The playoffs are coming to an end and only two teams are still in contention for the Super Bowl crown: the Giants and Patriots. The two paths to Super Bowl XLII that New York and New England took are very different, but the end result is the same. Both teams have a chance to be called this season's best, and everything else will be put aside on February 3rd in Arizona.
Before looking ahead to Super Bowl XLII, let's first look back at yesterday's two championship games.
Without LaDainian Tomlinson for almost the entire game and having an unhealthy Philip Rivers, San Diego was really at a disadvantage before they even took the field yesterday. The Patriots surprisingly didn't play all that well when trying to pass the ball as Tom Brady didn't appear to be as sharp as usual, but in the end that didn't matter. New England's defense was able to hold San Diego to only field goals every time a good drive was put together, and then the running game for the Pats really got going.
When all was said and done, the Patriots walked away with a hard fought victory to keep their perfect season alive. They now advance on to the Super Bowl and will look to pull off the first ever 19-0 season in NFL history.
The Patriots opponent in Super Bowl XLII will be a team they faced in Week 17 to finish off a perfect regular season. That team is the New York Giants, who just keep finding a way to win on the road. NY defeated the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday in frigid temperatures. I was cold just watching the game.
Despite the rough weather, Eli Manning and company were able to pull off another road upset. Although the Giants had two chances to really win the game in regulation with a field goal, both kicks were no good, which sent the game to overtime. In OT, Brett Favre threw an interception, allowing the Giants to take over in Packers territory, and the third time was a charm for kicker Lawrence Tynes. He successfully kicked the game-winning field goal after two prior misses with the game possibly on the line, and sent the Giants to the Super Bowl.
With the Super Bowl match-up set, I think we will see a closer game than many expect. I've heard a lot of people call for a blowout, and even the spread is almost 2 touchdowns. Personally, I think the Giants will keep it close with the Patriots, but in the end the better team will prevail. The better team is New England, so I see 19-0 becoming a reality.