The Big Game in the Desert

Here we are the next to last day in January. Pitchers and catchers report in two weeks, and before we know it the winter will be a distant memory. Before the big thaw...we have some unfinished business to take care of. The football season must be wrapped up with a bow. I have been thinking about the match up since Championship Sunday. I tried to guess what the best match up would have been. All things considered, including the sidebar stories that would have made our collective hearts flutter. That being said this is without question the best match up that could have possibly been ordered up.

The two headed monster of the Patriots looked like a juggernaut for most of the season, but have been brought down like the crippled American spy satellite back into our atmosphere. There is only the New York Football Giants that can finish the plunge hopefully into the vast deepness of the Pacific Ocean.

The Giants started off 0-2, and proceeded to finish 10-4. The dichotomy of these two teams and franchises is quite remarkable. The Giants have been the road warriors, and the Patriots have been the Goliath of the league. The only thing I have left to do to make a reasonably intelligent decision as to who will win the game is break it down.

Offense: Giants: Eli, Plexico, Amani, Kevin Boss, Jacobs, Bradshaw, Smith, S. Moss oh and by the way Reuben Droughns. Not bad, not bad at all.

Patriots: Brady, Moss, Maroney, Welker, Gaffney, Stallworth, Faulk.
No run all pass will hurt the Patriots this week. The Giants can run and pass. If Eli holds his own, and just manages the game instead of trying to win the game, this will be fun.
Edge: Giants

Defense: Giants: Strahan, Umenyiora, Pierce, Mitchell, Torbor, Ross, McQuarters, Tuck.
Two of the best pass rushers in the league, and a third that will not be playing in the game. Solid linebackers that can all bring the lumber.
Reasonable defensive backfield with good cover guys.
Patriots: Bruschi, Vrable, Seau, Seymour, Thomas, Samuel, Harrison, Warren.
Great veteran line backing corps, decent cover guys. "May" be a little long in the tooth.
Edge: Giants

Special teams: Patriots: Hanson, Gostkowski, Welker, Hobbs. Nice special team guys. Welker could run through the eye of a needle if he got a good block.
Giants: McQuarters, Feagles, Tynes, Bradshaw, Droughns, Ross, Moss.
All can get the job done. I am a little worried about the lack of big game experience of Tynes. This game will probably be close, and a kick could decide it. We shall see.
Edge: Patriots

Coaching: Belichick will some day go down as one of the premier head coaches. He will be in
the Hall of Fame. Coughlin is tough, gritty, at first hated by his players, but is now loved.
Edge: Patriots

Intangibles: Anthony wright and Jared Lorenzen are way better than Matt Cassell. If Brady goes down, this game could be over early. The Giants defense will decide this game.

My pick: Giants: 42 Patriots: 28 The 14 point victory is not a reflection of a blowout. Brady will be hobbling late in the 4th quarter, he has to force up an ill advised pass. It is intercepted, and the Giants go up by 14 instead of the tenuous 7 point lead they had.

One of the best Super Bowls in history. That is the only thing I am willing to guarantee this week.

The Patriots season will in fact be history.