Welcome to the NFL Super Bowl, err—Big Game bye week.
Normally, it’s just practice for the off season. No NFL games, reduced to watching the NBA (on TNT), NHL (on OLN), college basketball (on ESPN and ESPN2), or professional curling (on ESPN 12)—it’s a nightmare to prepare us for the nightmarishly long NFL offseason.
But it’s so much worse when your favorite team is in the big game.
If you’re like me, you’re reduced to writing fake Tom Brady interviews. (Look, I’m sorry about the shameless self promotion, but I really, really need a new Patriot jersey with my name on the back.)
I also began writing the longest mock draft in the history of the Internet. So far, the Dolphins and Rams have made their selections (Glenn Dorsey and Jake Long respectively).
I’ll probably get the next two picks up sometime this week.
Tom Brady’s Famous Ankle
Tom Brady’s ankle hasn’t had this much press coverage since the 2001 Super Bowl.
A high ankle sprain didn’t keep him out of the Super Bowl in 2001 (and we all know how that worked out). Does anyone really think the same injury will keep him out of the 2007 Super Bowl?
That said, the ankle injury clearly affected his performance in the AFC championship game. His mechanics were off, he missed open guys, and played his worst game of the season.
If he has the same type of performance in the Super Bowl, the Giants definitely have a chance.
Speaking of the Giants and Their Chances
I like how people are pointing to the week 17 “close” game between the Patriots and Giants and using that as cause to believe the Super Bowl is going to be a close game.
Well, allow me to retort…
1. The Patriots played eight minutes of good offensive football in that game, yet they still scored 38 points.
2. Yes, the game ended up being a three-point game, but that was after a garbage touchdown late in the fourth quarter after the Patriots’ defense called off the dogs. It was really a ten point game.
3. The Patriots were on the road, in Giants Stadium, and still managed to beat the Giants.
4. The Giants are playing on some serious momentum—momentum which is likely to be impacted by the two week layoff. The Giants would have preferred to play this Sunday instead of next, no doubt about that.
5 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Jason Chambers about 1 year ago
In response to your number 3 reason why the Giants don't stand a chance, I'd like to remind you that the team has played better on the road. Had that game been played in New England chances are the Patriots would already have lost their perfect season. In Arizona things will be different, it's a road game for the Giants where they have won 10 games in a row. Yes, please throw out the fact that the Patriots havn't lost a road or a home game all season.
Last thing I really have to say about the New England Patriots is; in the final 8 weeks the Patriots had so many close calls that you could almost consider them lucky. The Ravens and the Giants just to name two. Where the Giants have built up momentum the Patriots are barely breathing in that department. Add all that up with "The Great" Tom Brady and his 3 interception performance against San Diego and my question to you is; do you really think they can get lucky that many times in a row?
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Thomas Guertin about 1 year ago
close call . are you kidding me there is no such thing. they won all there game, .and the Giants rode record. are you kidding again. what are they 10-1 or 11-1 .so what last time i checked the patriots have a better road record than the giants do. they are 8-0 on the road . so give it a break and if the game was played in New England it would of more of a beat down . and the article was right , the Patriots played less than a half in the Giants game and still beat them . one thing you can bet on is the Patriots will play the whole Superbowl witch means the Giants are done
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Thomas Guertin about 1 year ago
sorry about the spelling
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Paul Gotham about 1 year ago
as Bob Ryan stated yesterday on the Sports Reporters: You can deduct 7 points from the Giant output because will never again run back a punt or was that a kickoff against the Patriots.
This Giant fan is gonna spend A LOT of time with St. Jude (the patron saint of hopeless causes) this weekend.
Speaking of the Sports reporters - when do you think Simmons will make his debut on the Sunday morning round table?
Thanks for the link.
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Paul Gotham about 1 year ago
Hixon. Hixon for crying out loud. Somehow I omitted Hixon from that response!
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