Patriots, Giants Win Nailbiters, Set Up Super Bowl Rematch
The New York Giants capitalized on two special teams turnovers to steal the NFC Championship with an overtime road win over the San Francisco 49ers. The New England Patriots won the AFC Championship when Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff did his best Scott Norwood impression, missing a chip shot field goal that would have sent that game to overtime.
And so we have a rematch of one of the worst Super Bowls in recent memory, when the 18-0 Patriots choked away their perfect season against a mediocre Giants squad not unlike this one. Early lines have the Patriots as three-point favorites to win the rematch, and surely Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will be motivated to avenge their only Super Bowl loss.
The Giants were awfully fortunate in their win over the 49ers, who couldnt have played much worse. Half of New Yorks 20 points came off the two 49ers turnovers. San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith looked like Tim Tebow the week before in getting two late touchdowns the week before to upset the Saints, but turned in the other side of a Tebow-esque performance against the Giants by completing less than half of his 26 passing attempts. The 49ers only managed to convert one of 13 third downs the entire game.
The Giants probably have a slightly better offense than the Ravens, but the Giants defense isnt as tough as the Ravens. The Patriots should be a little better on third down than the 49ers were.
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