Super Bowl that pick!

So here we are: two hours before the ‘Big Game,’ and I have yet to post my pick. I never actually bothered to post my AFC/NFC Championship game picks either, but as you probably guessed, I went 1-1. The truth of the matter is, I do not know what to make of this Giants team. They looked shaky all year, played a great game against the Patriots in Week 17, and suddenly, after two monumental upsets, we have a Super Bowl rematch between New England and New York (N). Both of the Giants’ lines, offensive and defensive, look phenomenal, as one would expect, given that their team has been based around these two areas for several years now, but every other facet of their team has improved significantly in the past month. Their secondary is making plays, no matter who is out there, and Eli Manning made it his New Year’s resolution not to turn the ball over ever again. I suspect that Belichick, given two weeks and the game film from the December match-up, will come up with a defensive game plan involving lots of disguised blitzes that will rattle Eli; I think that if the Patriots’ offensive line (which is the best line they’ve had in the Brady/Belichick era) gives Brady time to throw, Moss will get open deep against New York’s overachieving secondary; I think that the Patriots, on paper, are huge favorites to win this game. But the game is not played on paper, and the Giants have defied my expectations at every turn this postseason. They remind me of that overachieving Panthers team that peaked at just the right time, came into the Super Bowl with a lot of confidence, and almost pulled off the upset. I do believe that the Patriots will win this game, but I cannot say I feel nearly as confident about that fact as one might expect.

My Pick: The Giants cover the spread, and keep this one interesting until the end, but the Patriots prevail (16-0!!!)