FieldingMellish
4th February 2005, 11:10 AM
Anybody else excited about this? I’m seriously jazzed about this Superbowl since we actually get to see the best team in the AFC face the best team in the NFC – no flukes, no surprises, just the absolute best rep from each conference meeting in the big game, and its not often that happens. Of course the AFC is far superior to the NFC these days (funny how just a few years years this was totally different) but that’s beside the point.
I’m (unsurprisingly) going for the Patriots. After the way they shut down Peyton Manning and the Colts offense and then went and smashed up the Steelers in Pittsburgh they’re looking unstoppable right now. Tom Brady may not be the second coming of Joe Montana as some overexcited sportswriters have been tagging him, but he’s a great QB certainly and possibly the best value late round draft pick in recent history but I think more than anything he benefits from the genius of Bill Belichick. The Patriots always seem to be better prepared and have the strategic edge over their opponents. Corey Dillon has made far more of a difference than I thought he would and he’s managed not to spend most of the season complaining either and the offensive line have been great all year. While they lack truly big name receivers that really doesn’t matter too much since the people they have are talented enough to thrive in that offense. Defensively, well, what other team could field such a banged up secondary and still maul Harrison/Wayne/Stokely/Clark they way they did? Troy Brown has been inspiring all year and Asante samuel is coming along nicley. Throw in Rodney Harrison and it looks as though their ‘big weakness’ actually matches up pretty well with the Eagles receivers, particularly with a half crippled T.O., a missing Chad Lewis and Mitchell and Pinkston out there for the majority of the game. The Patriots LBs are the best group in the game and should be able to shut down Westbrook and the short passing game. They’ll certainly miss Richard Seymour but Romeo Crennel’s swansong should still see the Patriots D stomping all over the Eagles. Donovan McNabb could be in for a long and painful night. Defensively the Eagles are good enough to keep it pretty close most of the way but I’d be surprised if the Patriots don’t win this by a couple of scores.
I’m (unsurprisingly) going for the Patriots. After the way they shut down Peyton Manning and the Colts offense and then went and smashed up the Steelers in Pittsburgh they’re looking unstoppable right now. Tom Brady may not be the second coming of Joe Montana as some overexcited sportswriters have been tagging him, but he’s a great QB certainly and possibly the best value late round draft pick in recent history but I think more than anything he benefits from the genius of Bill Belichick. The Patriots always seem to be better prepared and have the strategic edge over their opponents. Corey Dillon has made far more of a difference than I thought he would and he’s managed not to spend most of the season complaining either and the offensive line have been great all year. While they lack truly big name receivers that really doesn’t matter too much since the people they have are talented enough to thrive in that offense. Defensively, well, what other team could field such a banged up secondary and still maul Harrison/Wayne/Stokely/Clark they way they did? Troy Brown has been inspiring all year and Asante samuel is coming along nicley. Throw in Rodney Harrison and it looks as though their ‘big weakness’ actually matches up pretty well with the Eagles receivers, particularly with a half crippled T.O., a missing Chad Lewis and Mitchell and Pinkston out there for the majority of the game. The Patriots LBs are the best group in the game and should be able to shut down Westbrook and the short passing game. They’ll certainly miss Richard Seymour but Romeo Crennel’s swansong should still see the Patriots D stomping all over the Eagles. Donovan McNabb could be in for a long and painful night. Defensively the Eagles are good enough to keep it pretty close most of the way but I’d be surprised if the Patriots don’t win this by a couple of scores.