So...What's your gut feeling on the Super Bowl?

Thrilled the Pats won naturally. I feel like the OP does. The elated feeling was gone right after the Giants won. Truth be told I am a little down right now.

Giants have a great defense, a good QB and good receivers. They have tons of size and speed on the D line with means Brady will be running for his life much of the game. Brady is also not going to be able to score at will against this Giants defense either.

Yes the defense bailed the pats out yesterday no doubt but Flacco had a field day against the pats and he is not considered a top QB. What will Manning do? This game is going to come down to whether the pats D can stop Manning and I don't see it. I hate this matchup for the Pats on so many levels.

I think their defense is too good to really expect the Patriots to have hope of a two-score lead late in the game. Which likely means at best we're hoping that our defense can stop Manning in a tight spot late. That to me seems like almost a best case scenario, barring something unexpected like fluke turnovers, and I don't really relish being in that spot.

But, they play the games on turf, not on paper. Maybe we get an A game by the Patriots, a B game by the Giants, and some luck, and we take it home.

I have a similar feeling to 2001. Didn't expect the team to get there. Hoping for the best, but nervous about the opponent. Much different than the other three SBs that the Pats were in since 2001.

I feel great about it. Belichik and Brady are great when they face a team the second time in a season and the Patriots owe the Giants big time. The defense is still playing the best it has all season, despite some shaky moments, and their ST's are always good.

Although Brady and Belichik already have their tickets to Canton punched this really is a legacy game in that they go to the next level, which is the last and highest level, if the Patriots can win this game, and they are far from done. 4 Lombardi's and Brady would become the greatest postseason QB in history with the 4 SB's, 17 play-off wins and his postseason winning %.

6 trips to the AFC Championship and 5 trips to the Super Bowl in 11 years is ridiculous. This really is awesome.

Ivan said:

I feel great about it. Belichik and Brady are great when they face a team the second time in a season and the Patriots owe the Giants big time. The defense is still playing the best it has all season, despite some shaky moments, and their ST's are always good.

Although Brady and Belichik already have their tickets to Canton punched this really is a legacy game in that they go to the next level, which is the last and highest level, if the Patriots can win this game, and they are far from done. 4 Lombardi's and Brady would become the greatest postseason QB in history with the 4 SB's, 17 play-off wins and his postseason winning %.

6 trips to the AFC Championship and 5 trips to the Super Bowl in 11 years is ridiculous. This really is awesome.

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And yet, I promise you that if we don't get it done in the Superbowl, there will be plenty of posters here whining about "major coaching changes" needed and screaming for everyone's head on a platter.

What really hurts as well is that my sister is a Giants "fan." Its a long story, but basically she was a huge Colts/Peyton fan for the last several years and when he went down, she decided to switch and now claims to be a huge Giants fan, even though she didn't know that the Patriots and Giants already played once this year. Sorry, but it really pessis me off!

I just feel like this Patriots team will be very loose going into the game, and I mean that in a good way. They got over the playoff losing streak, they beat arguably the best all-around defensive team in the league, and Brady had a lousy day that he is unlikely to repeat. I expect the line (Vegas, etc.) to shift and even if it doesn't the Pats will be heavily perceived as underdogs.

PatsFaninAZ said:

I think their defense is too good to really expect the Patriots to have hope of a two-score lead late in the game. Which likely means at best we're hoping that our defense can stop Manning in a tight spot late. That to me seems like almost a best case scenario, barring something unexpected like fluke turnovers, and I don't really relish being in that spot.

But, they play the games on turf, not on paper. Maybe we get an A game by the Patriots, a B game by the Giants, and some luck, and we take it home.

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If we win, I picture it going very similiar and tough as the Pats-Panthers superbowl. Sweat running down BB's face at the end.

Otherwise I pretty much picture 2007-redux.

This was not the match-up I wanted, although it is the one I predicted as soon as the playoffs began (in the darkest place in my psyche) and I find it exceedingly ironic that all the mediots are talking about the Pats being lucky to be here when the Giants were escorted into the superbowl by the refs not understanding what a fumble at the goal line is.

However I embrace the hate and hope it creates a underdog vibe, at least in the Pats locker room.

Run the ball!! Please be balanced to ease the Giants pass rush and keep them of balance...as for defense get 3rd down stops easier said than done since Eli has been excellent in thir down conversions in the postseason.

As for how am I feeling about this game? Pretty good we have the best QB in the game coming of a stinker against a D that's way better than the Giants one, consistently drove the offense to the redzone against the Ravens(exception of those 2 picks) and he never plays two bad games in a row. Oh and Belichick isn't a bad coach either we gots this you guys

I'm feeling quite good about this one, the Giants offensive line looked bad - especially McKenzie & Baas and it just so happens those 2 would be blocking 2 of the Patriots best defensive linemen in Wilfork & Anderson, if those 2 can play like they did against the Ravens Eli isn't going to have time to find open receivers.

Look how often the 49ers hit him, sure the Patriots defense isn't as good as the 49ers but they exposed the weak links in the Giants offensive line - now it's time to do to them what they did to the Patriots offensive line in 07.

If the Patriots offensive line can give Brady 3+ seconds on the majority of plays, the Patriots will win. Oh and a healthy dose of the Lawfirm, the Giants linebackers aren't the best in both run support or coverage.

that giant defense is good ONLY if they are able to generate consistent pressure


their LB's are dinged and not that good, their secondary is the weakest the pats will have seen in the post season......the Pats o-line has done a nice job most of the year pass blocking, and has been the best pass blocking o-line in the playoffs.....1 sack, i think only 5 hits on brady? and the denver & bmore pass rushes are more than solid.....

the giant d-line is good.....but i think our TE's present HUGE matchup problems, and i think the pats can run on them as they did bmore.....and i think our o-line can make enough plays


their offense IS a matchup problem.....but BB has a way of taking away your strength, and that giant running game seems to be very absent.....it will be interesting


this one comes down to which team executes and avoids mistakes......but i don't see that giant defense as the 2nd coming of the '85 bears

Brady said today he still can't watch clips from the loss.
Me neither, and probably most of us here.

So, this AM first thing, I click to peter king,
and he immediately goes to parallels to '07 for the G'ints.

Great.
So now I have to deal with it?
Forced down my throat?
Nope.

I will dodge ESPN,
have a quick trigger on the radio feeds.

So my gut feeling is generally stuff
that cannot be printed here.

I was hyped to have a shot at SF.
Half a QB vs. one who can get it done.

I was impressed the way Eli stood in there lat night,
not coughing up the ball, staying focused.
He is one tough goober.

Okay, back to the vulgarities...

My gut feeling: eerily confident after seeing Tommy's anger at himself and his statements after the game.

Big-T said:

I'm feeling quite good about this one, the Giants offensive line looked bad - especially McKenzie & Baas and it just so happens those 2 would be blocking 2 of the Patriots best defensive linemen in Wilfork & Anderson, if those 2 can play like they did against the Ravens Eli isn't going to have time to find open receivers.

Look how often the 49ers hit him, sure the Patriots defense isn't as good as the 49ers but they exposed the weak links in the Giants offensive line - now it's time to do to them what they did to the Patriots offensive line in 07.

If the Patriots offensive line can give Brady 3+ seconds on the majority of plays, the Patriots will win. Oh and a healthy dose of the Lawfirm, the Giants linebackers aren't the best in both run support or coverage.

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Gints line might be bad but did you see the amazing completions Eli and his WRs/RB completed even though Eli took such hits? Wonder if it would be better if we do not flush Eli out of the pocket.

I have a innate feeling that the Giants are going to win. They brought up the fact during the game that Brady has thrown an interception in four consecutive playoff games. I see no reasoning as to why he won't continue this streak. When he gets shaky, he gets shaky and starts making bad decisions. Example: The ridiculous pick he threw into the endzone last night. Example II: The 3rd and 3 (or 3rd and 4) where he needed to get the first to win the game basically, and he throws it to Hernandez who has Reed all over him for a failed completion.

Raine247 said:

Example II: The 3rd and 3 (or 3rd and 4) where he needed to get the first to win the game basically, and he throws it to Hernandez who has Reed all over him for a failed completion.

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You have to watch that play again. Reed closed with unbelievable speed. It was a hall of famer making a hall of fame play. At the point that Brady's brain told him to throw the ball, it was there. Reed closed in the space between, like a great defender can do.

It's only a bad play if there was something else available. Brady threw that ball where only Hernandez could catch it. I don't think that was a bad play, just good D.

Bella*chick said:

And yet, I promise you that if we don't get it done in the Superbowl, there will be plenty of posters here whining about "major coaching changes" needed and screaming for everyone's head on a platter.

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I know it, and as always it will be ridiculous.

The only way to achieve greatness in anything is to put yourself in the position to have your greatest failure and overcome it. The risk that comes with playing all these big games is losing them and having the greatest heartbreaks, and people get pissed when that happens instead of realizing that their team has achieved a ton of success that season. no matter what happens in the Super Bowl this was a great year and I'm happy about it and grateful for it. I had a big grin on my face all day leading up to that game and never sat down during it. Baltimore is really tough and knocking them out was a blast to watch. it wasn't pretty but it was really exciting and really fun. For me that was the most fun i have had watching a game since the AFC Championship games against Pitt and Indy, which i actually enjoyed more than the SB's, other than 2001, in large part because of who they were playing, and taking out conference rivals as good as Pitt, Indy, and now Baltimore was more fun to me than the NFC matchups.

In 2003, 2004 and 2007 I felt all season like they were the best team and had to win it all to show it, which they did 2-3 times. This season, like 2001 i have felt like it was more a matter of getting to the tournament and finding a way to win it, so my expectations are different and the excitement is different. Imo the Patriots started out the tournament with about a 15-20% chance of winning the Super Bowl, now I put that at about 50-55% to win the Super Bowl because I actually think the Patriots are a slight favorite, and Indy is an advantage because they have played many big games in that Stadium.


Once again the Patriots are making my winter shorter and I can't wait for the Super Bowl.

Go Pats.

midwestpatsfan said:

I have to tell you, I think I get what the players mean when they say that the high of winning does not last near as long as the low of losing does. The joy that came from watching that game quickly turned to panic when the Giants won that game last night.
I know that a lot of people want revenge for the 2007 super bowl loss, but facing the Giants was not my first choice. To me, they play a similar style defense as the Ravens and have a better offense against our defense, and I am not emotionally prepared to see the Patriots lose to them again.
I know that Brady can play better and the defense has played better of late, but facing Alex Smith and his 12-27 passing would have made me feel more comfortable.
I hope Brady and Belichick can find some adjustments from the game earlier this year and bring home the Lombardi, but I will admit, my confidence is shaky right now and I could use a boost from my fellow patsfans.

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I wanted the Gaints and am happy we're playing them. I feel very good about this game. It's the Niners who had the defense that could have smothered this Patriot O. The Giants have a very good front (not as good as '07) but can be exploited behind them. No question the Gaints O is much better than the Niners. Eli is going to get his points but so is a pissed off and embarrassed Tom Brady. I REALLY like the Patriots in this game.

While the Giants as a whole are the ONE team I would have chosen not to play given a choice.......

I still feel VERY GOOD about our chances. In fact, I'm confident we get this done. I'm typically not the superstitious type and this might sound a little silly........ but I get the sense that Myra's guiding hand is helping out from somewhere beyond.

Just TOO many things have gone our way to just say it's the hands of fate.

• We take advantage of a "soft" schedule and get HFA through the playoffs and a much needed bye.
• Along the way, we beat Indy (prolly our longest, deepest rival in the BB/TB ear) and the Jets (x2), who handed us prolly one of our biggest (top-5 for sure) post-season losses ever last year.
• We have a defense, that while playing much better lately is one that have given us ALL fits all year long and is suspect.
• We draw a cheesy HS offense and overall weak opponent in the first round and we kill them rather easily. Of course it happens to be a team that handed us a huge post season loss in 05 too.
• We get a second chance at a Ravens team that devastatingly ended or 09 season in what could be termed another top-5 heartbreaker losses
• In that game, almost NOTHING goes our way and we have zero momentum to carry us to a OT win, when their kicker goes Ray Finkle on us and virtually HANDS us the win outright. Think about it...... when ranking high percentage points scoring plays, a 32 yrd FG is very high on that list. We could go 20 years and not see another shanked 32 yarder to outright lose a playoff game.
• On the other side of the Conference an average team gets "hot" after a mediocre year and makes it to a Super Bowl that probably 3-4 other teams in that conference are prolly more deserving of. Oh yeah........ it happens to be the EXACT same team that handed us our MOST DEVASTATING loss in franchise history that got into that game in the EXACT SAME fashion.

Think about it....... You rarely get opportunities in your life to "go back" and redo something that you have regretted in life. This Patriots team has that opportunity RIGHT NOW. It's a gift that WILL NOT be lost on the Greatest Coach that has ever roamed the sidelines and the greatest QB to have ever picked up the pigskin.......

No way we lose this game.......... and I don't give a fu(k who the "matchups" favor.

If it's not Myra herself guiding the "hands of football fate" in our favor, then she certainly is bending the ear of the one that does.

I will enjoy ever minute of this next two weeks and I hope that all of you do too.