The NFL Picks Column: Super Bowl XLII Edition

Before I get to my pick for the Super Bowl, I can't help but think about the NFL's un-champions.

The teams that could have, and in some cases, maybe should have been in Sunday’s game.

These teams had a chance to do something special, but instead took it to a whole new level of entertainment and playoff failure.

In no particular order, let's take some time to honor the lovable losers of the 2007 NFL Playoffs...

The Indianapolis Colts

With LaDainian Tomlinson on the sidelines, Antonio Gates unable to play effectively, and Philip Rivers out with a partially torn ACL, the Colts had everything going for them. 

More importantly, they had a three-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The vaunted Colts’ defense managed to allow future Hall-of-Famer Billy Volek to drive 78 yards for a touchdown. 

Then the unstoppable Colts’ offense managed zero points on consecutive possessions inside Charger territory.

This was a collapse of epic proportions. A choke-job more than worthy of accolades and mockery.

The Green Bay Packers

It was supposed to be Brett Favre’s opportunity to show the world that he’s still the best. 

It was supposed to be Brett Favre vs. Tom Brady—the Gunslinger vs. the Kid.

It was supposed to be the Green Bay secondary against the Patriots’ wide receivers.

Unfortunately, the Packers forgot they had to beat the Giants first.

In a game that will forever be remembered as the day Old Man Winter defeated Old Man Favre, the Packers forgot how to run the ball, forgot that they shouldn’t throw the ball to the other team, and decided that a 5’10 corner could man up on a 6’4 wide receiver.

Good show, Packers. If there’s one thing we hate it’s predictability. Their gameplan certainly couldn’t have been predicted.

Of course, it wasn’t predicted because it was so damn horrible. But we respect them sacrificing their biggest game of the year to keep us on our toes.

Good show, coach McCarthy. Good show indeed.

The Dallas Cowboys

Blame it on Jessica Simpson.

Blame it on Wade Phillips.

Blame it on the rain?

Jerry Jones told us his team was so important to the NFC, the NFL, the United States, and the U.S. economy that they couldn’t possibly be considered for one of those oversees games.

They’re America’s team.

One could say (one being Jerry Jones) that they were the NFL Dream Team.

Like all recent Dream Teams, the all-star-packed Cowboys somehow found a way to lose to an inferior team from a lesser country (New York is in Canada, right?). 

All Tony Romo had to do was drive 48 yards in 1:41. 

All Tony Romo managed to do was drive 14 yards in 1:19, then throw a game-ending interception. 

Tony Romo and America’s team, we applaud you. You made us all proud. . . of the Giants.

Super Bowl:  New England Patriots (-14) vs. New York Giants

I’m looking at this entirely from a gambling perspective.

I need good reasons to lay money down on a team. 

I’m not doing it because someone is the “Hot team” or because they played well a couple of weeks ago in a losing effort.

I need tangibles reasons. 

Something to make me feel good about putting my hard earned cash on the line.

I’ve tried to convince myself that the Giants’ defensive line can pressure Brady. 

But that’s hard to do because the Patriots were missing the entire right side of their offensive line and their top two tight ends in the last matchup, yet Brady was able to sit back in the pocket and pick them apart the entire second half.

I’ve tried to convince myself that the Giants can run against the Patriots. 

But that’s hard to do because Jacksonville has a better running game than New York and only had a so-so game against the Patriots. Not only that, but I’m not sure there’s a correlation between rushing yards against the Patriots and your ability to outscore them. Just look at the Steelers game earlier this season.

I’ve tried to convince myself that Eli Manning is playing his best football, which is bad news for the Patriots. 

But can Eli get away with playing error free, big-play free football like he did against the Packers and still score enough to beat the Patriots? 

Once the Patriots decided to pressure Eli in week 17, he fell apart, throwing the eventual game-deciding interception. 

When the Patriots played the Panthers in the Super Bowl, I went into the bye week thinking the Pats were going to destroy them. 

As the game got closer, I convinced myself it would be a close game.

When the Patriots played the Eagles in the Super Bowl, I went into the bye thinking it was going to be an easy Patriot victory. 

By game time, I was convinced the Eagles were going to win.

This Super Bowl week has been entirely different. 

I entered the bye week thinking it was going to be a relatively close game. Now I’m wondering if people outside of New England will still be watching when the fourth quarter starts.

The Patriots offensive “slow-down” coincided perfectly with the weather in New England going to crap. The weather this weekend will be picture-perfect.

The Patriots beat the Giants by three points in week 17. To keep the game within three points, the Giants had to run a kick back for a touchdown and score a garbage-time TD late in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots came into week 17 with a lackluster gameplan and were clearly taken off-guard by the Giants’ intensity.

Neither of those things will happen this weekend.

I expect a close game for about 10 minutes, then the Patriots will turn on the burners and won’t look back. 

This game will not be pretty.

Prediction:  Patriots 42 – Giants 17

I'm SeanMC. 

SeanMC is a Columnist at Bleacher Report. His archive can be found here. You can find everything he writes, including articles for other publications, here.