Dear Demosthenes11, Deejay, et al:
Look, you're all smart guys. Most of you have been posting here a long time. Demos and DJ, your passion for your teams has, at least in my mind, given you the unofficial title of BG representative for the Patriots and Giants, respectively. So, everyone, as we look ahead to Sunday evening, I ask but two simple questions; keep it cordial, and keep it classy. This I ask of you, not just posting to rival fan bases, but to everyone. This is the big one, brohams. And it should be a good one. Unlike most of the country, I am not rooting for anyone, nor am I rooting against anyone. I just want a good, clean, and entertaining game.
I am no mod. I will be hosting a Super Bowl party at my apartment and unable to police this thread in any way during the game, not even with the measly "Report Post" button. So I have no recourse if you or others choose to ignore my plea. But the Super Bowl brings out every fanboy, lurker, troll, and other such undesirable to our humble piece of the Internets. Please, stay above the fray.
I have faith in you both, Demos and DJ, and in all the NFL thread regulars. Except you, Leroy.
Love,
Breggy
Last week
Pick: 0-1
ATS: 0-1
Overall
Pick: 172-95
ATS: 138-122-7
Sunday, February 5th
6:30pm EST, NBC
NY Giants versus New England (-3) - Well, we're finally here. Roger Goodell has punished us all with the Pro Bowl, and our reward for enduring such filth is that the Super Bowl is mere days away. There are plot lines aplenty; a rookie linebacker who survived cancer, a game-changing sensation with a bum ankle, a quarterback looking to escape from his brother's shadow for good, while his rival tries to avenge the loss from four years ago. That game, Super Bowl XLII, looms like a behemoth over any discussion of Sunday's contest. Sure, the rosters are drastically different, but it's two coaches, two quarterbacks, and two franchises squaring off again with the memory of one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history still fresh in everyone's mind.
So what's different? We trade Joe Buck/Troy Aikman, Jordin Sparks, and Tom Petty for Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth, Kelly Clarkson, and the withered husk of Madonna. Take that for what you will. But more importantly, the line in 2008 was Patriots (-12). Are the teams that much more evenly matched this time around? New England doesn't have the gaudy offensive numbers, or a healthy and attentive Randy Moss, but there's no doubt they have the ability to put up just as many points in a single game. Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, and Wes Welker make up the three most dangerous non-African-American targets, I'm guessing since the Eisenhower administration. And while the defense is a little softer, they still get turnovers in bunches. The Giants, meanwhile, come into Indianapolis with a ton of momentum. After pummeling Atlanta and Green Bay, they squeaked by the Fightin' Vernon Davises 49ers on the strength of a turnover-free game by Eli Manning and everyone else who didn't take a football to the knee. In the midst of all the focus on the offenses, Jason Pierre-Paul is the one guy on either defense that, in my opinion, can take over a game of this magnitude.
But I'm picking the Patriots for a few reasons. First, Leroy Curse. I will believe no "reverse curse" nonsense. Second, I felt like San Francisco found ways to get to Eli and put him on the ground quite a bit. I have faith that Bill Belichick will look at the weaknesses along New York's O-line and do the same thing, and the odds of Eli pitching another perfect game while he's getting knocked around like that are pretty slim. Third, I don't think New York's linebackers and secondary can cover all the targets Brady has to work with. And lastly, the stigma of being a huge favorite and a perfect season on the line is gone for New England. I think they realize they're lucky Billy Cundiff yanked that field goal wide left, or else they might not even be here. They'll be focused, and there's no reason for the Pats to let New York hang around and David Tyree them again. Or is it Victor Cruz them? Mario Manningham them? Who cares, it ain't gonna happen. Patriots win and cover.