The Skyliner

Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Sports

The New England Patriots are a game away from destiny.

After a perfect 16-0 regular season and two solid playoff wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers, the Patriots are looking to become the first team to go undefeated in a season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Standing in the doorway of destiny are the New York Giants.

The Giants, an energized, physical team, peaked at the perfect time in the season.

The Giants host a stellar defense led by Pro Bowl defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora, and an offense that has been more efficient than effective.

These two teams met at the end of the regular season in a week 17 match-up hosted by the Giants but won by the Patriots 38-35 at the Meadowlands in New York.

The Giants were in the game late in the fourth quarter but were unable to come up with the big plays down the stretch to upset the Patriots.

This will be the fifth time since 2001 that the Super Bowl representatives from each conference have played each other in the regular season. In four out of the five Super Bowls, the team that lost the regular season match-up actually won the Super Bowl.


- New York Giants

The Giants are confident in their ability to play with and defeat their New England counterparts. With most of the early media attention focused on a Where's Waldo-like search for Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady, the underdog team from New York has quietly gone about their game plan to defeat the seemingly unbeatable Patriots.

It will take all of their collective skill and a little bit of luck if the Giants are to upset New England's assault on the history books.

Giants' quarterback Eli Manning has played well in the Giants' first three playoff games, with a 62% completion rating, four touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Manning has made enough plays, and fewer mistakes, to guide the Giants offense.

The Giants rely on their defense and have played well as of late.

With a stellar defensive front seven, the Giants have been able to mask the fact that their secondary has more holes in it than Ron Paul's foreign policy.

Look for the Giants to hold nothing back as they try to keep Tom Brady on his toes.


- New England Patriots

Love them or hate them, one thing any true sports fan must admit about the 2008 New England Patriots is that they are one of the greatest football teams ever assembled.

Led by NFL MVP quarterback Tom Brady and Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour, the Patriots have put together a perfect blend of high-octane offense and smash mouth defense.

Although it is difficult to tell whether this team is on the brink of destiny or on the brink of losing their jobs with the laid-back attitude exerted by the entire team, the player's nonchalant attitudes mirror that of their head coach, I Robot star Bill Belichick, who sees every game as just another day coaching the greatest team pro football has seen in 25 years.

I mean, what is there to be excited about?

Do not be fooled by this seemingly lackadaisical attitude towards destiny.

New England is well aware of what is at stake and is looking to secure their place in history with a victory.

The Patriots have not lost a game in over a year. Don't look for them to start now.
Prediction: Patriots 34 Giants 24.

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