Expect a Super Bowl redux in Indianapolis
A road win by the New York Giants could pit them against Patriots
Get ready for the rematch. The Super Bowl rematch, not the Harbaugh coaching family reunion.
For a Super Bowl redux to happen, the New York Giants will need another huge road win, this time at San Francisco. And when they get it Sunday, will they face the Baltimore Ravens, who routed them in the 2001 Super Bowl? Or New England, which had its perfect record shattered by the Giants in the big game four years ago?
Read on for that one. New York Giants ( plus 2 1- 2) at San Francisco
It’s hard to say who had the more impressive victory last weekend. The Giants ( 11- 7) outplayed, out- coached and outworked the defending champion Packers at Lambeau Field, where Green Bay hadn’t lost since early last season. The 49ers showed more passing offence than anyone imagined and won a shootout with one of the league’s most prolific offences, the Saints.
New York forced four turnovers, one fewer than San Francisco, a major factor in their games.
“We always talk about the turnover margin and, of course, that was huge,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “We were plus- 3. And we felt very much so for a team that only had 14 turnovers over the course of the entire season, that was exceptional. They were a team with plus- 24 and really had played from the other side of it all year long.”
The 49ers ( 14- 3) have played from the positive side of it all season, too. They were plus- 28, with a minuscule 10 giveaways during the regular season.
Their most recent matchup was the 49ers’ 27- 20 win at Candlestick Park on Nov. 13, the first of four straight losses for the Giants. New York turned it around by winning three of its last four regular- season games to take the NFC East and has got healthy. The Giants nearly pulled out that November game, and they are vastly improved now. With more balance than the 49ers can muster, they will head to Indy.
Giants, 24- 13 Baltimore ( plus 7 1- 2) at New England
The AFC title game shapes up as a classic matchup of imposing offence and immovable defence. In the current NFL atmosphere, with all kinds of points and yardage records being set, the offence has had the edge.
Baltimore coach Jim Harbaugh likes the fact that as a wild card the last three years, the Ravens ( 13- 4) are no strangers to road playoff games.
“It helps, just by the fact that we’ve done it,” he said. “Most of our team has been there before, and then those young guys can relate to the older guys, and the older guys can share some wisdom.”
New England quarterback Tom Brady comes off a six- touchdown passing performance against Denver, but comparing the Broncos’ defence to Baltimore’s is ludicrous.
Meanwhile, the Patriots’ defensive weakness is against the pass, not an area the Ravens necessarily excel at. So look for Giants- Pats II in Super Bowl.
Patriots, 27- 16 Against spread: 3- 1 ( overall 131- 1105); straight up 2- 2 ( overall 173- 91). Best Bet: 4- 15 against spread, 13- 6 straight up. Upset Special: 11- 7 against spread, 8- 10 straight up.