Super Bowl XLVI

2/5 6:30 ET

New England

-2.5

NY Giants

55

And so after all these weeks we’ve finally arrived to the Big Game. If you were looking for a day-by-day review of all the pre-game hype, you’ve come to the wrong place. We’re only concerned with what happens after 6:30 pm on the 5^th. Everything else is just useless noise. This will be a rematch of Super Bowl XLII in which the Giants prevailed at the end in one of the most heartbreaking games in Patriots’ history. Both teams lucked their way into this Super Bowl; the Patriots on a shanked field goal try by Billy Cundiff and the G-Men on two fumbled punts by the ‘Niners Kyle Williams. Tom Brady did not have his best game in the victory over the Ravens and Rob Gronkowski suffered a high ankle sprain in the process.  Gronk will probably play in the Super Bowl but there’s no way he’ll be functioning at 100%.

It’s hard for a New Englander to look at this game with an unbiased eye. Obviously we want the Patriots to win. But in lining up the teams side-by-side, the G-Men have the advantage in most of the categories. The Giants have the better running game and defense. Arguably, their pass receivers are equal to the Patriots’. On balance, the Giants have a better team than the Patriots.

For New England to win, they have to play their best game, especially on defense.  The Giants’ D-Line will probably bull rush Brady like they did the last time and make his day a living nightmare. Eli Manning should have a field day passing against the Patriots’ woeful secondary.

This game will be close, but don’t look for a shootout.

Projected Final Score: NY Giants 24, New England 20