The Alley - Oop

We are just one week away from conference tournaments starting and the beginning of March Madness. George Mason is coming off a disappointing loss at Northeastern and because of that no longer has a chance at a regular season CAA title. However, they can still earn the #2 seed, whatever that get's them, if they can win at Richmond on Saturday. The Tar Heels go to Charlottesville on Saturday and are just looking to keep their momentum heading into next week's chance for revenge at Durham against Duke.

Saturday, February 25

George Mason (23-7, 14-3) at VCU (24-6, 14-3)

VCU and their fans will be jacked for this game. Any normal GMU/VCU game has a pretty intense atmosphere, but add in the revenge factor for VCU and how they lost to Mason the first time these teams played and the Siegel Center will be rocking. Mason has had their struggles on the road, losing to such "luminaries" as Delaware and Northeastern away from Fairfax. VCU very much buys into the team concept as they don't have a single standout player. Their leading scorer is G-F Bradford Burgess who is coming off an atrocious game against UNCW where he shot just 1-12, finishing with 5 points. Their best all around player is Juvonte Reddic, their second leading scorer and their leading rebounder. Mason's guards will be tested by Darius Theus, who played well against Mason two weeks ago.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well in the last game and I expect to a similar defensive battle in this game. Mason's best player Ryan Pearson was a monster in the first game, but he has had his struggles on the road, so it is imperative that he plays to his capability. Mason was also helped by a huge game from Vertrail Vaughns, which isn't something they can always count on. Turnovers have been a major sore spot for Mason, especially in the last few games and that is an area that VCU will happily exploit as they are tremendous at causing turnovers. The inexperience in the backcourt for Mason with Bryon Allen and Corey Edwards can become painfully apparent at times, especially in tight, late game situations. They were able to get away with it against VCU but it doomed them against Northeastern.

I think VCU will control this game but Mason will hit enough shots to keep within striking distance. However, I am not confident in Mason's ability to handle the Siegel Center crowd and I think turnovers will again be a problem. Mason will lose this one and head into the CAA Tournament as a three seed and on a two game losing streak.

Prediction: VCU 68, George Mason 62

Top 10

Friday, February 24

#10 Marquette (23-5, 12-3) at West Virginia (17-11, 7-8)

Marquette is starting to get some buzz as a possible Final Four team come March. They have prolific scorers in seniors Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. However, the Mountaineers have a potential conference player of the year on their side, Kevin Jones., as well as the dangerous Darryl Bryant. The Mountaineers are coming off an embarrassing loss at Notre Dame, and are desperate for a win to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. I like the desperate team.

Prediction: West Virginia 59, Marquette 56

Saturday, February 25

Vanderbilt (20-8, 9-4) at #1 Kentucky (27-1, 13-0)

Kentucky just keeps on rolling and finding ways to win. They were trailing at Mississippi State for most of the game, but seemed to turn on a switch and ran away with the victory. They should get a test from Vanderbilt. Vandy has been a bit of a disappointment but they have two very talented players in John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor. Kentucky was able to hold both of them below their scoring average in the first game, and since the Wildcats are unbeatable at home, it would be foolish to pick against them.

Prediction: Kentucky 76, Vanderbilt 69

#2 Syracuse (28-1, 15-1) at Connecticut (17-10, 7-8)

Jeremy Lamb saved UCONN's season for the time being with his buzzer beater to defeat lowly Villanova on Monday. They will need more heroics from him to have a chance against dominant Syracuse. The Huskies hung around for most of the game against the Cuse in the first meeting before getting blown out late. I expect a similar scenario to unfold in Storrs.

Prediction: Syracuse 72, Connecticut 65

#3 Missouri (25-3, 12-3) at #5 Kansas (23-5, 13-2)

Two top 5 teams doing battle and possibly the last Border War makes this the game of the weekend. Kansas was in control the entire game at Mizzou, before the Tigers came roaring back to pull out the victory. Missouri is coming off a surprising home loss to Kansas State in what was clearly their worst performance of the season. The Jayhawks have won five in a row and seem to be peaking at the right time. There will be too much Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson in this one for the Tigers, I expect an emphatic Kansas win.

Prediction: Kansas 77, Missouri 65

Virginia Tech (15-13, 4-9) at #4 Duke (24-4, 11-2)

It is appearing that next Saturday's game in Durham between Duke and Carolina will be for the ACC regular season title. Duke has two very easy games before that against lowly Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. The Hokies are scrappy so they might make this game interesting for a half, but not much more than that.

Prediction: Duke 78, Virginia Tech 65

Nebraska (12-14, 4-11) at #6 Michigan State (23-5, 12-3)

Michigan State has surprised many, myself included with the type of year they have had. They have won six games in a row and have seen Draymond Green turn into the leader they needed him to be for this season to be successful. The outcome will never be in doubt against sorry Nebraska.

Prediction: Michigan State 71, Nebraska 55

#7 North Carolina (24-4, 11-2) at Virginia (21-6, 8-5)

North Carolina has played well during a recent tough stretch of the schedule and earned some impressive road victories. They attempt to add another one to the list Saturday afternoon at UVA. In the first game between these teams Virginia controlled the pace and led early, but eventually they wilted and Carolina ran away with it. Virginia is a terrible offensive team so the only chance they have is if Carolina is not hitting shots and Virginia maximizes the shot clock and slows the game down. They are in the mold of their coach Tony Bennett who preaches hard nosed defense. It is quite the contrasting styles when these two play each other. When the Cavs are scoring it is mostly being done by Mike Scott, who is also the team's leading rebounder.

Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall is coming off a career game against NC State. He poured in 22 points and also added 13 assists. When he plays at such a high level it makes Carolina perhaps the best team in the nation. Each Carolina starter scored in double figures in that game, but the lack of depth remains a concern. UVA will cause Carolina some frustration with their style of play but they just don't have the offensive firepower to keep up with a team like the Tar Heels.

Prediction: North Carolina 66, Virginia 58

Villanova (11-16, 4-11) at #8 Georgetown (20-6, 10-5)

Georgetown was flat out embarrassed at Seton Hall on Tuesday losing by 18. Jay Wright has seen things crash and burn at Villanova where the Wildcats have lost six of their last seven games. Their last two losses were heartbreakers in overtime where they blew big, early leads. Georgetown never seems to really blow anyone out so it will be another tough loss for the Wildcats in this one.

Prediction: Georgetown 59, Villanova 56

Sunday, February 26

#15 Wisconsin (20-8, 9-6) at #9 Ohio State (23-5, 11-4)

Based on their record 15 seems a little high for Wisconsin to be ranked. If rankings were based on watchability then Wisconsin would be about 300th. The Badgers have lost their last two road games, and traveling to Columbus wouldn't appear to be the place to finally pick up a win. The Buckeyes have had some struggles of their own recently, and in losses the offense becomes really stagnant. However, when they are firing from all cylinders the Buckeyes can score with the best of them, led by Jared Sullinger. Wisconsin will attempt to slow the game down and have Ohio State play an ugly brand of basketball, but I like the Buckeyes to show their toughness and pull out the victory.

Prediction: Ohio State 70, Wisconsin 66

Last Week: 8-3
Overall: 8-3

The Alley - Oop

I am now all in when it comes to college basketball. I love the sport but during NFL season I can't really pay more than cursory attention to it. My favorite teams, my Alma mater George Mason and my favorite team since I was a kid, North Carolina are having reasonably good seasons. Mason has exceeded most expectations and currently sits at 12-2 in the CAA, 22-6 overall. However, it will take winning the CAA Tournament in a couple of weeks for Mason to make the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, an accomplishment the school has never achieved. Carolina was preseason number 1 but has suffered some tough losses along the way and is currently ranked 7th. They aren't on anyone's list for a #1 seed in the Tournament and actually are a 3 seed in a few mock brackets I have seen. However, they still have plenty of time to win some games and improve their seeding.

Saturday, February 18

Lamar (17-9) at George Mason (22-6)

This random, late season out of conference matchup for Mason is part of ESPN's BracketBusters. While other CAA teams like Drexel, VCU, and Old Dominion were paired up with other top mid majors, Mason was paired up with a team most Mason fans hadn't heard of until three weeks ago. Lamar does have a semi-famous coach, Pat Knight, the son of Bob Knight. Lamar's attack is guard based and their two most most dangerous players are G Mike James who leads the team in scoring at 16.4 pts per game, and G Anthony Miles, who shoots 39% from beyond the arc. Just to further show how much the Cardinals play is predicated on guards, their leading rebounder is guard Devon Lamb who averages 8.3 boards per game. The Cardinals have won five of their last six games, all in blow out fashion. They played some of the top programs in the country in their non-conference schedule, suffering blowout losses to Louisville, Ohio State and Kentucky.

Mason's offense is one of the best in the CAA but overall ranks pretty low in the NCAA. F Ryan Pearson is the only player averaging double figures at 17.9 points per game. The second leading scorer is G Sherrod Wright, who was Tuesday's hero with his game winning three pointer against VCU. Pearson also leads the team in rebounding and really how he plays determines how effective Mason is offensively. He has had a few clunkers this year, but overall would seem to be on his way to being named CAA Player of the Year. Because of the Cardinals reliance on their guards, Bryon Allen, Andre Cornelius, Vertrail Vaughns, and Corey Edwards will have their work cut out for them. Where Mason should find an advantage is with their front line of Pearson, Mike Morrison, Erik Copes. Mason has struggled rebounding the basketball at times this year, but against a team whose leading rebounder is a guard it shouldn't be an issue Saturday.

This is the last home game, barring any postseason games, for seniors Pearson, Morrison, and Cornelius. I think those three will play with a lot of passion and that will overcome any letdown effect from such a huge win against VCU. This game is basically an exhibition as far as its meaning on the season but the seniors will want to go out with a win and will do just that.

Prediction: George Mason 66, Lamar 60

Top 10

Mississippi (15-10, 5-6) at #1 Kentucky (25-1, 11-0)

Kentucky is just a buzzer beater loss at Indiana from being undefeated this season. They have become one of the best defensive teams in the country and might have the NCAA Player of the Year in Anthony Davis. F Michael Kidd Gilchrist has also been an impact freshman for the Wildcats. Ole Miss just had 102 points scored on them by Vanderbilt last night, not a good sign for how things will go for them in this game.

Prediction: Kentucky 80, Mississippi 61

#3 Missouri (24-2, 11-2) at Texas A&M (13-12, 4-9)

Texas A&M has really missed Mark Turgeon and slipped back to their usual levels of basketball mediocrity. Missouri has been perhaps the biggest surprise of the season, especially considering the less than stellar resume their new head coach Frank Haith brought with him. Expect senior guard Marcus Denmon to have a huge hand in leading the Tigers to a hard fought road victory.

Prediction: Missouri 73, Texas A&M 68

Texas Tech (8-17, 1-12) at #5 Kansas (21-5, 11-2)

Kansas F Thomas Robinson has seen his number spike tremendously this season. He has done a great job of making Jayhawks fans not miss the Morris twins as much as they expected to.

Prediction: Kansas 75, Texas Tech 55

#6 Ohio State (22-4, 10-3) at #19 Michigan (19-7, 9-4)

It has been cool to see Michigan and Indiana both competitive again in the Big Ten this season. The Buckeyes dominated the Wolverines in Columbus in the first meeting, but the Wolverines are unbeaten at home this season. The combination of G William Buford and F Jared Sullinger will prove to be too much for Michigan to handle.

Prediction: Ohio State 68, Michigan 64

Clemson (13-12, 5-6) at #7 North Carolina (22-4, 9-2)

It is hard to believe but the fact still remains that Clemson has never won in Chapel Hill. I repeat, NEVER. This year's Tigers team doesn't appear to be the ones to do it, as they are just barely over .500. The Tigers have trouble scoring and rebounding, both of which are tremendous strengths of the Tar Heels. Guard Andre Young is the Tigers best player, but they lack someone that is explosive and can carry a team.

On the other hand, the Tar Heels have an abundance of riches when it comes to players like that. Harrison Barnes leads the team in scoring but their best player this season has been Tyler Zeller. In less minutes per game than last season, Zeller has matched his scoring and increased his rebounding and assists. Kendall Marshall continues to be distributor extraordinaire, averaging 9 assists per game. John Henson, who still frustrates me at times, is having a monster year both scoring and rebounding, where he leads the team with 10 rebounds per game.

It would take a completely lifeless performance by Carolina for Clemson to have any chance in this game. Carolina should get this win and then get primed for the tough close they have to their ACC season, where three of the final four games are on the road, including at ranked UVA, and rivals NC State and Duke.

Prediction: North Carolina 77, Clemson 63

#9 Georgetown (19-5, 9-4) at Providence (13-14, 2-12)

I earlier mentioned Missouri as the biggest surprise of the season but the Hoyas might have something to say about that. Many expected Georgetown to miss the NCAA Tournament, instead they are ranked in the Top 10. The improved play of Jason Clark and Hollis Thomas are the biggest reasons for their success this season.

Prediction: Georgetown 73, Providence 65

Kansas State (17-8, 6-7) at #10 Baylor (22-4, 9-4)

After dispiriting blowout losses to Missouri and Kansas last week, Baylor got back on track at home against Iowa State. Next up is a Kansas State team that is fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives, and are especially desperate after losing four of their last six games. These two played a down to the wire game at Manhattan in January, and this one should come down to the final minutes as well. Perry Jones III disappeared in those games against Mizzou and Kansas, but rebounded against the Cyclones, and I expect him to come up big in this game.

Prediction: Baylor 68, Kansas State 65

Sunday, February 19

#2 Syracuse (26-1, 13-1) at Rutgers (12-14, 4-9)

The Orange have made it interesting recently but still keep finding ways to win. They play great team basketball, where each player excels at a certain aspect of the game, and combined makes them a very dangerous team. Kris Joseph and Dion Waiters handle the scoring, Fab Melo and C.J. Fair handle the rebounding, while Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche find the open man. Rutgers has upset some good teams at home this year but the wheels have fallen off for them in Big East play and things won't get better Sunday.

Prediction: Syracuse 77, Rutgers 67

#4 Duke (22-4, 9-2) at Boston College (8-18, 3-9)

Duke once again got a win by the skin of their teeth, coming from 20 behind at home last night to beat NC State. Questions will seriously have to be asked if they face any sort of deficit against a terrible Boston College team.

Prediction: Duke 80, Boston College 63

#8 Michigan State (21-5, 10-3) at Purdue (17-9, 7-6)

The Spartans come in on a roll, winning at Ohio State last weekend, and thrashing Wisconsin at home last night. Each of these teams relies heavily on their superstar player. For the Spartans it is Draymond Green, and for the Boilermakers it is Robbie Hummel. Michigan State killed the Boilermakers in the first meeting and I really have no tangible reason to pick Purdue to pull off the upset. I just feel like there will be at least one upset in the top ten this weekend, and this game is huge for Purdue. A win would go a long way towards them securing an at-large berth. I think Hummel will play much better than he did in the first meeting, leading to the upset.

Prediction: Purdue 62, Michigan State 59

The Hail Mary - Super Bowl XLVI

Super Bowl XLVI: New York Giants (12-7) vs. New England Patriots (15-3) in Indianapolis, Indiana, New England favored by 3

Four years doesn't feel all that long ago all of the sudden. While not exactly parallel to their meeting in Super Bowl XLII, there are similarities with that game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants and the one that will take place Sunday. A decent amount of the coaches and players remain the same, and the basic storyline of the Giants being underdogs, and the hot team coming into the game. Vegas likes the Patriots, while most of the public is riding the Giants.

Looking at regular season stats for the Giants is a fruitless exercise. The team the Giants were for 14 regular season games, and who they have been the last month are completely different. The current Giants play punishing defense, and can run the ball with some effectiveness. For 14 games that was not the case. One constant has been the exceptional play of Eli Manning and his wide receivers. Manning followed up his strong regular season, with an even better showing in the playoffs. He has 8 TDs and just 1 INT. His favorite target this season came out of nowhere, Victor Cruz. Cruz led the team with 82 catches, 1,536 receiving yards and 9 TDs. His other threat, is Hakeem Nicks, who also topped 1,000 yards receiving and has been a monster in the playoffs. You also can't forget about Mario Manningham, one of the best third receivers in the league. His tight end Jake Ballard has been battling injuries, but did catch a game winning touchdown against the Patriots back in November. The Giants offensive line has done a pretty good job of protecting Manning this year, but were basically pulverized by the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. Defensively, the Giants were dealing with injuries to their secondary and defensive line all season. They are finally healthy, and they have been a terror the last month. In the playoffs they held the Packers to just 20 points, shut out the Falcons offense, and only gave up a couple big plays to Vernon Davis against the 49ers. You don't know who to even focus your energy on a defensive line that includes Osi Umeniyora, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, and Chris Canty. Having linebacker Michael Boley back has also helped, while Chase Blackburn has also played well since returning to the team. Their defensive backfield was decimated by injuries to start the year but is now healthy and has been playing very well. The Patriots will have their work cut out for them trying to throw on Corey Webster, Kenny Phillips, Antrel Rolle, and Aaron Ross. Kicker Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants to a Super Bowl for the second time in his career and his presence could be huge in what is expected to be a close game. It will be punter Steve Weatherford's job to try to keep the Patriots offense pinned deep in their own zone. Coach Tom Coughlin had people calling for his head when the Giants were on the verge of missing the playoffs for a third straight season. Now, he might have earned himself another contract extension.

The Patriots are trying to prove the old adage that defense wins championships to be a relic from another era. The Patriots have gotten to this point solely because of the firepower of their offense. It all starts with their QB Tom Brady who threw for 5,235 yards this season and 39 TDs. His favorite target remained Wes Welker, who had an incredible 122 catches. Some people think Welker just accumulates all those catches with little three yard catches but he averaged 12.9 yards a reception. The latest weapon to emerge for Brady was his TE, Gronk, or Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski was an absolute beast, catching 90 passes and 17 TDs, incredible numbers for a tight end. Others getting in on the act were WR Deion Branch, whose career once again became relevant once he ended up back in New England, and TE Aaron Hernandez. The Patriots aren't all that concerned with their running game but when they do run the ball, BenJarvus Green-Ellis is their lead back. The pressure is on the Patriots offensive line to perform at an excellent level in this game. They were pushed around by New York in the Super Bowl 4 years ago and also in their regular season matchup this year. They have a lot of talent on the offensive line, guys like Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Brian Waters, and Dan Connolly. The defense has been the weak point all season long. Their secondary has dealt with injuries and been torched, finishing 31st in the league in passing yards allowed per game. The run defense was a little better but not much, still finishing in the bottom half of the league. Things have gotten to the point where WR Julian Edelman has played crucial stretches at CB, including the end of the AFC Championship game. The Patriots most accomplished defensive players are DT Vince Wilfork and LB Jerod Mayo. Mark Anderson has had a largely unnoticed effective season but the Patriots definitely miss Andre Carter, who had been their most effective pass rusher, but is out for the season. The pressure will be on FS Patrick Chung, and cornerbacks Kyle Arrington and Devin McCourty to somehow slow down Cruz and Nicks. The Patriots have a reliable kicker in Stephen Gostkowski, and one of the better punters in Zoltan Mesko. What needs to be said about their head coach Bill Belichick? He is one of the greatest coaches ever and what he has done in New England in the age of parity is astounding.

Everyone is in love with the New York Giants. It makes sense, they have won five straight games, beaten some of the best the NFL has to offer, and their quarterback Eli Manning is on a roll. However, seemingly lost in that shuffle is that their opponent, the New England Patriots are the hottest team in football. They have won ten straight games and done so by an average of 17.1 points per game. Their defense is flawed but that hasn’t mattered basically the entire season. In fact, their three losses could be tied directly to the offense. The offense was stymied in losses to the Giants and Steelers, and Tom Brady threw four interceptions in the loss to Buffalo.

The Giants did win the regular season meeting, but that is almost irrelevant. The teams that met almost three months ago will not be the same teams taking the field on Sunday. The Giants defense is certainly playing at a high level but I believe in Bill Belichick and his ability to find some way to contain that Giants pass rush. The key player to this game will be Wes Welker. If Brady can get into a rhythm of hitting Welker with those short throws that Welker turns in t0 10 yards a pop that will mitigate the Giants pass rush. A run game would be nice but the Giants have stymied good rushing teams like the Falcons and Niners in the playoffs, so its hard to imagine that the Law Firm will find much room. This game will be won or lost for the Patriots based on how much time and how well Brady plays. Brady doesn’t often have bad games back to back so I expect to see elite Brady on Sunday. It helps the Giants cause that Rob Gronkowski won’t be 100 percent, but the Patriots have other weapons and Gronk just being out there will draw plenty of attention. The Patriots defense has played better in recent weeks and I think if they can just stem the tide and not let the Giants get rolling, that will be enough. I still think Eli is prone to the mistake that can turn a game. He was bailed out twice in the 49ers game because 49ers players hit each other instead of catching his errant passes. This game should be a back and forth affair. I expect more scoring than we saw between them in Super Bowl XLII. I think the Giants will lead 23-18 late, when Brady will work his magic, hitting Welker for the game winning score, and giving their Patriots their fourth Super Bowl championship.

Prediction: New England 25, New York Giants 23

Last Week Straight Up: 0-2
Overall Straight Up: 166-100

Last Week Against the Spread: 1-1
Overall Against the Spread: 132-127-7

Year in Review - New England Patriots (15-3, AFC East and AFC Champions)

Expectations are high every season for the New England Patriots but they entered the 2011 season with some baggage. They suffered their third straight playoff loss to conclude the 2010 season as well as their second straight home playoff loss. Questions were starting to be raised if the magic of Belichick and Brady had worn off? Were the Patriots finally going to be knocked from the upper echelon of the NFL? Through the first half of the season the Patriots looked mediocre, but they haven't lost since and are now in their fifth Super Bowl in the last eleven years.

The Patriots traveled to Miami for Monday Night football in their season opener. Tom Brady threw for an incredible 517 yards and 4 TDs, including a 99 yard strike to Wes Welker as the Patriots cruised to a 38-24 victory. That game proved telling for how most of the Patriots season would unfold. The offense put up a lot of points and yardage but the defense did the same. The Patriots allowed unheralded Dolphins QB Chad Henne to throw for 416 yards. In Week 2, the Patriots defeated San Diego 35-21 as Brady had another magnificent game, throwing for 423 yards and 3 TDs. TE Rob Gronkowski had 2 of those touchdowns, and was beginning to serve notice to the rest of the league that he was the best tight end in football. In Week 3, the Patriots were at Buffalo to take on the surprising 2-0 Bills. It looked like it would be a typical New England/Buffalo game when the Patriots raced out to 21-0 lead. However, Brady ended up throwing 4 interceptions, and the Patriots had silly penalties on defense to go with their pathetic play and ended up losing 34-31. The Patriots rebounded nicely in Week 4, going to Oakland and defeating the Raiders 31-19. It was the Patriots rushing attack that carried the day, with rookie Steven Ridley rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 75 yards and a touchdown.

In Week 5, the Patriots earned some revenge against their rivals, the New York Jets, defeating them 30-21 at home. Green-Ellis had a monster game, running for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. Welker also continued his strong season, finishing with 5 catches for 124 yards. The Patriots earned their third straight win in Week 6, a 20-16 come from behind win against Dallas, improving their record to 5-1. It was the first time the Patriots had been held to less than 30 points, but it was the defense's finest performance of the season. Brady hit TE Aaron Hernandez for an 8-yard touchdown with 22 seconds to play to seal the victory. After their bye week, the Patriots season started to take a slide in Week 7, as they were dominated at Pittsburgh, losing 25-17. Brady was held to less than 200 yards passing, and the running game played so poorly that Kevin Faulk was the leading rusher with 32 yards. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger torched the New England secondary for 375 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. The next week, the Patriots suffered their first home regular season loss in 2 years, falling to the New York Giants 24-20. It was the third straight game the offense struggled, and the defense was unable to hold the Giants when they needed to, as Eli Manning marched the Giants down the field for a game winning drive. The Patriots were 5-3 at the halfway mark, and in a dog fight with the Jets and Bills for the AFC East.

In Week 10, the Patriots season was at a crossroads as they headed to New York to take on the Jets. Another loss and the wheels would officially be coming off on their season. They responded like champions do, destroying the Jets 37-16 on Sunday night football. Brady finally returned to form, throwing 3 TDs, 2 of those to his monster TE Gronkowski. WR Chad Ochocinco even made an appearance with 2 catches for 65 yards. The Patriots improved to 7-3 in Week 11, blowing out the Kansas City Chiefs 34-3 on Monday night football. It was supposed to be Matt Cassel's return to New England but he was out with an injury, so instead the Patriots got to make Tyler Palko's life miserable. It was the Gronkowski show again, as he put in another 2 touchdown performance. In a game that I picked as the Super Bowl matchup for this season, the Patriots destroyed Philadelphia on the road 38-20. Eagles QB Vince Young threw for 400 yards but once again it didn't matter because the Patriots passing game was unstoppable. It was Welker that was the beast this game, grabbing 2 touchdowns. The Patriots then held on to beat the hapless Indianapolis Colts in Week 13, 31-24 to improve to 9-3. The Patriots jumped out to a 31-3 lead going into the 4th quarter but then the defense collapsed giving up three touchdowns. Gronkowski had 2 receiving touchdowns and his first rushing touchdown of the season.

The Patriots survived a dog fight in Week 14, outlasting Washington 34-27 at FedEx Field. Gronkowski, 6 catches, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns and Welker, 7 catches, 86 yards, 1 touchdown, terrorized the Redskins. The game was perhaps most memorable for the shouting match Brady got into with his offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien after he threw his first interception in a month. At 10-3, the Patriots were headed to Denver to take on the Tim Tebows or as they were otherwise known, the Denver Broncos. The Patriots fell behind 16-7 early, but then Brady and the offense took over. It wasn't Gronkowski that was the beast tight end on this day, it was Hernandez who had nine catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. The win clinched another AFC East title for the Patriots but they still had a first round bye to play for. They received quite the test from the Dolphins at home in Week 16, falling behind 17-0 in the second quarter. They were able to put 27 points on the board in the second half, rallying for the 27-24 win. Welker was most responsible for the win, racking up 12 catches for 138 yards. The win clinched a first round bye for the Patriots, and they had a chance to clinch home field throughout the playoffs with a win at home against Buffalo to close the season. Curiously, the Patriots came out flat for a third straight week, spotting the Bills 21 points in the first quarter. Then in a complete reversal from their first game against Buffalo, it was the Patriots who reeled off 49 straight points, completing an incredible 49-21 rout, to finish the season at 13-3 and the best record in the AFC. Brady threw for 338 yards, 3 touchdowns and surpassed 5,000 yards passing for the season.

After the Broncos upset the Steelers on Wild Card weekend, it earned them a rematch with the Patriots, this time at Gillette Stadium. There was no falling behind in this game, as New England thoroughly dominated the Broncos, and led 35-7 at the half. They ended up winning the game 45-10, and Brady threw for 6 touchdowns, with 3 of those going to Gronkowski. The Patriots also unveiled Hernandez the running back, as he led the team with 61 yards on just 5 carries. The Patriots now had to host the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game, and were hoping to avenge their 2010 home playoff loss to Baltimore. In that loss, Ray Rice scored an 80 yard touchdown to start the game and the Ravens never looked back. Baltimore ran rice to start the game this time and he was held to nothing, a sign that this game would be much different. It was tight the entire way and it was actually the Patriots defense that stepped up and helped earn the victory. Surprisingly, Brady was outplayed by Joe Flacco, and Brady had his first zero touchdown effort in 36 games. The Patriots defense held Ray Rice in check and DT Vince Wilfork seemed to be involved in almost every play. Down 23-20 late in the game, the Ravens had a chance to tie and send it to overtime but their kicker Billy Cundiff missed from 32-yards and their Patriots were back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2008. This will be the Patriots seventh Super Bowl and they will try to win their fourth Lombardi trophy.

Year in Review - New York Giants (12-7, NFC East and NFC Champions)

Going into the 2011 season it was well known that if the New York Giants missed the playoffs for a third straight season, coach Tom Coughlin would be let go. The Giants appeared to be long shots because they were decimated by injuries to their secondary. They experienced a season filled with ups and downs but much like the 2007-08 season, have gotten hot when it counted the most.

The season got off to an inauspicious start when the Giants fell at Washington 28-14. The Giants were without many starters on defense but it was their offense that really struggled. They only could muster 102 yards of total offense in the second half. In a sign of things to come during the season, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs did next to nothing running the ball. In Week 2, the Giants hosted the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football and came away with their first victory of the season, 28-16. The Giants were happy to get the win but the game was ugly and the Giants looked less than impressive. The Giants struggled again on offense and were able to win mostly because of the Rams being mistake prone. In Week 3, the Giants outscored the Philadelphia Eagles 15-0 in the fourth quarter at Philadelphia to knock off the "Dream Team" 29-16. Eli Manning threw for 2 TDs in that fourth quarter and finished the game with 4. This game marked the emergence of WR Victor Cruz who finished with 2 TDs and 110 yards receiving. The Giants defense also played well, forcing three Eagles turnovers and knocking Eagles QB Mike Vick out of the game. The Giants improved to 3-1 after a narrow road win against Arizona in Week 4. The Giants trailed 27-17 in the 4th quarter but Eli hit TE Jake Ballard for a TD with 3:37 remaining to get the Giants within three. Later, the Giants were driving for the winning score when Cruz appeared to fumble the ball and the Cardinals recovered. However, it was ruled that Cruz gave himself up on the play and was down, meaning no fumble and the play could not be challenged. The Giants quickly followed that with a 29 yard touchdown strike to Hakeem Nicks, and escaped with a 31-27 win.

The Giants good thoughts about themselves came crashing in Week 5, when they shockingly lost at home to Seattle, 36-25. Manning had an up and down game that has been typical of his career, throwing for 420 yards and 3 TDs, but also 3 INTs. Bradshaw had just 58 yards rushing and the Giants defense was torched for over 400 yards by the less than imposing Seahawks offense. Instead of falling apart after such a disappointing loss, the Giants hung tough in Week 6, outlasting the Bills for a 27-24 win at home. Ahmad Bradshaw had his only 100 yard rushing performance of the season, and finished with 3 TDs. After a bye, the Giants squeezed past the stubborn Dolphins on the road, 20-17. Manning was spectacular, throwing for 349 yards and 2 TDs. The Giants defense held the Dolphins to just 242 total yards and the Giants were now 5-2. The Giants announced their arrival as Super Bowl contenders in Week 9 when they upset the New England Patriots 24-20 at Gillette Stadium. It was the Patriots first home loss of the regular season in over two years. Even more impressive was that the Giants were without Bradshaw and Nicks. Manning found Ballard for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left to secure the victory. The Giants were 6-2 at the halfway point, alone in first place in the NFC East.

In Week 10, the Giants traveled cross country to take on the surprising San Francisco 49ers. It was a back and forth game, and the Giants led 13-12 going into the 4th quarter. Manning threw 2 crucial interceptions, including one that set up the game winner for the 49ers. However, Manning still almost rallied the Giants from a 14 point deficit before seeing a 4th down pass knocked down by Justin Smith, giving the Niners a 27-20 victory. Week 11 saw the Giants suffer an embarrassing home loss to a injury depleted Eagles team, 17-10. Vince Young started for Vick, but it was LaSean McCoy who keyed the victory for Philly. The Giants inability to run the ball came back to bite them, as Jacobs was the leading rusher with just 21 yards. The Giants then dropped their third straight game on Monday night football, 49-24 to the Saints. The game was never close and the Giants defense had no answer for Drew Brees and New Orleans. The Giants gave up 577 yards of total offense to New Orleans and now at 6-5 panic was starting to set in. In Week 13, the Giants nearly knocked off the undefeated Packers but fell 38-35, for their fourth straight loss and placing them at 6-6. The defense was torched for the second straight week and Manning couldn't overcome the lack of a running game.

Week 14 saw the Giants travel to Dallas in a must win game on Sunday Night football. Dallas was 7-5 and with a win would have had a stranglehold on the NFC East. The Cowboys led by 12 late in the fourth quarter but Manning shined and was able to bring the Giants back like had done many other times during the season. The star of the game was Jason Pierre-Paul on defense. Paul had a safety, forced a fumble in the second quarter and blocked the Cowboys attempt at game tying field goal to preserve the win. Those good feelings quickly dissipated the next weekend when the Giants suffered a shocking 23-10 loss at home to the Redskins. The Skins won 5 games all season, and two of those came against the Giants by a combined score of 51-24. Manning suffered through his worst game of the season and the Giants appeared completely lifeless in the loss. It set up a do or die game against their cross town rivals, the New York Jets. The Giants were again struggling on offense when Victor Cruz broke free for a 99 yard touchdown reception. The Giants led the rest of the way as the defense made life miserable for Mark Sanchez. The Giants ended up winning 29-14, setting up a win or go home battle with the Cowboys in the regular season finale. The Giants came out on fire, racing to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. The Cowboys fought back in the second half and were trailing just 21-14 in the fourth quarter. However, the Giants defense stiffened and the Giants won the game, earning a playoff berth and NFC East title. Cruz was the key, finishing with 6 catches, 178 yards, and a touchdown.

The Giants opened with a Wild Card home game against the Atlanta Falcons. Some felt that the Giants were hitting their stride while others weren't that impressed that the Giants closed the season beating two 8-8 teams. The Giants then went out and had their best defensive performance of the season, in a 24-2 blowout. The Giants defense allowed zero points and stuffed Atlanta twice on 4th and 1 chances. Manning was spectacular, throwing for 277 yards and 3 TDs. Nicks, who struggled towards the end of the season, returned to form with 115 yards receiving and 2 TDs. The win earned the Giants another chance to beat the NFL's juggernaut, the Packers. Some felt the Giants could pull off the upset but no one anticipated what ended up happening. The Giants led 13-10 late in the first half when Manning hit Nicks on a hail mary, 37 yard touchdown pass. That put the Giants up 20-10 going into the half and they never looked back. The Giants defense continued their strong play, holding Aaron Rodgers to just 264 yards passing, and forcing him to fumble and throw and interception. The Giants had now won four in a row and the script was starting to look eerily similar to their 2008 playoff run. Their revenge tour continued in the NFC Championship game at San Francisco. Aside from Cruz, the Giants couldn't get much going on offense, but their defense kept them in the game with strong play. The Giants got behind early but took the lead late in the 4th quarter on a Manning to Mario Manningham touchdown. The game went to overtime, tied at 17, the Giants first overtime game of the season. Neither team could move the ball but then Kyle Williams of the 49ers fumbled on his punt return and the Giants recovered. Lawrence Tynes then hit a 31 yard field goal and the Giants were headed to Super Bowl XLVI. It will be the Giants fifth Super Bowl appearance as they look to hoist the Lombardi trophy for a fourth time.

The Hail Mary - NFL Playoffs: Conference Championships

I thought last week was stressful to watch but I have a feeling the NFC Championship game this Sunday against the Giants will be even worse for me as a fan of the 49ers. The up and down thrill ride that the game against the Saints was is something I don't think I have ever experienced in my life. However, if a game were to approach that level, it would have to be when the Giants and 49ers met in 2003. The Giants raced out to a 38-14 lead at Candlestick, but then Jeff Garcia led the 49ers back to a 39-38 victory. Yeah, there maybe should have been a pass interference called on the 49ers the last play of the game but there wasn't, so whatevs. There is another game before this, the AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. This was the game I expected to see before the playoffs began and even then I was struggling in my head about who I would pick to win the game. I still am not quite sure about my pick but its Friday and I have a deadline that my tens of readers expect me to stick to so I'm forging ahead.

AFC Championship: Baltimore (13-4) at New England (14-3), New England favored by 7

The Patriots destroyed Denver last weekend in not much of a surprise, while the Ravens did what they do best, win ugly, when they defeated the Texans. These teams are equally matched because each has a major advantage on one side of the ball. The Patriots are far and away a better offensive team than Baltimore, while the Ravens defense is clearly superior to the Patriots defense. Most of the talk for this game has centered around Ravens QB Joe Flacco and his less than stellar performances. It seems that finally people are catching on to the fact that Flacco is mediocre at best. Flacco seems to bristle at the fact that people overlook him and give all the credit to the defense, but he has a great chance to shut those critics up this weekend. The Patriots defense is laughably bad, and just because they were able to shut down Denver, I don't think they are all of the sudden any good. The Ravens offense stalled against the Texans because they couldn't get Ray Rice going. When these two teams met in the playoffs two years ago Rice memorably opened the game with a huge touchdown run and the Ravens never looked back. Rice has to be fed the ball on a consistent basis and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has to show the patience to stick with the running game. If Rice can get going, then Flacco has a chance to hit Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith with some deep balls. Defensively, the Ravens have been very good this season but have struggled to get pressure on the quarterback in recent weeks. It is imperative they do that this weekend because Tom Brady is the best in the game and will completely burn you if he is allowed to be a statue in the pocket. Haloti Ngata, and the rest of the defensive front will need to make their presence felt. The linebacking corps has to be ready to try to slow down TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The biggest difference between the game two years ago and this one is that the Patriots didn't have those two weapons back then. Hernandez was featured as a running back last week, while Gronkowski continued to look unstoppable in coverage. If the Ravens can't limit their touches, they have no shot at winning.

Fortunately for the Ravens, their defense shouldn't have to worry too much about the Patriots running game. The Patriots are running back by committee and while their backs can gash bad teams, I don't expect them to be much of a factor against Baltimore. The Ravens did struggle against Arian Foster last weekend, but BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley, and Danny Woodhead combined aren't as good as Foster. The difference in this game might just come down to special teams. According to the stat geeks at Football Outsiders the Patriots were 5th in special teams rankings during the season, while the Ravens were a dreadful 30th. Both teams have reliable field goal kickers that can make pressure kicks. I have had a hell of a time picking this game. The line is way too high to me so I have no doubt the Ravens will cover, but picking them to win has been tough. I worry about the Ravens ability to slow Gronkowski and Hernandez but I keep coming back to how putrid the Patriots defense is. Plus, the Patriots haven't beaten a team with a winning record all season. The Ravens have been on the doorstep for years now and I think this is finally when they push through and reach the Super Bowl.

Prediction: Baltimore 23, New England 20

NFC Championship: New York Giants (11-7) at San Francisco (14-3), San Francisco favored by 2 1/2

All year it seemed destined that if the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship they would have to find a way to win at Lambeau Field. Instead, the Giants blew the doors off of the Packers and now the 49ers get to host their first NFC Championship since 1997. The Giants come in red hot, having won four games in a row. They have become a completely different team the last month as both their running game and defenses have emerged as forces. The public loves the Giants and feels we are seeing deja vu from when they made their run from out of nowhere in 2008. In my mind we are seeing deja vu, but that deja vu is from last week. The Saints came into San Francisco firing on all cylinders, having won nine in a row. The public loved them to beat the 49ers, because everyone outside of 49ers fans saw San Francisco as a flukey team from a bad division. The public saw the real side of the 49ers last week, a resilient group that wins because they play well in all phases. The defense was lit up more than I would have expected but they still forced five turnovers, which played a huge role in the win. Most surprisingly, Alex Smith was able to lead the 49ers down the field in crunch time. However, that shouldn't have been as much as a surprise as it was, because it was on the back of Smith that the Niners defeated the Giants in their first meeting this season. The Giants knocked Frank Gore out of the game early and without him the 49ers were unable to run the ball. Smith still was able to be productive passing the ball, including hitting Vernon Davis for a game changing touchdown. People will rightly say that clearly Eli Manning is a better quarterback but at least this season Smith seems much better at avoiding mistakes. The 49ers have the best turnover differential in the league because Smith has avoided costly interceptions and mistakes. They also have the hardest hitting defense in the league, and a defense that I think can slow down a potent Giants offense. The Giants didn't have Ahmad Bradshaw in the first game, and to me he is a much greater threat than overrated Brandon Jacobs. Still, I am not too concerned because the 49ers have been stone walls against the run all season. The pressure will be on the 49ers corners to slow down Hakeem Nicks, who has been a beast in the playoffs, as well as Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham. A lot of help will come if the 49ers continue to create pressure like they have all season with Justin and Aldon Smith. The Giants don't have a big playmaker at TE like the Saints did, so that will make things easier for Patrick Willis, Navarro Bowman, and Ahmad Brooks.

I wasn't thrilled with the Niners commitment to running the ball last weekend, as Gore only had 13 carries. He was struggling but I feel like that was because he was never allowed to get in a rhythm. Late in the game he was able to bust a big run and that is what he can do if the 49ers are patient with him. They don't want to get into a passing contest with New York, especially with how well the Giants front four is playing right now. It will be huge if the 49ers can be effective running the ball. I also want to see Michael Crabtree play much better. He did have a touchdown last week but had at least three drops and looked pretty bad out there. I believe this game will come down to turnovers and whoever wins that battle. The 49ers have been winning it all year and I expect them to this weekend. I really believe the 49ers time is now, and we are destined to see Harbowl II, this time for all the marbles.

Prediction: San Francisco 24, New York Giants 17

Last Week Straight Up: 3-1
Overall Straight Up: 166-98

Last Week Against the Spread: 1-3
Overall Against the Spread: 131-126-7

The Hail Mary - NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

My ability to really enjoy Divisional round weekend will be determined by about 8 PM eastern. If the 49ers defeat the Saints I will be riding a high I haven't felt in close to a decade. However, if the 49ers lose, it will be tough to get too excited for the three remaining games. Some of that also has to do with the fact that Niners/Saints is clearly the game of the weekend. Two teams with a combined record of 27-6 facing off has much more appeal to me than a primetime game between the Patriots and the Broncos, who weren't even over .500 last week. Sunday, it will be the Texans and third stringer T.J. Yates traveling to Baltimore where the Ravens didn't lose a game this season. That will be followed up by the New York Giants heading to Lambeau Field to try to knock off the best team in football, the Packers.

NFC Divisional Round: New Orleans (14-3) at San Francisco (13-3), New Orleans favored by 3

If anyone could ever pull out the nobody believes in us card it would be the 49ers. After the Saints got done destroying the Lions last weekend, many people were already penciling in Saints/Packers for the NFC Championship. That is the game all the casual fans want to see because it will means lots of points and excitement. As a 49ers fan, the thought of that game sickens me. It would be vastly more entertaining to me to watch the 49ers try to slow down powerful offenses in back to back weeks. For the last few weeks of the season the Niners were in a dog fight trying to hold off New Orleans for the 2 seed. If this game were in New Orleans I would not have near the confidence I have that San Francisco can slow down the Saints juggernaut. It can't be denied that the Saints and especially their offense are near unstoppable in the Superdome. But the road has been a different story for Drew Brees and company. All three of their losses came on the road this season, and two of them were to the sorry Tampa Bay Bucs and St. Louis Rams. In those losses the Saints managed just 20 and 21 points against terrible defenses. How will they do when going up against a ferocious defense like San Francisco's? People like to tout the Saints running game featuring Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas, and Chris Ivory and how it makes the Saints more than a one dimensional offense. They are very talented, but they haven't faced the number one rush defense in football, which hadn't allowed a rushing touchdown until Week 16. The 49ers aren't slouches against the pass either, with Carlos Rogers back there, as well as having the good fortune to be able to call on Navarro Bowman, or Patrick Willis to cover Saints star TE Jimmy Graham. It will be a fun battle to watch up front between the Saints offensive line, with its three Pro Bowlers, and the Niners defensive line with Justin and Aldon Smith. No one is talking about the 49ers offense and they did have their share of struggles this season. Alex Smith performed much better but he still is nothing more than a game manager. However, he does have weapons in WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis. If those two have big games that will just be a bonus because the pressure is on RB Frank Gore to come up big. Gore has to run well for San Francisco to have a chance. The key to slowing down the Saints offense? It is quite simple, ball control. If you can run the ball successfully that will limit the opportunities Brees and guys like Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem will have. I'm not delusional, I know a lot has to go right for San Francisco to win this game. I have a lot of confidence in them and they have given me good reason. They are well coached, they run the ball, and they play good defense. Those attributes have won many teams championships, and I think it can do so again. I think the defense will play very well and force turnovers. I think the offense will be able to turn those turnovers into touchdowns. This cannot turn into a David Akers field goal fest like a lot of the 49ers games were. I think come 8:00 I will be a very happy man.

Prediction: San Francisco 24, New Orleans 21

AFC Divisional Round: Denver (9-8) at New England (13-3), New England favored by 13 1/2

It is Tebow vs. Brady II, or Broncos vs. Patriots, but honestly people care about this because of Tim Tebow and Tom Brady. The Patriots destroyed Denver a month ago in Denver and people trying to come up with reasons why Denver can win this game are grasping. The most popular grasp is that Denver was leading New England in that game before they got the turnover bug. That is true, but in my mind that just sped up the inevitable. The Patriots have seen a complete turnaround in their playoff fortunes the last few years and it hasn't been good. It used to be you never expected to see Belichick or Brady lose in the playoffs, now you never see them win. The Patriots have lost their last three playoff games, and their last two losses were at home. Maybe more than any other reason that is why I am so confident that they get off the schneid this weekend. Belichick and Brady losing three playoff home games in a row? It just doesn't seem possible. It also helps that Broncos are just 9-8 and more a lucky team, than a good team. The Patriots defense is a sieve and can be scored on but Denver is just as inconsistent on offense. Their running game is their strength but even when that is clicking if the passing game is non-existent the offense will still struggle. For whatever reason the last two weeks the Patriots spotted both the Dolphins and the Bills big leads before turning on the jets and running away with both games. I don't think that will happen Saturday. For one, I don't think Denver is capable of running out to a big lead, and secondly, Tom Brady will likely be at his precise best in this game. I expect to see a Brady performance where he maybe throws five incompletions. The Broncos had a hell of a time with TE Aaron Hernandez last time and with them keying in on him, I think the other all world TE Rob Gronkowski will have a big game. I am not crazy enough to actually bet against the Broncos, so I like them to get a backdoor cover, but I expect the Patriots to control this game from start to finish.

Prediction: New England 30, Denver 17

AFC Divisional Round: Houston (11-6) at Baltimore (12-4), Baltimore favored by 7 1/2

This is the game I am least looking forward to. I have never much liked watching the Ravens play, and with the Texans down to a third string quarterback, offense for them will likely be limited. They did put up 31 points on Cincinnati last week, but that was due to a collection of Cincinnati turnovers and the Bengals defense not knowing how to tackle Arian Foster. The Ravens will be able to do much better with monsters like Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody up front. If Foster breaks that wall then he has to deal with Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis and underrated Jarret Johnson. T.J. Yates has been serviceable for the Texans but it has helped that Foster and Ben Tate have been able to do the heavy lifting. If they are slowed down, which I think they will be, this game will get ugly. I expect to see Yates taking a lot of sacks and turning the ball over. Yates will have a valid excuse, he is a rookie, but Joe Flacco doesn't have the same excuses. Flacco has struggled with accuracy and holding on to the ball over his career. I think the Ravens have tried to make themselves believe he is a franchise quarterback but he has never really shown it. I don't think he will have a banner day against a tough Houston defense, but I do think that Ray Rice will get the bulk of the touches and will rush for over 100 yards. The only way the Ravens lose this game is if offensive coordinator Cam Cameron gets silly and becomes pass happy. He has done that in the past, but someone, namely John Harbaugh, needs to smack him upside the head and remind him that Rice is far and away their best player on offense. It also can't be overlooked just how good Baltimore is at home. They have won 18 of their past 19 games at M&T Bank Stadium. They feed off their crowd's energy and I don't think the Texans have the horses necessary to win on the road.

Prediction: Baltimore 21, Houston 9

NFC Divisional Round: New York Giants (10-7) at Green Bay (15-1), Green Bay favored by 7 1/2

Everyone is back on the Giants bandwagon. People love to jump on the Giants bandwagon, they could have three or four bad performances but if they have a good one, people immediately forget about the bad ones and declare the Giants dangerous. This isn't 2007 people. The Giants aren't playing a Cowboys team that would have rather vacationed then prepare for a playoff game. They are traveling to Lambeau Field to face a juggernaut. People like to point to the fact the Giants played Green Bay close in the regular season but that game was in New York. I more like to think about last season, when New York went to Green Bay and lost 45-17 and were torched by Aaron Rodgers. The Giants have won four of their last five but if you look at who they beat it was a bunch of mediocre to slightly good teams. The Packers are so far above the Cowboys, Jets, and Falcons that you can't even compare the talent levels. The Giants have been winning lately because their running game finally has a pulse. I still tend to think their rushing attack is more the variety we saw all season, last in the NFL, then the one that pounded the Falcons last weekend. I foolishly believed in the playoff choking duo of Matt Ryan and coach Mike Smith to take advantage of the Giants deficiencies on defense. I know I will not feel foolish believing in Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy to march up and down the field on the Giants. The Giants do have a fearsome pass rush with Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre Paul and Osi Umeniyora, but the Packers will be fully healthy at offensive line for the first time in weeks and up to the challenge. With Greg Jennings returning to complement Jordy Nelson, James Jones, and Jermichael Finley, the Packers just have too many weapons. Eli Manning and the Giants offense can score with the best of them, but bad Eli strikes at times and turns the ball over too much. I think we will see a lot of Manning Face and Manning shoulder shrug in this game. It will take a very good defense to beat the Packers and the Giants defense doesn't fit that bill.

Prediction: Green Bay 38, New York Giants 21

Last Week Straight Up: 2-2
Overall Straight Up: 163-97

Last Week Against the Spread: 3-1
Overall Against the Spread: 130-123-7