It's set: Giants v. Patriots, a Superbowl rematch if you will.
Now, it's true that the Redskins swept the Giants this season, two bright spots this year. It's also true that the Redskins won only three other games this 2011-12 season, for an abysmal 5-11 record, a one-win regression from last year.
Please, as a Redskin fan, don't even consider thinking that we're a better team than the Giants--they've earned their spot in the Superbowl, we earned the #6 pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
What Redskins fans can do instead is root for their Conference, the NFC, and their Division, the NFC East, as the Giants square off against the Patriots, another team the Redskins played valiantly against on December 11 in Landover.
Based on the three Redskin games played against these two Superbowl teams, here's how I see the Superbowl panning out.
The Start
The Giants will start off quick, scoring on their first possession. Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks will devastate the Patriot secondary, with the likes of Julian Edelman (a rostered wide receiver) playing defensive back for the Pats.
Look for the receiving duo of Cruz (his salsa dance) and Nicks to accumulate 100 combined receving yards by the end of the first half.
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On the other hand, the Patriots will immediately feel the impact of Rob Gronkowski's injury, struggling to move the ball against the overwhelming Giants front seven.
Gronkowski, who plans to play despite an injured ankle, led all tight ends in receiving yards, and led the league in touchdowns, with 1327 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The Pats' offense will live or die on whether their receivers can get open quickly, as 1) the Giants' defensive line is one of the best in the league and 2) Tom Brady is not a mobile quarterback.
If Wes Welker and Deion Branch can control the underneath routes, look for the Pats offense to grind out some hard-earned points.
Halftime score: Giants 17 - Pats 10
The Finish
The second half will see a shift in momentum as the Patriots will lay it all on the line to try and overcome their half-time deficit--this will make the second half one of the most exciting 30 minutes of football since the Steelers-Cardinals superbowl in 2009.
Brady will run the no-huddle offense to perfection, while the Giant's defensive line will be on their heels, winded. Undersized Welker and Branch will combine for well-over 70% of the team's receptions while Gronkowski will serve as a glorified decoy from play to play if still injured--commanding the respect of the defense.
Giant quarterback Eli Manning will play the hero one more time however, cementing his claim as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Instead of a game-winning touchdown to Plaxico Burress, Eli will set his team up for a field goal in the waning seconds, prompting yet another celebration from Giant punter and place-holder, Steve Weatherford.
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My final score: Giants 34 - Patriots 33
(Photo-Courtesy of the ESPN and Yahoo!Sports)
(Jonathan Wigginton is the Chat Sports Senior Writer for the Washington Redskins)
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