Super-dee-duper Bowl

Damn, that was a great game last night. I was pulling for the Giants--not because I have anything against New England, but it's always fun to see a huge build-up come crashing down. Also, the Giants have played scrappy football for the past several weeks, and I like scrappy teams. The Giants played the Pats very hard in week 17, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that they were up to the task of beating the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl. What was surprising was how effectively the Giants' defense shut down New England's offense--the highest scoring offense in NFL history, IIRC. DW started the game leaning slightly towards New England, but she damn near leapt from her chair during the Giants' final drive, when Eli Manning sprang loose from a certain tackle and threw that incredible pass to David Tyree, then tossed the ball into the end zone for the winning touchdown shortly thereafter. It may have been the best Super Bowl ever.

The Saints

We watched yesterday's NFC and AFC championship games, and were a little bummed to see our Saints defeated. However, the Saints' offense is based on timing and rhythm, and, thanks to the Bears' defense and the crummy weather, neither timing nor rhythm really got going. Also, Drew Brees didn't seem to get back in sync after he got called for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety and two points for the Bears. The Saints' defense played remarkably well in the first half, given the amount of time it was on the field. Next year looks good for the team if it avoids injuries.

The AFC championship game was likely the real Super Bowl, with the winner of that game emerging as the favorite to win the whole enchilada. I was a little surprised at the Patriots' aggressive play-calling early in the game, but it worked well, to the tune of a 21-6 halftime lead. The Colts showed toughness and determination in the second half, and this year they finally got themselves a trip to the Super Bowl. It was a great game to watch.

Mini Superbowl

Next Monday will be pretty raucous in New Orleans. The Saints and Falcons will play in the Superdome on Monday Night Football. ESPN, the NFL, and Saints management are treating this like a mini-superbowl, and the people around here are pretty psyched. Jude Law even showed up at a Saints rally earlier this week and was presented with a Reggie Bush jersey. The pre-game show next Monday will feature the Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, and U2. Green Day and U2 will even record a song together. As far as the game is concerned, both teams have played surprisingly well, but the Falcons look pretty much unstoppable. Go Saints!