Super Bowl XVLI

Let’s talk about the Super Bowl.

Firstly, I was right in thinking it would be rematch of a fairly recent Super Bowl. I was just about seven years too early. On a later date, I’ll address the conference championship games. Right now, it hurts too much for us poor, 35 yard field goal victims.

So it’s Giants vs. Patriots in the Super Bowl. A rematch of the infamous Super Bowl XLII—the one that changed how the recent Patriots were seen for a long time and still does today. And this one could have similar ramifications. Here they are.

If the Giants win:

Tom Coughlin will be seen as an elite coach.

Eli will be “Elite Eli”, as he claimed he was before the season started.

The Giants pass rush, their entire defense, will go down as a unit that performs well under pressure and as one of the elite units, if it isn’t already.

The Patriots’ legacy will be challenged – except for Belichick’s. (More on this later).

If the Patriots win:

Belichick will go down in history s the modern Walsh, with Tom Brady as his Montana, unequaled in the last fifteen years.

The Patriots will prove that they don’t choke in the big games, playoff games, in recent memory.

Defense doesn’t need to win championships.

However, I think the Giants will win. Here’s why – defense still wins championships.

They’ve already beaten New England once this season. It will be a close game, don’t get me wrong. But Eli will pull it out, like he has all season, setting the record for fourth quarter touchdowns this season. The Giants are their best under pressure and there is no greater pressure than the Super Bowl.

New England has offense, but several key players are banged up. Notably “Gronk” and Matt Light. Those two players could tip the balance in favor of the Giants if they don’t play well. And the Giants are fairly healthy. Advantage – Giants.

But I really feel that the Giants’ defense will tip this game for New York. They’ve got great players n every level—defensive line, linebackers and secondary. Because their front four can bring so much pressure, so consistently, they will throw Brady off, out of rhythm. This takes the pressure off the ‘backers and the secondary. The secondary is opportunistic, and many of them were here for the last Super Bowl—notably, Webster, the leader. They will not waste any misfires by Tom Brady. And there will be some, with all the pressure brought in the trenches.

With ‘Gronk’ hobbled, the pressure will rest on the shoulders of the other receivers and running backs. Wait, they have other offensive players? The Giants need to be careful of Welker, always a threat, but manageable with their big linebackers to jam him on the line of scrimmage. Just don’t let him out into the flat. He’ll kill you out there.

All this being said, I think that it will be a low scoring, close game.

23-20 Giants.

Bring it Super Sunday.