Super Bowl prediction: Don't be stupid, the Pats will win

ON FOOTBALL

I'm done going with the "sexy picks," enough with taking the underdogs, I'm through with trying to be "that guy."

The New England Patriots will win the Super Bowl. I "guarenSheed" it.

34-20. That'll be the score.

It will be 20-17 in the third quarter before New England pulls away with a touchdown late in the quarter and about midway through the fourth.

The perfect season complete, 19-0, champaign, blah, blah, blah.

Sure, it's the boring, predictable pick, but anyone outside of the Giants locker room — those guys have to think they can win; if they don't, it'll be 56-12 — who actually thinks New York will win has lost a few too many brain cells.

Go ahead, bring up Tom Brady's ankle. I'm telling you right now, it won't be a factor.

Go ahead, tell me how great the Giants' defensive front is. But, yeah, don't mention the best offensive line in football.

Go ahead, say the Giants' running game will bully the New England linebackers like scrawny kids on the playground. I'm sure Tedy Bruschi — with his three rings — and his boys are used to being underestimated.

I'm sorry for being so blunt, but I am tired of making the "unpopular pick," of taking a team because I have a feeling they're more "hungry" then the guys who have won on the big stage before.

Three years ago, I was silly enough to pick the Eagles over the Patriots. I remember doing some kind of debate with a fellow writer for my college paper. I think I mentioned Donovan McNabb's Campbell Soup ads as a reason Philly would win. I was dreadfully wrong as the soup, possibly, caused McNabb to fatigue in the final minutes ... and started the whole T.O.-McNabb tift ...and eventually led to T.O.'s dismissal from Philly.

So, I'm sorry, Eli, but your Oreo ad isn't going to lead your Giants to victory (nor will your "SportsCenter" brotherly love ad with Peyton).

Go ahead, talk about the Giants' momentum, about Manning's growth as a quarterback, about the Giants coming so close in the team's regular-season meeting. It doesn't matter. The Patriots are the better team and will find a way to win.

There's nothing else to predict. I don't know if Randy Moss will catch 12 balls or one. I don't know if Brady will throw zero interceptions or three. Both scenarios are possible, but as New England proved nearly two weeks ago, it can win ugly.

Maybe Plaxico Burress will be correct. Maybe New England will score just 17 points — although I'd bet this laptop and my kitchen counter on the Patriots scoring 20-plus points. But even if they do, it'll be more than the Giants put up.

I'm not going to address the "best team ever" argument. Not now at least. Who knows what would happen if Brady and Terry Bradshaw faced off?

But I think I watch enough football to know that these Patriots are better than these Giants in just about every phase of the game, and even if they give a B- performance, they'll come out on top.

Patriots 34, Giants 20.

I'm sticking to it even if Randy Moss eats some bad fish on Saturday night.

Stop kidding yourself otherwise.