Cardinals' surreal trip to a World Series triumph.
Another good reason to go with the Giants is their quarterback, Eli Manning. He made this team all year imperfect. He was a man of ice in the fourth quarter this season, completing 67 percent of his passes for 18 touchdowns and six interceptions and a rating of 111.9 passing. It is wired right now.
There is history between the teams. The Giants not only beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago, they won 24-20 at New England, November 6 this season. And they were banged up by injuries at the time.
Rush New York, password is the application of blistering heat, with 20 sacks and a bunch of hits and runs over the sequence of five games. Secondary brittle New England is particularly vulnerable to the deep pass, which happens to be Eli specialty these days.
I could go. All week in Indianapolis, the buzz was on the Giants. But after a long struggle with indecision, I go with New England to the chagrin of my Patriot-hating friends in St. Louis.
Here's why:
-Bill Belichick and Tom Brady: The Patriots' teams in 2001, 2003 and 2004 won the Super Bowl, but the fourth championship was a long time coming. Brady will be 35 next season, and Belichick is close to 60.
The coach and his quarterback are undoubtedly haunted by bad loss for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. They can not be sure if they'll have another chance to match the four Super Bowl titles won by the combo quarterback coach Chuck Noll Pittsburgh and Terry Bradshaw.
Brady is late: He shredded Denver in AFC playoff game three weeks ago, but is 2-3 in his last five playoff games, with more variable performance. A special place in history is on the line for a partnership of football who has excelled in many big games during their 11 seasons together. I think we'll see Brady and Belichick at their best on Sunday.
-Coaching adjustments: Yes, the Giants have won their last two games against the Patriots. Since 2001, it was rare to see winning streak against New England. When Belichick Patriots lose to an opponent, they went 26-7 in their next match against the same enemy.
The Giants will go for their third straight win against Belichick. Good luck with that. He lost three consecutive games to one individual opponent only twice since 2001, and these losses were spread over several seasons.
Heck, Belichick and Brady seemed to understand something during the November loss to the Giants, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter before losing in the final seconds.
Belichick is a great coach who learns from his failures. The Patriots did not use much hurry up offense against the Giants in their first game this season, but it appears as part of the strategy to slow Super Bowl rush happening in New York.
-The Patriots' offensive line than I heard all this week: "The team that holds his quarterback upright will win. "
New England has allowed only 34 sacks in 18 games this season. In the meeting of the regular season, the Giants have made the bag twice, but Brady managed only 10 total pressures on its 52 dropbacks.
Belichick blockers used additional front to keep the Giants off the first time, and it will come with something this time. Light but left offensive tackle Todd will play very well.
Manning was harassed, more than any QB full-time quarter this season. According to Pro Football Focus, Manning was pressured on 39 percent of his dropbacks. Although it was cool under fire, mostly, Manning has thrown seven interceptions during the pressures of this season. And the Patriots have an opportunistic defense was ranked third in the NFL in interceptions and seventh in sacks. Manning is due for a couple of bad INTs.
-The Patriots are the hottest team: For all the talk about the Giants' momentum, why are we giving the Patriots impressive series of 10 consecutive wins? They average 36 points by winning the last 10, with Brady passing for 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
In addition, the Giants were only 9-7 this season. No team has ever won the Super Bowl with as little as nine regular season victories. The Giants are the only team in the Super Bowl era to reach Super Sunday after being outclassed during the regular season.
-The Patriots are resilient: Towards the end of the season in New England trailed Miami 17-0 and won, then won again by erasing a deficit of 21 points against Buffalo. The Patriots will lose to Baltimore in the fourth quarter of the championship game of the AFC.
Belichick has been patching holes and moving forward throughout the season. Nobody knows if the tight end Rob Gronkowski can play effectively because of a sprained ankle, and was a valuable element of the offense.
But the Patriots seem to always find a way to compensate. The other tight end, Aaron Hernandez, took a more prominent role at the end of the season, and it is becoming a dangerous option for Brady.
It's a tough decision. I went back and forth all week.
New England 27, New York 21.
Why?
Well, there were several reasons.
The Giants are apparently the version of the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals 2011: a team rather ordinary prematurely counted, only to cast a magical and unlikely to return a world championship. The Giants were 7-7 after 14 games and went 1-6 between November 13 and December 18. But here they come, having won their last five games. The Giants 'run is reminiscent of the Cardinals' surreal trip to a World Series triumph.
Another good reason to go with the Giants is their quarterback, Eli Manning. He made this team all year imperfect. He was a man of ice in the fourth quarter this season, completing 67 percent of his passes for 18 touchdowns and six interceptions and a rating of 111.9 passing. It is wired right now.
There is history between the teams. The Giants not only beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago, they won 24-20 at New England, November 6 this season. And they were banged up by injuries at the time.
Rush New York, password is the application of blistering heat, with 20 sacks and a bunch of hits and runs over the sequence of five games. Secondary brittle New England is particularly vulnerable to the deep pass, which happens to be Eli specialty these days.
I could go. All week in Indianapolis, the buzz was on the Giants. But after a long struggle with indecision, I go with New England to the chagrin of my Patriot-hating friends in St. Louis.
Here's why:
-Bill Belichick and Tom Brady: The Patriots' teams in 2001, 2003 and 2004 won the Super Bowl, but the fourth championship was a long time coming. Brady will be 35 next season, and Belichick is close to 60.
The coach and his quarterback are undoubtedly haunted by bad loss for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. They can not be sure if they'll have another chance to match the four Super Bowl titles won by the combo quarterback coach Chuck Noll Pittsburgh and Terry Bradshaw.
Brady is late: He shredded Denver in AFC playoff game three weeks ago, but is 2-3 in his last five playoff games, with more variable performance. A special place in history is on the line for a partnership of football who has excelled in many big games during their 11 seasons together. I think we'll see Brady and Belichick at their best on Sunday.
-Coaching adjustments: Yes, the Giants have won their last two games against the Patriots. Since 2001, it was rare to see winning streak against New England. When Belichick Patriots lose to an opponent, they went 26-7 in their next match against the same enemy.
The Giants will go for their third straight win against Belichick. Good luck with that. He lost three consecutive games to one individual opponent only twice since 2001, and these losses were spread over several seasons.
Heck, Belichick and Brady seemed to understand something during the November loss to the Giants, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter before losing in the final seconds.
Belichick is a great coach who learns from his failures. The Patriots did not use much hurry up offense against the Giants in their first game this season, but it appears as part of the strategy to slow Super Bowl rush happening in New York.
-The Patriots' offensive line than I heard all this week: "The team that holds his quarterback upright will win. "
New England has allowed only 34 sacks in 18 games this season. In the meeting of the regular season, the Giants have made the bag twice, but Brady managed only 10 total pressures on its 52 dropbacks.
Belichick blockers used additional front to keep the Giants off the first time, and it will come with something this time. Light but left offensive tackle Todd will play very well.
Manning was harassed, more than any QB full-time quarter this season. According to Pro Football Focus, Manning was pressured on 39 percent of his dropbacks. Although it was cool under fire, mostly, Manning has thrown seven interceptions during the pressures of this season. And the Patriots have an opportunistic defense was ranked third in the NFL in interceptions and seventh in sacks. Manning is due for a couple of bad INTs.
-The Patriots are the hottest team: For all the talk about the Giants' momentum, why are we giving the Patriots impressive series of 10 consecutive wins? They average 36 points by winning the last 10, with Brady passing for 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
In addition, the Giants were only 9-7 this season. No team has ever won the Super Bowl with as little as nine regular season victories. The Giants are the only team in the Super Bowl era to reach Super Sunday after being outclassed during the regular season.
-The Patriots are resilient: Towards the end of the season in New England trailed Miami 17-0 and won, then won again by erasing a deficit of 21 points against Buffalo. The Patriots will lose to Baltimore in the fourth quarter of the championship game of the AFC.
Belichick has been patching holes and moving forward throughout the season. Nobody knows if the tight end Rob Gronkowski can play effectively because of a sprained ankle, and was a valuable element of the offense.
But the Patriots seem to always find a way to compensate. The other tight end, Aaron Hernandez, took a more prominent role at the end of the season, and it is becoming a dangerous option for Brady.
It's a tough decision. I went back and forth all week.
New England 27, New York 21.
