So the Patriots think they can become the best NFL team of all-time, do they? It won't be as easy for New England to beat the New York Giants in the Super Bowl on Sunday as a lot of people (including Vegas) think!
Now, don't get me wrong. The Patriots are a spectacular team -- especially on offense. Tom Brady's MVP season is arguably the best ever by a quarterback (even that previously best-ever season Peyton Manning put together in 2006). Randy Moss has done nothing but catch deep passes for touchdowns this year. Wes Welker rejuvenated a stalled career with his best season yet. And the offensive line/running back combination has been fundamentally effective. The offense is so good, the Patriots are 18-0 and on the verge of becoming the first NFL team to run the table and put up a 19-0 record after the Super Bowl.
But, as a Giants fan, I actually like the matchups Sunday. I think the running back combination of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw could do a good job of controlling the ball and the clock to keep that legendary Patriots offense off the field.
I also like the Giants' defensive line. With veteran Michael Strahan on one end, Osi Umenyiora on the otherside and Justin Tuck in the middle, I like New York's ability to put pressure on the Patriots' trigger man -- especially up the middle where Brady likes to go under pressure. Add linebacker Antonio Pierce, and I think the Giants will give Brady a tough time Sunday. They'd better, because if Brady is able to exert his will in the passing game, the Giants could struggle in the secondary to match up with Moss, Welker, Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney.
Now everyone knows that I'm a big Yankees fan and I root against everything Boston. This is no different. I'd root against the Patriots if they were playing the Dallas Cowboys. I definitely don't want to see the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick lay claim to that 'best-ever' tag that they will have earned as a team if they pull off a win. I'm going to predict a 35-34 Giants victory, hopefully with a last-second miss by Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (who's no Adam Vinatieri).
But even if New England does beat New York, Brady will have a tough time measuring up to this guy in the argument of best quarterback ever.
Guest blog by Andy MacAlpine
2 comments:
Welcome back to the Blogosphere! I hope your analysis is correct. As far as rooting against all things Boston..... the acorn didn't fall far from the tree..... I don't even like to go to Boston Market.I do however refuse to boycott Sam Adams beer. I figure that's an AMERICAN thing.
You were a little off on the predicted score, but you were right on target with the Giant's defensive line. They gave Brady what was probably his worse day as a NFL quarterback. That play on the Giant's last drive which included The Great Escape and The Head Catch will go down as one of the great plays in Super Bowl history. Did you know David Tyree was a Syracuse guy?
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