Now at the end of Week 10, I'm ready to make my Super Bowl prediction. The New England Patriots, winners of their last 22 of 23, with an NFL record 21 consecutive wins, are headed to Jacksonville, to LOSE.
Yeah, the Pats are good, and they are coming out of the AFC. Why?
On defense, they use Bill Belichick's stifling 3-4 setup, led by linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Willie McGinest, and have arguably the best cornerbacks in the NFL with Ty Law and Tyrone Poole. The duo are so good at their positions that their mauling of Marvin Harrison last year in the AFC Conference Championship led to rule changes on illegal contact.
Offensively, QB Tom Brady has been compared to Joe Montana in ability, poise under pressure, and his two Super Bowl victories, which came complete with two two-minute drills that have cemented his place with the league's elite. They have a plethora of wide receivers (Deion Branch, David Givens, Troy Brown, David Patten) who can carry the team as well as an emerging tight end talent (Daniel "Grambo" Graham).
Their kicker, Adam Vinatieri, has hit so many game-winning field goals that there's a picture of him in the dictionary next to the word clutch. Throw in their biggest free-agent acquisition this season (six-time 1,000 yard rusher Corey Dillon) and you have the makings of a dynasty.
They never falter under pressure. Yeah, they got beat two weeks ago by the Steelers. But they know how to win in the postseason and Pittsburgh doesn't.
Under Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh has posted double-digit wins in seven of his now 13 seasons (on pace for eight) and never lost more than 10 games in a season. But, frankly, the Steelers suck in the postseason. Pittsburgh has never won a Super Bowl under Cowher, and the team lost three AFC Championship games, two of them at home. The game it won? In 1996, Pittsburgh beat Jim (who?) Harbaugh's Indianapolis Colts (yeah, they were 9-7), but only after surviving a whistle-beating Hail Mary scare.
In case some of you have forgotten, New England is the team that three seasons ago won three improbable playoff games. It tucked away a win at home in the snow, won the conference championship on the road (against a heavily favored PITTSBURGH), and then won the Super Bowl over the "Greatest show on Turf," on turf. And it went and did it again last year. The Pats never falter under pressure and in the words of my roommate, "in the back of your mind, you always know that this is the Patriots and they'll pull it out."
So the Patriots can get back to the Super Bowl, and the only stumbling block for the Patriots is ... the Patriots, currently hampered with injuries to Deion Branch, the ties that bind (Poole and Law), and Asante Samuel. If they can handle the losses (Givens at No. 1? Troy Brown playing corner? It's working well) and play their game, nothing can keep this team from a trip to Jacksonville.
Except they're going to lose against, you guessed it, the favorite son of Philly Phodder, the Philadelphia Eagles.
I know what you're saying. I'm biased and I'm just plain wrong. I beg to differ.
The Eagles are just as strong, if not stronger than the Pats.
Donovan McNabb, currently third in the NFL in QB rating, yards, and tied for second in touchdowns, is having the best season of his career. Terrell Owens (I'd hit him too) can back up his talk as the NFL leader in receiving touchdowns, second in receiving yards. Owens also opens up the passing lanes for Todd Pinkston, Freddie Mitchell, and tight ends Chad Lewis and L.J. Smith. Running back Michael Westbrook has been compared to Barry Sanders with his explosive quickness, although he's been slowed by injuries and the loss of lead blocker Jon Ritchie at fullback.
The defense, led by blitz-happy coordinator Jim Johnson, once again has the reputation as one of the best in the league (second only to Pittsburgh in points allowed). The monstrous defensive line, with Jevon Kearse and Corey Simon, give quarterbacks nightmares while the linebacking corps with Dhani Jones and Nate Wayne fit well into the Johnson scheme. The secondary misses Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent, but Brian Dawkins still leads a strong group.
Andy "no stranger to a cheesesteak" Reid has led the team to four straight playoff appearances and three straight division titles.
While you've been watching the Patriots breeze past competition, the Eagles have been a mirror image in the NFC. While New England was beating the likes of Seattle, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and the Jets, Philly was destroying Minnesota, the Giants, Detroit, and Baltimore. Yeah, the Eagles lost to Pittsburgh too. But Pittsburgh is in the AFC, and therefore can't meet the Eagles in the playoffs unless both teams make it to the Super Bowl.
Yes, the NFC playoffs. Of course the Birds have the choke label, losing three straight NFC Championship games, the last two at home. But the NFC simply offers no credible competition. The Eagles have already dealt losses to many of the league's contenders, and other contenders, like Atlanta, Green Bay, and Seattle, are anything but convincing with suspect defenses and overall poor showings (Green Bay losing to Chicago, Seattle to St. Louis, Atlanta to Kansas City). It's only a matter of time before the Eagles meet the Pats in Super Bowl XXXIX (39, you're welcome).
Sure New England has experience. Sure it has a good offense and a better defense. Sure it is so successful in the postseason that it's scary. But Philly this year is just as evenly matched, and when push comes to shove, the x-factor of McNabb to T.O. will lead Philly to a title.
Philly didn't bring in that mouth for entertainment. T.O. will be breaking out the pom poms for a parade down Broad St. in Philly, and I'll put a cheesesteak for some clam chowder on this prediction. Any takers?
