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Shuts and Failures

by Michael Maiello

KRXA Hal's picture

The NY Giants will win the Super Bowl

by KRXA Hal 1/26/2012 - 12:27 am   |

If I were a betting man, and I'm not, I'd bet the house on the Giants beating the spread which currently has them 3 point underdogs versus the Patriots.  In fact, I'm very confident that they will win the Super Bowl.  For the life of me, I can't figure out how the Patriots are favored.  Okay, I can.  Tom Brady. 

Brady is a great great quarterback.  Quite possibly, he is the dominant 21st century pro football player - although Ray Lewis devotees certainly have an argument.  But I'm not even sure he's better than Eli Manning right now and Manning has more weapons and a better defense.

Bill Belichick is a brilliant coach but is he better than Tom Coughlin.  Maybe a little bit.  Belichick's resume is more impressive.  Full disclosure, Belichick and I attended the same university and I met him once and liked him.  But, Coughlin is a great coach too and has proven he can beat Belichick teams as he did in the 2008 Super Bowl and earlier this season in New England. 

Brady has remarkable receivers.  Tight end Rob Gronkowski may be the NFL player of the year and Wes Welker is tremendous.  But, Gronkowski's nicked up and Manning has the best wide receiving corps in the NFL to throw to with Hakeem Nicks, the incomparable Victor Cruz, and a great 3rd down receiver Mario Manningham to boot.  The Giants' pass catchers have the edge.

Neither team runs the ball real well but isn't it obvious that Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are better than Danny Woodhead, Aaron Hernandez, and Julian Edelman?

Both teams have very solid offensive lines.  I'll call them even.

So, the Giants sure seem to have the edge on offense.  On defense, it's obvious Big Blue is better.  Their front four can get pressure without taking any linebackers out of coverage.  Their linebackers are solid and the defensive backs are playing very well right now.

The Patriots simply are not a good defensive team.  They were 31st in the NFL in terms of yards given up and although they played better in the playoffs, the offenses that they faced, Denver and Baltimore, are not nearly as dynamic as the Giants.

I'm not a big believer in the power of special teams to make up for an inferior offense and defense and in this one, the Giants have the edge any way. I'll call the kickers even.  The Giants have the more reliable punter and their coverage has been spectacular.

The Giants should win by a touchdown.

I find this entire blog ANTIPATRIOTIC!

HA

by Richard Day 1/26/2012 - 12:35 am

I tend to agree that the Giants will win it. Victor Cruz is extremely hard to cover, he beat the Cowboys single handedly. The Niners fans were booing their own team every time Cruz caught a pass. 

by Oxy Mora 1/26/2012 - 1:07 am

Just for the record, I picked Tom Brady and KRXA Hal for my fantasy Calvinball league.

by Verified Atheist 1/26/2012 - 10:17 am

The Patriots defense is significantly improved since the return of Spikes and Chung, who were injured throughout much of the season.

In the previous Super Bowl meeting Brady had a very bum ankle which limited his mobility, and made him more vulnerable to the Giants pass rush.  He's healthy now, and the Patriots quick delivery short game of Welker, Gronkowski and Hernandez will be very tough for the Giants to neutralize with the pass rush.

Neither team runs the ball real well but isn't it obvious that Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are better than Danny Woodhead, Aaron Hernandez, and Julian Edelman?

You left out Green-Ellis, the Patriots best rusher.  He was a 1000 yard rusher last year and was just as good this year, even though the Patriots rely less now on the running game.   And he never fumbles - ever.

by Dan Kervick 1/26/2012 - 1:18 pm

Good points. But I think you just gave Green-Ellis the kiss of death. Have you ever noticed that when an announcer says something like "he never fumbles", he fumbles on the next play. 

by Oxy Mora 1/26/2012 - 1:50 pm (re: Dan Kervick)

Thanks Dan for reminding me about BenJarvus Green-Ellis. How could I have forgotten that name?  His stats were not real good this year though only 667 yards at a 3.7 yard per carry clip.  Ahmad Bradshaw's numbers were marginally better just 659 yards with an average carry of 3.9.  But they were better.  Regarding Brady's health, he played very poorly against the Ravens perhaps because of a bruised left shoulder which got smacked pretty good towards the end of the game.  Going into the game, Giants playmakers' Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, and Hakeem Nicks are all healthy.  Of the Patriots stars, Gronkowski is definitely nicked up, he might not even play, and Brady may well be.  Only Welker is relatively healthy.  I'm sticking with the Giants.

by KRXA Hal 1/26/2012 - 9:40 pm (re: Dan Kervick)

Patriots 31-17

by Dan Kervick 1/27/2012 - 8:17 am

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