Quit using your head you're making too much sense.
Anyone who analyses the Giant-Packer playoff game will see that the Giants defense did not dominate the Packers. That's not to say that they didn't play well, but the Packers shot themselves in the foot so many times in that game it was shocking.
I'd put odds that any team in that was still in the playoffs would have beaten Green Bay that day, that's how badly they played. NO, SF, NY, NE, Balt. . .they would have all beaten the Packers.
Exactly. The ST Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts would have beaten GB if GB played them that bad. How else would the Rams blow out the Saints? I don't care if you are the "greatest offense in the NFL". If you decide to play like "worst offense in the NFL" next Sunday, not only are you going to get pummeled by just about any team in the NFL, but you're also going to end up giving them a bunch of undeserved credit and improve their perception 10 fold.
Which is why I blame/credit GB for the Giant's "defensive improvement" and I blame the 2007 Patriots offense for the old Giants defensive showdown. They both created ******ed myths of unrealistic improvement during the worst possible period of the year when a team can actually focus, practice and improve.
And I blame the 2 weeks layoff and media-frenzy that the NFL puts players and teams through for all of the above. The underdog who gets left alone gets some serious competitive advantage leading up to the Super Bowl. The team who's in the news 24/7, doing interviews, pictures, and all these other extracurricular activities, gets royally screwed over in physical and mental preparation.
And it has nothing to do with handling the "pressure". It has to do with handling the media, the extreme drain on energy and the frustration that comes from it all. Thankfully Eli got a bigger taste of it this year, and you could tell all the stupid questions were getting to him too so it should even it out.
For the record, in the first Super Bowl, Tom Brady was so freaking relaxed he
fell asleep in the locker room before the Super Bowl. I can only imagine what it must have been like for both him and Moss in 2007.
Anyone notice Brady's eyes on tuesday?
Looked like he was in a bar fight. These guys get no freaking rest.
"God...please make that clock tick..how much longer? I'd rather be knocked out by Tuck then stay here another minute. Wonder if my dentist could have gotten me in for a root canal....scratch that, they'd have wanted to televise that too..."
What he looked like 2 weeks ago against Baltimore:
"Wait, I just realized if we win this, I gotta go through media week again. Motherfu...."
Yeah...the NFL takes its toll alright, but I think it's off the field crap that's harder to deal with. He looks like he aged 5 years in two weeks. If the guy from the podium shows up Sunday, we're royally screwed....
.... unless this Manning also shows up:
.
"What the hell is wrong with these people? I didn't sign up for this. Now I understand Brady's fake smile and its so much better than mine. This is the best I can do. Oh no, the idiot with the wig is really going to ask me a question...probably about Peyton."
Not so great being the elite star, is it Eli? But I don't trust baby boy. His momma and brother's going to be there with a pillow, cookies and milk for him. Someone make sure Brady takes a nap Sunday morning just for good measures. Or have Gronk give Brady whatever the hell he's taking. I'm serious! This entire offense depends on Brady being sharp mentally and able to make quick decisions. Neither of these guys look ready to run a McDonald's drive-through, nevermind an NFL offense. Defenses are going to have a field day if they show up like this.
I can't believe people actually think these teams are "improving" with all this. If you didn't get any better by this week, you're not getting any better before Sunday. You just better pray you can get back to the same level you played at 3 weeks ago.