Super Bowl XLII

Yes, even I watch football.

And even though I will probably be shot for saying it by angry anti-New Englanders, but the Patriots are going to win it all this year...again.

Let's just look at the conference matchups: New England v. San Diego and N.Y. Giants (GO BIG BLUE!) v. Green Bay.

For the AFC, the statistics and sports sense dictate San Diego won't do well against Brady and the ridiculous Patriot offense.  Yes, the Chargers have a huge number of interceptions and have a relatively well-balanced defense.  But this is the playoffs, and Tom Brady does what all great playoff performers do in the postseason: turns on that little switch that makes him go from superstar to avatar, the incarnate of the god of football.  Add to that the fact that the Patriots are finally getting some explosive yardage on their running game and it equals a disaster for San Diego.  If they cover the passes with nickel and dime packages, there's still a chance Brady can hit one of his thousand possible receivers for a big gain; worse, if the defense is spread so thin defending the pass, they may not manage a decent pass rush and give Brady time to step up in the pocket.  And when Brady can step up in the pocket...I hate to say it, but it doesn't matter how many defensive backs you have out there.  He's going to either throw a safe incompletion or he's going to burn you for a big yardage play (to Moss, Welker, Stallworth, Gaffney or Watson).  This isn't even mentioning the rekindled running game that the Patriots have: with a coverage package, Laurence Maroney is going to have a field day if the Chargers obsess about taking away the pass.

The nail in the coffin is the Chargers' offense.  If Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson aren't back or play at even 80%, the game won't even be close.  Just based on the statistics, the Jaguars were actually the better team (compared to San Diego).  And they lost.  Why?  Because everyone is so busy focusing on Tom Brady and New England's offense, they forget that the Patriots had the 5th best defense in the league.  That may be a problem if your offensive superstars aren't on the field and playing their best.

The Giants-Packers game, on the other hand, will be a damn good one.  The Giants are SURGING after closing out the season with that thriller against the Patriots.  Which is why I'm calling the Giants to win against the Packers...actually, I'm calling it that way because I'm a Giants fan.  It'll be close.  Here's why.

Attrition has taken its toll on the Giants, particularly in the secondary.  So with Brett Favre passing like he's 20 years old again, this may get into a depth issue on defense.  The redemption, however, lies in the New York pass rush: Strahan, Tuck, and Umenyiora with the rest of the Giants front four have produced a league-leading 53 sacks, which can collapse Favre's pass protection and hopefully lead to turnovers.  So for the Giants D versus the Packers attack, I say it's up in the air...the air surrounding Green Bay's offensive line.

When the teams switch places, I still think the battle is up in the air.  Eli Manning, despite the fact that I've been yelling angrily at my TV when I watch him play for the better part of the past two years, is playing like the quarterback he was advertised to be.  So if the offensive line can protect him, I think he'll be able to throw a few big plays, even with the vaunted Packers' secondary.  There may be a pick or two, but I can live with that, as long as there are a few offensive touchdowns and some key defensive stops for the Giants.  But the big edge for New York will be in the running game: Jacobs and Bradshaw have really come on when it counts late in the season, and I don't expect them to be doing anything but running downhill (not in a bad way - more like if you are literally running down a hill).  If Tom Coughlin can keep the Packers guessing, it'll be good news for New Yorkers everywhere.

Best case scenario: Patriots-Giants in Phoenix.  We'll see what we saw in week 17, but 38-35 is not going to repeat itself.  Brady is football's present Mr. October (in January/February) and the Patriots will win 41-31 (which is getting waaay ahead of myself, but I'm going with it).


Posted by pdmccaul [Sports and Entertainment] ( January 16, 2008 11:29 AM ) Permalink

Victory!! (at long last!)

Finally, NC State beat Carolina at football.  This, I hate to say, is the first time they've won a football game against UNC since Day One of my scholastic attendance of this wonderful institution.

As some people will note, all will be well for Tom O'Brien should he just win the game against Carolina.  But I see something bigger: we have now won four games in a row, despite having lost a good number of our upperclassmen in both the defensive and offensive corps.  Now we are one win away from bowl-eligibility.

I may have bitched about the team's performance, mostly as part of my "Chuck Amato did very little aside from coach the team while Philip Rivers was here" rant.  But now, even with what I saw as Amato's questionable recruitment moves, O'Brien is finding ways to win.  I thought this season would be a buffer of a sorts, a rebuilding year. I may be wrong.

In the immortal (and unofficial) words of the Red and White Song:

GO TO HELL CAROLINA!

...

GO STATE!

Sadly, the only words some people know of that song...oh well, the only important ones!


Posted by pdmccaul [Sports and Entertainment] ( November 12, 2007 08:32 AM ) Permalink