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.

Stand in the gap!

That was a great, great game. Eli Manning, you're my new hero.

Beat the Patriots, Eli Wan-Kenobi -- you're still my only hope.

Four reasons why the Patriots cannot win the Superbowl

1. Tom Brady would be allowed to get any woman in the continental US pregnant.
2. Randy Moss' car would have parking attendants as rim spinners.
3. For the rest of our lives, drunk Boston sports fans would be completely insufferable (except you, Bill), especially if the Celtics are any good this year. "Nomah!"
4. Belichick would be become Pope.

Put your division game weekend predictions in the comments.

IT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.

God help me, the Patriots cannot be allowed to both 1) go undefeated through a 16 game season and 2) win the Superbowl.

Can you imagine what a catastrophe it would be if this happened? The conventional wisdom would crown the Patriots the greatest NFL team of all time. We'd have to move the White House from Washington, D.C. to Boston. Tom Brady would be the greatest quarterback of all time (especially if he held the single-season TD record.) Randy Moss would become the greatest wide receiver of all time. ESPN would move from Bristol to Foxboro. Bill Belichick would become as a god. Wes Welker would be the greatest white-guy receiver since Steve Largent. Peyton Manning would no longer be allowed to do TV commercials! This cannot be allowed to stand! We can have Chris win the pick-off three years in a row, but we cannot have this!

I call on all that is holy (and possibly some that isn't) for a team, any team to defeat the New England Patriots during this season or the playoffs. This is Horatio on the Bridge! This is the Alamo! This is the meteor from Armageddon heading towards Earth with Tom Coughlin as the Bruce Willis character. Don't drop the detonator, Tom!

If a Taylor Group member's team (Colts or Giants, primarily) beats the Patriots, I will personally buy and ship a bottle of the finest $9.99 champagne to the vanquisher of the Beast from Massachusetts.

Until next week, I will be hoping beyond hope that the New York Football Giants will win this game. Help me, Eli Wan-Kenobi, you're my only hope.