Who Wins The Super Bowl?

[mshulman]

Originally Posted by crazyal

Sometimes the best and closest games are ones that the only thing that counts is pride. The game will depend on how much pressure the Giants feel. When loosing didn't mean much they played the pats great, nice tight game. Since then they've had pressure to win or go home and have came through. If they play that way once more it will be a very close game.

IMO Tom Brady is over rated, sure he's a very good QB but with an offense like they have almost anyone should be able to win. I would like to see how well he can do with less. If he handles it then I would move him up.

I'm expecting the Giants to try to put Brady to the ground as often as they can early.

Clearly you haven't watched him in the past then. Ever since Brady became the starter and won their first superbowl, he's been an amazing QB. This is the first time he's had these kinds of weapons and look at the records he broke.

He is hardly over rated - He is an amazing QB that plays well and makes smart moves.

[borromini]

Originally Posted by F91

...I'd love to see Brady play for the Raiders or the Jets. He wouldn't be overrated then, because he wouldn't have any success, he'd suck.

That's pure speculation. You've got no evidence of that whatsoever.

[borromini]

Originally Posted by F91

...AND yes, I posted that with a straight fucking face.

That's a visual we don't care to imagine.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by HDFOREVER

The only problem with that type of logic is you can also say the Dolphins beat the Ravens, and the pats barely beat the Ravens by a thread. Then the Steelers annihilated the Ravens 38-7, then turned around and got themselves annihilated by the Pats almost as bad at 34-13. So those comparisons rarely work out.

Trust me, any given Sunday, any team can go down. More than likely when the Pats do go down, it will be by someone you wouldn't expect because that is the screwed up way it happens. You think they thought they would come that close to getting beat by the Ravens or the Eagles? Granted the last time the patriots had a big win streak, it was the Steelers that put them away after winning 21 in a row. So you can never tell.

Like I said, if the giants don't bring their A-game, it very well could be a blowout, but it's not the kind of thing I'd say is going to happen with great certainty.

Less likely but possible scenario is that the Giants will be so fired up that they steamroll the Patriots in a shocking upset and turn that perfect season into a borderline meaningless season. Can you imagine what it would be like to go 18-0 and then lose the big game? They'd be hating life, that's for sure.

The Giants have a swagger right now. You can tell they aren't the least bit intimidated. The went way farther than anyone expected and they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. That makes them dangerous as far as I'm concerned.

If the Giants lose, everyones gonna say that was expected and they were lucky to be there anyway. If the Pats lose to the Giants and ruin that perfect season though...... everyones going to be saying choke. That's got to be a lot of pressure to play with. It's not always easy being #1

Well said. All the pressure is on the Patriots, while the Giants are loose and having played arguably as well as the Pats the last two games. The Pats haven't looked unbeatable at all lately, so it's foolish to think they won't lose just because of their record. How the teams have played lately counts for a lot, probably more so than the play throughout the whole season.

[borromini]

Even if it's true that all the pressure is on the Pats...their performance this year clearly indicates that they can handle that pressure with aplomb. Brady's 3 INTs were a non-factor. He never lost his poise and that follows through with the entire team.

No, if the Pats lose to the Giants and that's very plausible...it won't be because the pressure got to them...it will be because the Giants outplayed the Pats with no mistakes.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by borromini

Even if it's true that all the pressure is on the Pats...their performance this year clearly indicates that they can handle that pressure with aplomb. Brady's 3 INTs were a non-factor. He never lost his poise and that follows through with the entire team.

No, if the Pats lose to the Giants and that's very plausible...it won't be because the pressure got to them...it will be because the Giants outplayed the Pats with no mistakes.

I agree that the pressure can work to a team's advantage if they can handle it. Actually, I don't think pressure or lack of it will really be a factor. The Giants have played very well under pressure lately, so I think if anything they will not have the Q4 meltdown that the Pats are used to seeing from their opponents up till now. If the score is close in the 4th quarter, it could go either way, AFAIC.

[HDFOREVER]

Originally Posted by bruceames

How the teams have played lately counts for a lot, probably more so than the play throughout the whole season.

I agree and the Giants are playing their best football all year. Once you hit the Super Bowl it's not 18-0 versus 13-6, it's AFC champ versus NFC champ for the big prize.

[MattRCT]

Originally Posted by F91

You are mis representing what I am saying. If Brady played on a bad team, he wouldn't be the uber QB that you and the media think he is. You dispute that? Thats not only silly, but absurd. Example: Steve Young on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. AND yes, I posted that with a straight fucking face.

Thats any good QB in the history of QBs you dolt.

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by HDFOREVER

The only problem with that type of logic is you can also say the Dolphins beat the Ravens, and the pats barely beat the Ravens by a thread. Then the Steelers annihilated the Ravens 38-7, then turned around and got themselves annihilated by the Pats almost as bad at 34-13. So those comparisons rarely work out.

The Patriots have won 18 games out of 18 games this season, and only about 3 were close. Yes, I understand comparative scores are not always going to give accurate predictions, but there is nothing anywhere in the records of these two teams this year that indicates this game is anything other than a horrible mismatch which is exactly how I see it playing out. Most games, including most Super Bowls, I find some reason to give the underdog a shot, but not this time. Of course there is a chance that Brady's ankle is a serious problem and that would make things somewhat different, although New England wins this game without him if they have to.

Chris

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by mshulman

Clearly you haven't watched him in the past then. Ever since Brady became the starter and won their first superbowl, he's been an amazing QB. This is the first time he's had these kinds of weapons and look at the records he broke.

He is hardly over rated - He is an amazing QB that plays well and makes smart moves.

What's this crap? You always have an opinion that is the exact opposite of mine and I thought you usually offered it just to try to contradict what I state. You have missed my comments in this thread?

Chris

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by F91

You are mis representing what I am saying. If Brady played on a bad team, he wouldn't be the uber QB that you and the media think he is. You dispute that? Thats not only silly, but absurd. Example: Steve Young on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. AND yes, I posted that with a straight fucking face.

Steve Young looked like a great mobile quarterback with a bad line, he didn't suck, the team did. What you said was that Brady would suck with a bad team and I disagree, first of all he is so good, no team would suck too much with him as quarterback and secondly with a bad team, he would look like an amazing quarterback and would find ways to win a couple of games despite the situation.

Chris

[HDFOREVER]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

The Patriots have won 18 games out of 18 games this season, and only about 3 were close.

Actually 4 were won by 4 points or less:

24-20 Colts
31-28 Eagles
27-24 Ravens
38-35 Giants

As far as being close, guess it's depends on what ones definition of close is.

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by HDFOREVER

Actually 4 were won by 4 points or less:

24-20 Colts
31-28 Eagles
27-24 Ravens
38-35 Giants

As far as being close, guess it's depends on what ones definition of close is.

I said about 3, now I will say exactly 4 were close.

chris

[HDFOREVER]

We all have reasons that we think this will or will not be a blowout or a good game. I'll tell you why I think it will be a close game for atleast most of the game...

-The Patriots beat 7 teams this year that had winning records at the end of the regular season.

-Only 3 of those games were not home games.

-Now, lets take a look at the 3 games where the Patriots had to play a winning team on the road.

1. The Cowboys were only down by 4 at the half
2. The Colts were winning by 6 at the half
3. The Giants were winning by 5 at the half

That's pretty telling isn't it? The Super Bowl AFAIK is not in Foxboro. So while I'm smart enough not to bet on the Giants (without the spread anyway), I feel like it will be an entertaining game no matter who wins.

[HDFOREVER]

Not to mention the fact that the Giants are 10-1 on the road and playing their best football of the year right now