It has been a great ride picking NFL games this season, and we are definitely looking to close out the season with a correct guess. We’re thankful for all who have checked out Fieend’s NFL picks this year and we hope to have an even better record next year. For the postseason, we are 7-3.
Super Bowl XLVI will kick off at about 6:30pm ET, or so NBC says, and when it does, we will see two teams that have been here before, namely the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. This rematch should be an exciting game.
On the one hand, you have a New England Patriots team that is on a revenge tour, looking for respect and to get a fourth Super Bowl title for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. You just know that they would relish vengeance against the Giants, who beat them four years ago and blemished what would have been considered the greatest season in NFL history. Then you have the Giants, who are going on a run remarkably similar to that of 2007, which of course ended in a Super Bowl date with the Patriots. For Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin, it would be a second Lombardi Trophy and the fourth overall for the franchise.
This game comes down to the matchup between the Patriots offense and Giants defense; specifically, it is whether or not the Giants pass rush can get to Tom Brady and disrupt New England’s passing game, which is easily their biggest strength. If the Giants do that, they are going to win. Should the Pats’ offensive line hold up to the pressure they’ll be getting from players like Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul on the ends, then Brady will have a much easier time working his magic and New England has a real chance in winning a shootout.
There is also the issue here of Rob Gronkowski, star tight end for New England. His injury status is in question, but if you ask me, he will play. Whether or not he will be effective with his ankle injury remains to be seen as well, but there is no doubt that he plays a key role in what the Patriots do offensively — though he netted fewer yards than the team’s leading receiver, Wes Welker, he had far more touchdowns with 17. If for some reason Gronkowski does not play or is limited in what he can accomplish, that will create an advantage for the Giants. New York, meanwhile, is healthy.
New England’s last defeat this season was to the Giants several months ago, they are 15-3, and they deserve to be favored. They are an excellent, well-coached football team and they have a legitimate chance at victory. The Giants, however, are playing like a team possessed, holding each of their last five opponents to 20 points or less and riding Eli Manning and his wide receivers all the way back to the Super Bowl. The Giants will be able to move the ball against New England’s defense, and the Giants’ pass rush will do just enough to seal the victory in a close game.
