Nobody. And bring on the Giants in the Super Bowl, too.
How were they looking through 14 games in 2007? Had they lost their 16th game they'd not have even made the playoffs.It's funny to see the Giants mentioned so many times. Two weeks ago they were a bad team taking advantage of a weak schedule and then they go out and beat Dallas and Detroit with impressive defensive performances and those SB losses start to rear their ugly head.
I think the Giants are terrible and it's hard to imagine they make the super bowl.
Both times the Giants peaked at the right time and they are kind of peaking right now, but that offense is still a disaster, outside of Odell. The RB's are especially awful. In both SB's with the Pats, the offense was decent and the Giants had multiple weapons and a solid Eli. Eli isn't solid right now. I haven't done the math but I believe 97% of his total passing yards this year are from YAC with Odell off slants.How were they looking through 14 games in 2007? Had they lost their 16th game they'd not have even made the playoffs.
I'd love love love to see a Pats vs Giants Bowl.
Yeah the Giants would be a tough game on paper for the Pats but people are talking about it like we are in the week before the SB as opposed to Week 16. It is likely Eli is going to throw three picks in Detroit and end up getting whisked away.The Giants will almost certainly have to win three road playoff games to make the Super Bowl. Just because they did it in previous years doesn't mean its any more likely this year. Football Outsiders has them with about a 7% chance of making the Super Bowl. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.
Astronomical psychic reward, with corresponding risk if things don't end so well.I want the Giants just because more people in the national media would be talking about all the bad P.R. that the Giants brought on the league this year, and if it's Giants/Patriots it increases the likelihood that the national media does a comparison of how the Giants were treated by the league versus how the Patriots were treated. Also, deflategate karma train for Mara. Also, I want revenge for past Super Bowls.
Agreed, and I think its particularly true this year. There just isn't a lot of difference in quality between teams so the Patriots will be favorites in every game but probably in the 55-70% chance of winning range depending on opponent. They can lose to just about anybody and it wouldn't be a big surprise.Yeah the Giants would be a tough game on paper for the Pats but people are talking about it like we are in the week before the SB as opposed to Week 16. It is likely Eli is going to throw three picks in Detroit and end up getting whisked away.
I feel good about the Pats chances in January, but no game is going to be a cakewalk and any of the playoff teams could win--all it would take is an injury on the o-line, a blown assignment in the secondary, a untimely fumble, etc. Football is the best sport for the nervous sports fan because the separation of Best Team and 12th Best Team can come down to a few minimal things.
Their defense seems really good and Spagnuolo is a really good coach. Not quite as good a DC as Wade Phillips, but still . . .Why so much fear about the Giants? The reason they beat the Pats in 2 SB's was because of their unstoppable pass rush. That's not the makeup of this current Giants team. JPP isn't healthy and might only be a shell of himself if he comes back in the playoffs. Vernon is good, but not as good as Von Miller who did not pose a threat on Sunday. The strength of this Giants team is in the back end with Jenkins, DRC, Apple, and Landon Collins.
In the AFC, I'd be weary of playing Pittsburgh and possibly Oakland. In the NFC, you have Seattle and Dallas.
We said that in january 2012, too.I want the Giants just because more people in the national media would be talking about all the bad P.R. that the Giants brought on the league this year, and if it's Giants/Patriots it increases the likelihood that the national media does a comparison of how the Giants were treated by the league versus how the Patriots were treated. Also, deflategate karma train for Mara. Also, I want revenge for past Super Bowls.
I'm not so sure about Seattle. I agree with almost everything you wrote, including the peak Seattle is better than peak New England, but its still really hard to know what to make of them, especially post-Thomas injury. Point differential in their last four games is -9, +33, -28, +21, which is just a crazy stretch of football. It wouldn't surprise me to see them in the Super Bowl as favorites. It also wouldn't surprise me to see them lose their first playoff game.Can someone explain the "Oakland only if we have to go there" sentiment? Is it a weather thing, the crowd in the OC, or the fact that Brady would never walk through an inch of sewer water anywhere, including to play in the AFC Championship game?
I think the Pats are prohibitive favorites to win it all, but I would rank teams likely to beat the Pats as:
1. Seattle - Gronk for Earl Thomas seems fair. Based on what we saw earlier this year, peak Seattle is just better than New England and Pete is the only coach in the league I put on BB's level. Not sure you can predict when you will get peak Seahawks on any particular week, but I have to assume Pete would have them up for the rematch.
2A. Oakland / 2B Pittsburgh - Either of these teams win a shootout with Brady ~35% of the time. The Raiders defense is a little shakier quarters 1-3, but the ability of Mack & Irvin to close games with pressure can't really be denied at this point. Pittsburgh is more consistent and better coached defensively, but Mack has the ability to turn games single handedly that only one or two other players in the league have. Other than Rogers or Wilson, these are the two QBs I want with the ball down 5 and 90 seconds to go.
3 Atlanta - They can win a shootout with the Pats perhaps 25% of the time
4. Dallas - I can see them winning a game where they hold the ball for 40 minutes and score nearly every time they have the ball.
5. GB - same shootout related argument, just much less likely with that defense.
6. NYG - yeah, narrative is fun.
KC, Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Tennessee etc - none of the teams that rely on their defense to win is beating New England this year barring massive injury issues. The Pats line is too good at keeping Brady protected and the Pats have basically all of their non-Gronk weapons at the ready.
KC is also one loss away from having their playoff status in jeopardy.I'm not so sure about Seattle. I agree with almost everything you wrote, including the peak Seattle is better than peak New England, but its still really hard to know what to make of them, especially post-Thomas injury. Point differential in their last four games is -9, +33, -28, +21, which is just a crazy stretch of football. It wouldn't surprise me to see them in the Super Bowl as favorites. It also wouldn't surprise me to see them lose their first playoff game.
I also think KC is better than you give them credit for. If they could keep Oakland's offense in check enough to win twice then they can do the same with New England.
From what I can tell from the 538 playoff simulator tool (may not be 100% correct), they only miss the playoffs if they lose out, Miami wins out, Baltimore wins out, and Pittsburgh wins its other (non-BAL) game. They will have the tiebreaker over Denver no matter what, which is big for them.KC is also one loss away from having their playoff status in jeopardy.
My mistake, I thought they had 5 losses and not 4. Yes you are correct they should be in with 1 win.From what I can tell from the 538 playoff simulator tool (may not be 100% correct), they only miss the playoffs if they lose out, Miami wins out, Baltimore wins out, and Pittsburgh wins its other (non-BAL) game. They will have the tiebreaker over Denver no matter what, which is big for them.
For me the "fear" of the Giants is more anxiety about the possibility of losing another SB to them versus any credible fear of their players or the matchup.Why so much fear about the Giants? The reason they beat the Pats in 2 SB's was because of their unstoppable pass rush. That's not the makeup of this current Giants team. JPP isn't healthy and might only be a shell of himself if he comes back in the playoffs. Vernon is good, but not as good as Von Miller who did not pose a threat on Sunday. The strength of this Giants team is in the back end with Jenkins, DRC, Apple, and Landon Collins.
In the AFC, I'd be weary of playing Pittsburgh and possibly Oakland. In the NFC, you have Seattle and Dallas.
I understand the anxiety. Hell, I married a Giants fan and I live on LI so believe me I understand.For me the "fear" of the Giants is more anxiety about the possibility of losing another SB to them versus any credible fear of their players or the matchup.
I am sure we all have some direct or indirect contact with Giants fans. I may have to kill the one in my social circle if the Giants somehow get a 3rd against the Pats.
You are probably right on this. For me (and most Raider fans) the 2016 Chiefs relative to the Raiders are like the 2015 Broncos were relative to last year's Pats team. I could very easily find myself wondering how that fuck that team beat us and ended our season even though they shouldn't have been able to hang with the Raiders once, much less three times. Reid, Sutton and the Chiefs' staff have some weird mojo on DelRio, Musgrave and Carr.I also think KC is better than you give them credit for. If they could keep Oakland's offense in check enough to win twice then they can do the same with New England.
Don't underestimate the power of kicks bouncing off of goalposts, pick twos after you gave up the lead and 21 point comebacks in the last 8 minutes.My mistake, I thought they had 5 losses and not 4. Yes you are correct they should be in with 1 win.
The two weeks between the Championship Games and the Super Bowl makes that moot, unless their is a legitimate injury to a player.I love the fact that SEA/DAL/NYG/GB will bloody themselves in the NFC bracket to the point that the sole survivor will be a shadow of itself come February.
Just for fun...2. It's hard to beat a team three times in a season. See Dallas.
This is exactly where I am at with this.For me the "fear" of the Giants is more anxiety about the possibility of losing another SB to them versus any credible fear of their players or the matchup.
I am sure we all have some direct or indirect contact with Giants fans. I may have to kill the one in my social circle if the Giants somehow get a 3rd against the Pats.
The snow bowl WAS the cosmic bookend!2) Oakland - I fear some sort of cosmic bookend to the Tuck Rule game
This is absolutely correct. That game was perfect. I was literally sitting there thinkingThe snow bowl WAS the cosmic bookend!
Not true. Playing the Little Sisters of the Poor is how Peyton got his only Super Bowl ring.Oakland. Only team in the AFC with a good QB and a good pass rush.
Any SB matchup will be tricky, but then, it's the Superbowl. You ain't playing the little sisters of the poor in the Superbowl.