[George_1950]

The Giants offense started strong with Eli Manning throwing right on target. He was able to keep his offense on the field and Favre and pals on the sideline. One can only wonder what the Giants would be like if he had two more receivers that could catch a football like Plaxico. The Packers offense never got going in the second half; they must have just gone cold standing on the sideline. I really felt for those guys, playing in the cold; and couldn't help but wonder how many feministas would like the opportunity to play 60 minutes of football in those conditions.
Any way, the desired matchup between Brady and Favre won't happen this season, which is too bad. I don't see any way the Giants can win the Super Bowl because Mr. Brady has too many weapons.

[spitvenom]

Yeah I was set for the Pats Packer Super Bowl myself. I envisioned the Packers winning Favre winning MVP then Retiring but that ain't happening. I really don't think the G men can match up to the Pats all that well. I agree while Toomer is a good receiver he is no Burress. I just hope the game is not a blow out. I really hate the Pats I'm a Raiders fan and I still can't get over the way the Raiders were cheated in that Playoff game in the snow. So I will be cheering for the G Men and Hopefully Eli can play like his brother and pull off the miracle!!

[13sldr]

spitvenom, I don't think it should be a complete blow out, when the Pats and Giants faced off in the reg. season, I didn't think it was that bad of a game, down by 22 points then turned around and won. So I bet it will be a good game

[CaptainRich]

I agree with hoping for a great Super Bowl..!

Nobody likes a total blow-out. I would have liked Brett Farve (38) to have had this shot at another ring. I know he would, too! There's always next year...

That having been said, the Giants have already put up a bodacious good game against the Pats in the regular season.
Seems each time the opponent gets jiggy, the Pats find another weapon (I like that analogy! ) and pull out another win.

However, in the interest of fair-play, which team is currently the most watched? The most envied? Perhaps, at this point in the NFL... the most scruntinized and dissected of all the teams in league history?
When any team is given the opportunity to view film of their opponent, they will.

This will be a very good Super Bowl! Perhaps the best and most competitive ever!
Individual effort, play calling, superior stamina... May the best team win!

I recommend you get your Patriots gear early, before it's all sold out. :cool:

[spitvenom]

I hope it will be a great game. I'm tired of seeing these NFC teams come in and do nothing. Well Except for Tampa Bay!! The Giants did play the Pats very well in the last game of the season. Hopefully they can repeat that in the Super Bowl.

[kp2171]

Read an article about the turf in the stadium... apparently, since it's a retractable roof stadium, and therefore some of the grass gets more light than other sections, they have the entire field on a platform that rolls out of the stadium.

Its literally turf over 6 inches of dirt that is on some wheeled base. Meaning they can take the entire thing out and get great drainage and sunshine. Which means awesome turf for the game.

Who gives a hoot?

The speedy guys. One line of thought is that the pat receivers should have a little extra zip and might be able to get some separation... and on the other side, the giants rushers might get a little extra "grip" trying to get around the tackles.

I wasn't impressed, or at least I wasn't paying attention to the giants until they hit the playoffs... well, the pats game was surprising, but I was still mostly ignoring them.

If ny can get around the edges and the defense can jam up receivers hard at the line, maybe they can do the "unthinkable"? Though welker has shown all year he can take those fast passes when everyone else is getting hammered.

Yeah, I kind of wanted a green bay/pats game, but still... this will be history no matter what... either a team goes undefeated or a manning wins a year after a different manning wins the superbowl.

I, for one, think it has the potential to be a great, great game.

[George_1950]

Could be a great game if the Giants can hold onto the football and keep Brady on the sideline. Otherwise...

[13sldr]

KP I agree with what you said, but, brady is pretty good thinking on his feet, so after a couple down he will realize that giants defenders have adapted to the truf, he will most like resort to screen plays or running mariony, but just 2 days until the superbowl of the history

[CaptainRich]

Kp, I hadn't though about the two Manning's/two SB's thing. That would give the family legacy something more to talk about. We'll see if they can put together as good a show now as they did then.
But I would have also like to see Favre get another shot. He could follow in Marino's footsteps in that regard: play hard every year and still not get the crown jewels of his profession.
A short while back, Mike Rowe on "Dirty Jobs" did a segement on the U of P Stadium. It will be interesting tosee who benefits the most. Usually the offense has the advantage there. Either way, I hope to see a clean game that is played on the field, not the booth.

Time will tell. And the clock is ticking!
Tailgaiting starts tomorrow!

[kp2171]

But I would have also like to see Favre get another shot. He could follow in Marino's footsteps in that regard: play hard every year and still not get the crown jewels of his profession.

Except farve has a superbowl ring from xxxi.

Get it once and you are in the club forever...

[biggsie]

Congrats to New York Giants -- Great Game!!

[CaptainRich]

Kp, you're correct, but XXXI seems so long ago. He's been wanting another ever since.

Hat's off to the Giants for containing the Patriots, who seemed to lack their offensive front line.

[kp2171]

Great game for people like me who love smashmouth pressure. Sure, its not the Greatest Show on Turf offense, but man... I love it when a strong defense can pressure like that and disrupt the other team.

Watched with a buddy who thought the pats were in a good position going into halftime and I disagreed. Told him unless they adjusted to the rush, what was going to change? Told him if pats didn't take control in the 3rd that NY would open up the pass in the 4th and I thought NY was holding back a little on the pass to keep the clock moving. Don't know about incompletions, but NY had something like a 2:1 ratio of rush to pass (completions) in the first three quarters. 4th quarter I think it was 7:9 rush to pass... obviously they had to pass with little time left, but still... they did exactly what I was afraid of late in a close game.

Then when pats scored late in the 4th my wife thought I was an idiot for yelling at the TV that they scored too fast... all that time, 3 timeouts left for ny.

Got to give NY credit for playing hard, having a good defensive gameplan, and playing the clock well on offense. They completely out-played the pats, and even out-coached the pats, as hard as it is to believe.

Props to NY.

[ScottGem]

told him if pats didnt take control in the 3rd that NY would open up the pass in the 4th

After the first couple of series in the 3rd QTR, I had the feeling the Giants were going to win. My greatest fear was that the Pats would make adjustments and come out smoking from the half. When they didn't I thought the Giants had them.

then when pats scored late in the 4th my wife thought i was an idiot for yelling at the tv that they scored too fast... all that time, 3 timeouts left for ny.

My daughter kept saying it was over and I kept telling her there was plenty of time.

gotta give NY credit for playing hard, having a good defensive gameplan, and playing the clock well on offense. they completely out-played the pats, and even out-coached the pats, as hard as it is to believe.

props to NY.

Only the score didn't reflect how much the Giants outplayed the Pats. I bet what's sticking in Belicheck's craw is that he was outcoached. On the other hand, if he had to be outcoached, I think he's happy it was by the Giants and not any other team.

Sitting here in my official locker room T-Shirt basking in the after glow of the greatest Super Bowl ever.

[George_1950]

It was a great game, but keep in mind that Brady was just one play from winning the game and is capable of that on any play. On this day, the Giants were just good enough; I thought the play-calling aspect of the Pats was suspect.

[ScottGem]

You can say that about a lot of things. Eli almost completed a hail mary at the end of the first half that might have changed the complexion of the game.

With 35 seconds Brady didn't need to get it all in one play especially since all he needed was a field goal to tie. Yet he took 4 shots at getting close enough in one play. That surprised the heck out of me. So yes, the play calling was suspect, but isn't that part of what being outcoached means?

[13sldr]

My greatest fear was that the Pats would make adjustments and come out smoking from the half.

I also though that was how the game was going to go in the 2nd half, I'm really surprised the Pats didn't come out and "smoking" them like they have done do some many other teams

[13sldr]

With 35 seconds Brady didn't need to get it all in one play especially since all he needed was a field goal to tie. Yet he took 4 shots at getting close enough in one play. That surprised the heck out of me.

I kind of figured they were going to do deep passes, but then after I asked myself, why didn't they give the ball to marroney, everyone was expecting deep passes. If they were to have run it, maybe the out come would have been different.

And was the talk to Randy might not be playing for the Pats next season?

[kp2171]

Well yeah, any close game is "one play" away from being a different outcome.

But knowing that brady can score and lead and win doesn't mean a thing. He didn't. George foreman had heavy hands, but he still got rope-a-doped.

So all he needed was one big play. OK.

2nd quarter, NY driving hard to score, pass tipped, intercepted by NE. NE gets out of the turnover and return? 7 yards on three plays. Punt. Wasted chance to bring out the hero dust.

2nd quarter, next series, NY gets sacked, fumbles, clearly playing like crap after the INT, punts to NE. NE gets out of that series? A no gain rush and consecutive -7 yard sacks on brady.

2nd quarter, next NE possession after NY does nothing. NE drives from their 11 into NY territory just to have tuck strip brady.

And on and on.

Brady had "chances" to pull off that "one play" all night long... at least he had many possessions in a tight game. Just didn't do it for the most part.

I don't put it all on him. He couldn't do his job because NY throttled the line... moving tuck around was brilliant.

And how many times does a tackle have to let someone by before you adjust your blocking?

Finally, when it looks like NE can actually sustain a drive with a score, they scream down the field, score with a bunch of time left, and leave it to the defense to finish it off.

Manning wasnt great all night, but he also didn't get sacked on that late pass. Pulled out the hero dust at the right time.

And I'm so not a NE hater. Talk about taping all you want... teams have been doing it, shouldn't be doing it, but the pats have been great and brady is a great qb.

I think his ankle was a little of the problem, but really I think it was more the 274lb DE that kept crashing through and his brethren. Heck... rex grossman can stand in the pocket and throw missles downfield with protection.

Just had a thought...

Is the outcome different if the pats still had vinatieri? Instead of going for it on 4th down in the 3rd, they instead kick a boomer for 3pts?? Interesting angle I hadn't thought of till now.

[ScottGem]

I kind of figured they were going to do deep passes, but then after i asked my self, why didnt they give the ball to marroney, everyone was expecting deep passes. if they were to have run it, maybe the out come would have been diffrent.

Not even close. With only 35 seconds, they couldn't afford to run. Maroney's not that fast that he's going to break off the kind of runs they needed. No, the only choice the Pats had were either medium length sideline passes to try and get 10-15 yds a pop. They could have run 3 or 4 of them and still have time to kick a field goal. Or they could have done what they did by going for the home run.