I wanted to get this on record before the game started, so that if I’m right I can prove it. If I’m wrong, well…
I am picking New England to win Super Bowl XXXVIII. I won’t guess a point spread.
This will be one for the diehard fans who appreciate the subtleties of the game. Casual fans looking for high scores may be disappointed. I anticipate low tv ratings, but really couldn’t care less. I’m in the diehard category.
In a battle of defenses, I think it will come down to which quarterback can best diagnose and overcome the other team’s defensive schemes. I think Tom Brady, having more experience, will be better able to do that than Jake Delhomme, who I feel will be pressured, hurried and sacked more than a few times today. New England’s defensive secondary is a particularly hard hitting group capable of shutting down receivers (witness what they did to Marvin Harrison, one of the league’s best), which would reduce Carolina to the run, and the Pats defense has allowed only one 100 yard rusher all season long.
The intangible is each team’s reaction to the event itself. Twenty-four New England players have been in the Super Bowl before; only six Panthers. Nervousness may play a big factor, especially if Carolina falls behind early. I think New England will be less affected by either nerves or deficits.
The Patriots won 14 straight games in the regular season and I don’t see them screwing up their chance to have the second longest winning streak in NFL history.