The Final Four

Around this time tomorrow night, we will finally know who is playing in Super Bowl XLII. For once, instead of providing a lot of numbers and looking deep into the match-up, I'm going to just give a quick glimpse of both while my left arm is on the mend. By the way, there's nothing broken, but boy is it sore!

In the first game, the New England Patriots continue their run at perfection against the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers have a lot of injuries to key players - QB Philip Rivers and TE Antonio Gates are both questionable to start and RB LaDainian Tomlinson may not be at 100%. The Tom Brady-led Patriots are 14 point favorites. As much as I want to root behind my Chargers, I don't see them winning. They mave been able to do it with mirrors last week against the World Champion Colts for a half, but I don't see them doing it for a full game against the Patriots. Look for it to be close early, with the Patriots nearly covering the spread.

In game two, it's the marquis QB matchup of Favre vs Manning... no not Peyton, but rather Eli. The game tomorrow night between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants for the NFC Championship has all the makings of possibly being the Ice Bowl II... The temperature will be below zero at game time and the wind chill is supposed to make it feel like -15 to -20 degrees!!! The Packers of course are led by Brett Favre, but Ryan Grant has proven that the Pack can also run the ball - something that will be necessary tomorrow night. Eli Manning will do his best to manage the passing game and will try to build on his past three weeks of nearly mistake-free ball. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should be the focus of the Giants offense in the game. I look for this to be a close, hard-foughtand low scoring game, with Favre and the Packers winning on a late field goal. How can anyone not root for Brett Favre? Not me... I sure hope that this Cinderella run of his Packers continues!

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