Can the Patriots beat the Giants?

[Rajmahal33]

Can they? Absolutely
Will they? Probably
By the spread? Highly Doubtful if they do in fact put it at 14 or 15

Also, I have to say that I am very relieved with this matchup b/c I would have hated to have to endure the speculation and hype of a GB-NE matchup. As most ppl would agree, the bye week before the superbowl is THE worst week of the year in terms of football. Every negative element of football is magnified during this week...Media hype and manufacturing of story lines, rampant injury speculation, off the field issues, selling out/corporatization of the sport, trash talking, etc. With this matchup of NY vs NE, as opposed to a potential GB vs NE matchup, much of the possible hype has been quelled b/c many ppl have already written off the Giants. Also we have seen this matchup very recently and though it was close, it still yielded the outcome that everyone predicted. The only big manufacturable storyline is the Manning family one (Eli instead of Peyton, etc) and it is one that I can deal with. Also you have the pursuit of perfection angle but as long as NE was in it, this was unavoidable.

Could you imagine having to go through the media frenzy giving us up-to-the-minute coverage of the Favre vs Brady duel (old school vs new school, who is better?), passing of the proverbial QB torch, Superbowl XXXI rematch, America's team debate, and whatever other story anyone with a press pass could concoct?