Super Sunday Prediction

This has been one of the hardest Super Bowls to predict.  There are so many reasons to like the Giants in this one as they have more talent, their pass rush, our defense vs their offense.  I have heard many people make predictions and pretty much every NFL player that has made a pick has picked the Giants.  Most of them have been kind to the Patriots, saying how much they respect them and expect it to be close, but in the end they all have the Giants winning by a few points, just to be respectful.  There was one player, who I have heard a couple of times mention something that we have long forgot in New England, the Underdog Mentality.

I live in Boston and most people who know me, realize that I am an unbiased football fan that likes to watch good football.  I have long stated that Belichick sits only behind Vince Lombardi as greatest coach and despite what people think, mainly my brothers, I think and know that Tom Brady will go down as one of the top 3 greatest win, lose or draw.  Despite this, I do not sulk if the Patriots lose on a random Sunday, but I watch every game appreciating the greatness that I am witnessing.

This Guy Will Have the
Patriots Ready this Sunday!

Outside of Vegas, there is nobody that I have seen state that the Patriots are going to win this game, except for Matt Forte from the Chicago Bears.  He stated much of what I have been thinking these last couple of weeks, nobody is giving the Patriots a chance and when that happens vs a combination like Belichick and Brady, bad things tend to happen to their opponent.  The Giants are doing and saying everything which is anti-Patriot and are acting nothing like the team that beat the Patriots a few years back that laid in the weeds, much like we are doing.  You don't think that the Hooded One is coming up with elaborate schemes to stop these guys.  This defense, according to Trent Dilfer, who I think is the best analyst at the moment, stated how Belichick has started to trust his defense to run more schemes, which in turn has led to better defense.  Everybody keeps focusing on Edelman or what the Patriots did earlier in the season and are forgetting that everybody in that locker room hears what everybody is saying and Belichick will make sure of this as well.

I truly believe that the Giants are the more talented team, which is why I go insane when people tell me that Tom Coughlin is anything besides a slightly above average coach.  If Belichick had this team, they probably would be 14-2 and still going to the playoffs.  Everybody thinks that he drafts badly, but people fail to realize the financial aspect that he takes into account, because it is above our pay grade.  He is in the Super Bowl, with Julian Edelman playing cornerback, this is not an accident.  The great Giant pass rush, that everybody has said will crush us and is the main reason that we can't win, will be neutralized.  The Hooded One, does one thing very well and that is take away the strength of the other team.  If he has to max protect all game, so be it.  Tom Brady will be able to take advantage of an average secondary and will be big this game, come Hell or Highwater.  This is coming from an unbiased fan that has a good feeling of what is coming.  I also think that we will force the Giants to beat us by running the ball on offense and much like the Ravens did to us, keep seven guys back to cover the pass on most occasions.

Game Face all day this Sunday!

So fans of New England, have faith in being the underdog, as that was once our calling card.  It seems that many around here are scared of this Giant team, but you only have to listen to the chatter and realize one team isn't talking that much.  Sounds a lot like it used to be and that is not a good situation for the Giants and I am pretty sure Tom Coughlin knows this.  Not that I really have to even make a prediction, because if you have been reading this you know which way I am going and that is with the New England Patriots winning the Super Bowl this Sunday.  I wouldn't be surprised if they win by seven or more either.  Enjoy the parade this Tuesday Tommy!

If you want to read a great article about Tommy Boy, go to this link:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2011/story/_/id/7525476/tom-brady-12-things-not-known-new-england-star-quarterback

Mel Kiper was Missing Bigger Point

New England is fine with this guy

Recently Mel Kiper wrote an article for ESPN about drafting a quarterback to replace incumbent starters.  It starts out talking about how the Packers made the right move as they selected Aaron Rodgers with the 24th pick of the 2005 draft as an heir apparent to Brett Favre.  He then goes on to put the issue in a current day voice and then rates the urgency level.  The point of this blog isn't to go toe to toe with his ratings but merely to point out the fact that it was a much smarter and easier move for the Packers because it was such great value and Brett Favre is a bit of a head case.  I have been a Brett Favre backer, but we need to call a spade a spade and he has not been that reliable for the past forever seasons.  For those of you who remember this draft, Aaron Rodgers was originally the quarterback who was supposed to go first overall, not Alex Smith, who eventually did to the San Fransisco 49ers.   I don't think it was a big stretch to take a quarterback who was originally valued as the number one pick and you have a 35 year old quarterback who can't make up his mind on whether he is going to play on a day to day basis.  In my eyes that was a slam dunk pick no matter how you cut it and it seemed to work out for them.
You can not put this same test to quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as they are very happy where they are and have at least 3 or 4 more good if not great years, maybe more in Brady's case.  If you want to draft a quarterback later on that is fine, especially if he is a good value at that spot.  Right now, these teams need to take advantage of what they have and find the best players available as both of these teams are Super Bowl favorites year in and year out.  So I apologize to Mr. Kiper, who did state that these teams shouldn't do it early, but I will go a step further and state that the idea shouldn't even enter their mind.
In case you wanted to read the article here is the link:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2011/insider/columns/story?columnist=kiper_jr_mel&id=6362093