The Super Bowl is one of the most popular non-holidays in the United States. It is the second largest day for food consumption behind Thanksgiving (which also has football). This year, it is projected that 106 million people will tune in to see the Super Bowl, with the Patriots continuing their powerhouse run (scoring an average of 32.1 points per game) and the Giants representing the underdog team that is stronger than ever.
The question of this game is who can stop the Patriots’ offense. Tom Brady has unlimited weapons in the passing game, with reliable slot-reciever Wes Welker, and the miss-match opportunities presented by tight-ends Rob Grownkowski and Aaron Hernandez. If that isn’t enough, Brady can strike deep for Chad Ochocinco, who has been quiet for most of the games.
The Giants’ defense consists more on the front four, but the acquisition of rookie Prince Amukamara helped the secondary to an extent. Still, the Giants’ secondary is second rate compared to the speed and power of the Patriots’ offense.
So: can the Giants keep up with the Pats’ offense? It is a distinct possibility. Eli Manning has astounded everyone this post-season, completing 61.8% of his passes and only one interception. Hakeem Nicks has been astounding, coming in on key moments to win games and currently leading the Giants in reception yards. Coupled with the Patriots’ last-ranked defense, expect a high-scoring, high-flying game with few rush attempts by either side.
Ultimate prediction: It comes down to Bill Belicheck and Josh McDaniaels out racing the Giants offensively and holding on just long enough defensively to win 42-35.
The Brahma Tales Staff gives their opinions of and predictions on the game:
Patty Zaragoza – Being that the Cowboys, America’s team, will not be participating in the Super Bowl this year (not that they did very well), I will be putting all my faith in the Giants, something I never thought I would say, to pummel the Patriots into a plush pulp. Tom Brady can put his ‘luxurious’ hair in Milan’s fashion week. Hair does not win games, Giants do.
Bekah Caldera – I don’t particularly have an interest in football. I don’t have an interest because I don’t quite understand it, but I am all for getting together with family and friends to stuff my face with fatty foods and to observe the men in my family overreact to a “bad call.”
Taylor Johnson – Going into the Super Bowl, the game promises to be interesting – as it pins two New England teams up against each other. Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning will be a well-fit match up of quarterback talent and experience. I have no particular affiliation with either the Patriots or the Giants, but my brother played for the Patriots in a junior football league, so maybe I’ll go for them. Though I don’t really care about who wins, I’m excited for mass enthusiasm that the Superbowl and its commercials bring to the country and for the piled-high table of football-themed snacks!
Daniel Delarosa – Although I would rather see the Giants win this Sunday, I believe the New England Patriots are far more talented and possess more Super Bowl experience than New York. I think that coaching experience in climactic games, like the Super Bowl, reflects the majority of the outcome. Bill Belicheck , New England’s coach, knows the Super Bowl like the back of his hand. However, much of the time the underdog prevails, which is why I never bet on the Super Bowl.
Kyle Argueta – I believe the Patriots are going to win the Super Bowl! The Patriots work together as a well trained team that strives for success and triumph. Whether the game is a nail-bitter or a snooze fest, I definitely root for the New England Patriots. (P.S. I love Super Bowl commercials)
Yani Villanueva – I predict that the Patriots will win. Then again, I’ve never watched football a day in my life. Maybe I’ll watch the Super Bowl…but probably not.
Luke Thacker – As much as I’ll miss the game and the ads, I wont be watching Super Bowl XLVI because I don’t believe in giving money to an industry that exposes hundreds of young athletes to possible catastrophic injury to every part of their body, especially the brain. Until safety standards improve, and the NFL provides compensation for injured ex-players, who often have no source of income other than the sport they are now too injured to play, I don’t feel comfortable supporting professional football.
Amanda Sowle – I don’t really watch football because to me, football is just men in tights chasing and tackling each other for a ball…so for the Super Bowl, I have no idea who even has a chance of winning; To be honest, I don’t even know who the teams are that are going to it.
Aurora Junco – The first thing that comes to mind when I hear people bickering about who is going to win the Super Bowl is, why bother even watching it? My reason for this mindset is because I don’t watch football. I could care less for men shoving, tackling, and running around on a field! The only “fun” part about the Super Bowl is how you can eat a buffet of buffalo wings, chips, soda, and barbecue.
Brittany Trub – The Giants will totally win. They have a bigger winning record than the Patriots and usually win by fifteen points over the opponent’s score.
Kayla Gunn – I don’t watch football because all of my friends and family get way too crazy. You can’t even sit in a room with them because they scream and yell at each other and cuss at the referees. Most of them vote for different teams so you can imagine it gets pretty intense. I usually go to my friend’s house for football parties and if you don’t think the team they want to win should win, they will literally kick you out or make you do something humiliating…so I don’t get involved with football.
Estefania Lamas – I am asserting that the Pats are going to win. Maybe it’s my obvious obsession with Tom Brady as a quarterback since elementary school speaking, or maybe it’s the fact that I’ll be a real “New Englander” when I head off to college in the Fall (GOOOOO WELLESLEY BLUE!!!). Either way, the Giants suck, I hope the halftime show doesn’t, and I look forward to the Budweiser commercials. Let the Superbowl weekend begin! HUZZAH!
Cornelia DeLaney – I’m really not that into football because you can’t really see anything, and I don’t see the point in a bunch of people running into each other and getting concussions over a ball. I just watch the Super Bowl because of the commercials.
