Monday, February 4, 2008

Not So Super Predictions

I have to defend my predictions today after watching almost everything go wrong yesterday. I'll start with the game itself. Clearly, the struggles I had picking New England were well reasoned. I did think that New York had a real shot at winning, but I just couldn't convince myself to go all the way and call for the upset. What I really didn't see, was the game being so low scoring. The Giants' defensive line was absolutely amazing and should have collectively won the MVP. That line never let Tommy-boy settle into the pocket to make things happen and it killed the Pats offensive hopes.
Finally, my last thought on the game is to question why the Pats didn't kick the field goal in the second quarter when they had 4th & 13 from the 32. It would have been a 49 yarder indoors that Gostkowski should have been able to hit readily (he was kicking them through from 55 in the warm-ups). I haven't heard much mention of it today, but those three points would have forced OT. Instead they threw up a desperation heave to the corner that never had a chance. That was a terrible coaching decision that cost them a shot at victory.

Now, on to my other terrible predictions. I clearly was too optimistic on the length of the national anthem when put the over/under at 1:37. As 2:00 approached with Jordin Sparks not yet rounding into the home stretch, I knew that I had most surely lost every bet on that one. And the American Idol plugs? One of our party guests wisely pointed out to me that they didn't need to plug a show that people already watch. Instead they plugged the Sarah Connor Chronicles over and over and over and over again. Sure didn't make me any more inclined to watch it though. Finally, Peyton didn't give any Priceless Pep-Talks, but he did get almost as much camera time as his little bro. The commentators comments that he'd be more excited for Eli winning than he was last year when he won it himself though? Come on ... don't be absurd.

2 comments:

Alison said...

Hey there,

An interesting article on The Science of Sport about the bananas - http://scienceofsport.blogspot.com/2008/02/nfl-gatorade-and-bananas.html. It's a running geek website so anything they have to say about football is going to be tongue in cheek!

Thanks for a great afternoon on Sunday - yummy food and great company, you can't ask for anything more!

Anonymous said...

You're absolutely right that the Giants defence basically won the game by keeping them in it until Eli's last minute improbable escape from a sack and even more improbable resulting catch. I'm sure some Patriot defenders will have nightmares all off-season thinking about that play (not to mention the apparent sure interception blown by another Patriot defender on the immediately preceding play).

It was really a question of destiny and which side the gods of that nebulous concept were going to favour.