This year's Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLVI – Giants vs. Patriots

            The rematch. New England wants nothing more than to avenge their loss against the Giants from a few years ago, and Eli Manning wants nothing more than to prove that he’s the real deal and maybe the best Manning out there. This is an interesting matchup if you compare it to the last time these teams met in the Super Bowl.           

            The Patriots were a great team this year, securing the number one seed in the AFC. That having been said, they weren’t nearly the team they were when they went 16-0.  Randy Moss is gone, albeit replaced by Ochocinco. But the scoring records weren’t shattered this year, and their defense is far worse.

            As for the Giants, they are also a very different team, though their season has gone similarly. Again, they barely made the playoffs, but this time they were led by a Prow Bowl quarterback who has been nothing shy of outstanding in the playoffs. Eli was criticized before the season for saying he was an elite quarterback when he was asked, but let’s be honest: he’s proved it, and a second Super Bowl would pretty much assuredly put him in the Hall of Fame. While Burress is gone, New York has a more balanced passing attack with a great core of young playmaking receivers, including Hakeem Nicks, who pretty much topped Burress’s performance against the Packers…against the Packers in the playoffs. The defense is more of the same, led by a great defensive line, and cornerbacks who have played great in the playoffs. (That’s why the Packers had 9 drops, guys).

            My prediction: It’s a tough one, guys. The Patriots have been the better team all year but it’s really tough to bet against the Giants after how they’ve played in the playoffs, including two road wins at Green Bay and San Francisco. Eli Manning is virtually twice the quarterback he was when he won his Super Bowl, so that, combined with the Patriots’ weak defense, leads me to predict that the Giants will win, but I am far from sure.

            I will of course be cheering for New York, and this has little to do with the fact that I hate the Patriots. I like the Giants. They’re my second favorite team behind only the Packers. Plus I’d love to see them win so I can go to the parade the next day. I regret that I couldn’t go to the parade in Green Bay last year.

            If I had to predict a score, I’d say the Giants win, 24-20.