Super Bowl XLII: Prediction Accountability

February 3, 2008
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale Arizona
New England Patriots vs. New York Giants

Prediction:
My prediction: Patriots 31 - Giants 20.

Final Score: Giants 17 -Patriots 14

In the end, all of the pieces that should have worked for the Patriots didn't and all of the things the Giants needed to do to win, they did. And they didn't even play "the perfect game." If I read that Eli Manning would have an interception and Brady would not have any, I would have said, "game, set, match - Patriots."

The Patriots team that showed up to play this game was mired in the controversy raised by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter and the continuing controversy of the video scandal earlier in the season. The Giants team that showed to play this game had been sick with the flu earlier in the week - the team charter delayed in New York after one of the players got sick on the plane.

In my pregame analysis and prediction, I suggested that with 3 interceptions, the Patriots would allow the Giants to stay in the game and possibly win. They had no interceptions, but they did strip Brady of the ball creating a turnover

My analysis suggested that the Giants would have to take advantage of each and every mistake the Patriots made. The Patriots didn't make any overt mistakes - although arguably not going for a field goal with the ball at the Giants 31-yard line and instead failing to convert 4^th down is the biggest one that comes to mind.

Manning had a spectacular 2 minute drive at the end of the game, over coming a Patriots defense that came close to victimizing him, but just coming up short and he made them pay for those failures.

Brady's sprained ankle did not appear to play a role - he appeared to be able to plant his feet well - but he never did seem to find his rhythm, over and under-throwing receivers on several occasions.

On this night in the desert on February, 2008, the Giants overcame the label of underdog and the 14-point spread; they overcame the regular season perfection of the Patriots and overcame their status as 5^th seed in the NFC to become the Champions of the NFL's 42^nd Super Bowl title tilt and in so doing, they derailed the Patriots effort to, if not become the greatest team in NFL history, become one of the greatest teams in NFL history. While the 2007 Patriots may still be considered as one of the greatest, in the end the Giants won the world championship.