Friday, February 1, 2008

Oh, is there a football game this weekend? I haven't heard a thing!


So, we are finally here, the big weekend. Now, Ive done an amazing job of avoiding 99% of the hype surrounding this game, but I do live in New York, so I couldn't get away from all of it. So, to anyone who actually believes that Bradys ankle will be an issue, I have some lovely plots of land to sell you alongside the scenic Gowanus Canal. This is a classic non-story to keep the chattering classes occupied so they wont ask anymore questions about SpyGate(to which we still have not recieved any satisfactory answers). Anyway, my boss is glaring at me, so I will be brief with my pick.
This is a true mind/gut split for me. The Pats will probably win, but I really don't want them to. They have the edge pretty much everywhere, but there are some reasons for hope. Brandon Jacobs could get some big runs vs. this group of linebackers and NYs D-line has the ability to get to Brady at least a few times. Its possible that Plax could have a big day in the corner of the endzone. These are all big maybes, but one thing is certain: QB play will decide this game. If the Giants D can bring Brady down to Earth, and Eli can continue his pick-free streak, its a tossup. If Eli turns into the Rex Grossman look-a-like that non-Giant fans have come to love, its over in the 2nd quarter. And if Brady is on fire, well, we all know what that looks like. Ive preached before that every game is decided in the trenches, and that is still certainly true. For the Giants, it is absolutely critical that they win the trench battle on both sides of the ball, they must pressure Brady all day long and protect Eli so he can work his Manning magic. If they lose either battle, they lose the war. My prediction: they lose one of those battles. Now a normal thinking person would say, "That means they lose the game, right?". And they would be right, except that I refuse to accept that the Patriots will win this game. So, Im predicting something crazy happens, a return for TD, a tipped ball picked for 6, a bolt of lightning strikes Brady, and the Giants pull off the miracle. God willing. Giants win 31-30(last second FG? wouldnt that be poetic)

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