The New York Giants Win Super Bowl XLII in Overtime

Today is February, 2, 2008, a day before Super Bowl Sunday. It is also the day I make my bold prediction that the New York Giants will win Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots in overtime by a field goal after Lawrence Tynes, their kicker, misses a potential game winner in the fourth quarter. If I'm going to make a prediction, I'm going to make a darn prediction.

"Patriots Win!", "Brady is once again the Super Bowl MVP" These phrases will not be tossed around Monday morning. If you are looking for a soundbyte, that will make headlines, here is one for you: Cheaters never win. Okay, so they won 18. Let me rephrase: CHEATERS NEVER WIN 19 IN A ROW.

Drum roll please...Here are the 3 Reasons Why The New York Football Giants Will Dethrone Joe Namath's Other New York Team As The Biggest Super Bowl Upsetters Of All Time:

1. The Giants will win the turnover battle. Teams that win turnover battles win an overwhelming majority of games (somewhere upwards of 70 something percent I heard Madden saying one time). Eli Manning has become an efficient team manager and his current performance resembles that of New York's most prolific QB, Phil Simms. Manning has come onto his own since the departure of the poison known as Jeremy Shockey. The biggest change is that he has been throwing fewer interceptions; zero in the postseason.

Tom Brady will be tossing the ball around a lot trying to create mismatches.
More attempts equal more opportunities for Aaron Ross and his boys.

My predication: Giants pick Brady twice, 1 being a game changing interception. Neither team will fumble.

2. Defense wins championships. The Patriots have a solid defense. The linebacking crew is the most experienced in the business. They tackle well and bring consistent pressure. But they're old. Tedy Bruschi is 34 and Junior Seau will be the big 4-0 in a matter of months. Mike Vrabel, the youngest is 32. This will be their 19th game of the season. I can already smell the Ben Gay in the air.

The biggest highlight of the Patriots' defense is their front 4 with Ty Warren. But when Big Brandon Jacobs and his slashing counterpart, Ahmad Bradshaw, reach the second level: game over.

The Giants entire front 7 from Michael Strahan and Justin Tuck to Osi Umenyiora and Antonio Pierce are a well-oiled machine that have been stopping the runs and consistently applying pressure quarterbacks throughout the playoffs. Yeah, Strahan is 36 but he is playing at the lightest weight of his career. Having had Tuck alongside has limited the wear and tear. Skipping out on training camp this really helped too.

Both secondaries can be exploited. There are no shut down corners on either team although some would argue that Asante Samuels is capable. He's not. He'll take a risk on Sunday and get burned.

While the Patriots defense is like an old dependable Toyota Corolla, the Giants are a high-performing Ferrari. The Pats are Windows. The Giants, OSX. They are leaner, faster, and younger.

My prediction: The Giants hold the Patriots to less than 100 yards on the ground and less than 200 yards through the air. The Giants' groundgame will pound the Pats' D for over 150 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. Manning will throw another touchdown and have no interceptions.

3. Americans need a good story. God and his analogues will bring us something special to talk about and remember in 2008. So far it has not been fulfilling. Britney Spears just doesn't do for me anymore. Paris Hilton? Who's that? With the stock market and housing prices in the toilet, we are desperate for inspiration.

The Lunar New Year rolls around on the 7th of February. It will be the year of the rat when it is said that any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome.

The year of stories starts tomorrow, when the New York Giants defeat their 12-point favored opponent, New England Patriots.

And to end the year? Two names: Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama.

Moral of the Story

The world expects the New England Patriots to stomp on the Giants. It won't surprise me if the Giants lose. The Patriots' offense is a freak show and if they were to play the Giants again and again they would be victorious 8 out of 10 games.

But this is the Super Bowl, the most watched 3 hours of televised media. In the year of the rat and in a time where we need inspiration, we will witness the Giants win the turnover battle, win on defense, and win the hearts of Americans and the world over with a win over the Patriots. It is a win-win-win-win situation.

Perfection at 19-0 will make the record books. The ultimate underdogs taking home the big one and spoiling the party for a modern day dynasty, that will make history.

Giants 27, Patriots 24