Sunday, February 3, 2008

Why I am rooting for the New York Giants

Without a doubt, the New England Patriots are the best team I've personally seen play in the NFL. I really started watching football around 1999, with the advent of the quick-strike Rams. They were really something, but it was so obvious that the Rams always had a fatal flaw. They can hardly be called a dynasty; neither can any of the other teams that have won since the Patriots' first win.

The NFL has quite a bit balance: it's difficult to assemble a great team, phenomenal individual performers have always been on poor teams (Barry Sanders, anyone?) and championship winners who don't stand out. Quick: name a defensive player on the '72 Dolphins. I can't (there's that Nick something-or-other, I think) -- can you?

The '07 Patriots put a hole in all of that. They don't appear to have a fatal flaw. They pass well, run well, stop the pass and can stop the run (although less so, recently.) The O-line is great, the D-line's pretty good too. They've won two big individual honors and they're going to win (most likely) the two biggest team honors: an undefeated season and a Superbowl championship.

Eli Manning and the Giants will have to play the game of their lives tomorrow. They could do it -- they're a good team. America is depending on you, Giants, and so am I.

P.S. Put your predictions in the comments.

2 comments:

Jim said...

50% chance:

NYG 13
NE 45

40% chance:

NYG 23
NE 29

10% chance (hoping beyond hope):

NYG 27
NE 26

Chris said...

Whats this three predictions craziness, unless Eli pulls a famous implosion this goes to the wire, and my guess is this is another classic that rests on the foot of a kicker, so who do I choose, Gostkowski or Tynes... not an easy call, but only one of those guys has REALLY been called on in a pressure situation to win a game... so there it is:

NYG 30
NE 28

That is, of course, unless NY pulls an Eli, then this could get messy REAL fast. I won't see it, I will rely in ESPN Radio