Dear Players,

Well another National Football League season has come and gone with only one game remaining, a Super Bowl rematch between the AFC Champion New England Patriots and the NFC Champion New York Giants.  This time, in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, the Patriots are seeking revenge for their 2008 loss to the GMen in Super Bowl XLII, which solidified the Pats as the third best 18-1 team in NFL history but the only one not to win a title.  That game also solidified this writer’s support of David Tyree as a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer.  Today, the Patriots are 2 1/2 point favorites and the point total is 54 on a fast track in the dome.

These teams also met in week 9 with the Giants prevailing 24-20.  Since then, the Patriots haven’t lost, going 10-0 while the Giants suffered a slight letdown only to get healthy and recapture their championship swagger just in time for them to win their final game of the regular season against Dallas, then their Wild Card game, then go to Green Bay and defeat the defending Champion Packers, only to travel to San Francisco, withstand a physical beating and capitalize on two 49er miscues to win the NFC Championship in over time.

Since that week 9 match-up, both teams’ offenses have averaged more than 400 yards per game while both defenses gave up significant yardage down the stretch.  These teams know each other so well, respect each other, and will provide the NFL and their fans a truly classic match-up.  While the point spread has solidified at New England -2 1/2, the majority of the public sentiment seems to be leaning towards the Giants.  The Pats didn’t expect to be here, but NFL coaching’s 3rd Best Bill has worked his magic again (no not DOCUMENTED cheating like SpyGate) but rather capitalized on an incredibly weak AFC this season and rode Tom Brady’s brilliance to another attempt at winning their 4th Vince Lombardi trophy.  The Patriots seem to be loose, including the always uptight 3rd Best Bill.  A much different demeanor than they carried into Glendale, Arizona in the 2008 Super Bowl as they chased the first perfect season since the 1972 Dolphins.

The Giants have traveled an incredibly tough road down the stretch and throughout the playoffs.  They are as healthy as they’ve been all season, they certainly aren’t afraid of the Patriots, and they’ve got their championship swagger flowing.  Former University of Miami, and current Giant DB Samar Rolle apparently thinks he’s still at THE U because he’s been popping off all week as if he were being compensated by Luke Skywalker and the 2 Live Crew.  He’s providing lots of bulletin board material for the Patriots and can only leave Giants head coach Tom Coughlin to remind Rolle that Skywalker and Coughlin were Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers at The U and to get the point across to Rolle, Coughlin quoted from Saturday Night Live Motivational Speaker Matt Foley, ‘Hey Samari, I wish you’d go ahead and just shut your big YAPPER!’

With all of the smack talking out of the way, with the two-week hiatus finally over and with media day in the rear view mirror, are you ready for some football?  Kick-off is set for 6:28 P.M. EST and as stated in the title of this piece, Picks4Players is locked in.

Quite simply, the Patriots have struggled against physical teams. They’ve dominated most of the mediocre AFC of 2011-2012 and have ridden a Billy Cundiff shank to represent the AFC once again in the Super Bowl.  The Giants are battle tested, finally healthy, and feeling very good about themselves.  Super Bowl XLII was 17-14 Giants and this season in week 9 was 24-20 Giants.  Both offenses will absolutely move the ball and points will fill the score board this time around.  The pass rush will be the difference in this one.  The Giants and their athletic, strong defensive front will get after Tom Brady which may make them susceptible to screen passes, quick slants, and draw plays.  That will set up some long pass opportunities.  Look for Chad Ochocinco to have his best game as a Patriot today, which isn’t saying much.  The Patriots pass rush will finally miss sack master Andre Carter.  I don’t expect the Giants to simply feed Vince Wilfork a steady diet of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshw right into his enormous belly, but instead for the Giants to assert their physical prowess, offensive balance, and to utilize play action pass fakes and consistently pick on the Patriots porous secondary.  Look for Nicks, Manningham, and Cruz to have big days.  The Giants running game will wear down the Pats in the second half and grind much of the game away with Tom Brady sitting on the sidelines, helpless.  Picks4Players comfortably recommends the NY Giants + 2 1/2 points and based on big 2nd and 3rd quarters we expect points.  P4P also recommends OVER 54  

To all of our loyal followers and to our growing legion of supporters, thank you for another fantastic year at picks4Players.  To J.T. the Brick of Fox Sports Radio, thank you for your support, your friendship, your belief in us and your efforts to promote our site.  To G$, the Professor, and all of the staff that supported our efforts throughout the season, without you, none of this could be possible.  As always, please LIKE us on FaceBook and follow us on Twitter @picks4players.  Thanks again one and all and we’ll be posting plenty of interesting content during the off-season as well as refining our site to make sure that you, the players, continue to receive the information you demand.  Best of luck to all.