This is a momentous year for the Superbowl, at least if you are a Douglas Adams fan (I watched the movie, didn’t read the books). Being number 42, this Superbowl will be the answer to everything:
-  Did Tom Brady really hurt his foot? Or was he drawing attention away from a shoulder injury? Or was he just playing head games?
- Why are they talking about Gisele vs. Jessica? That ship sailed in the last 9 seconds of the Giants/Cowboys game – you know, the one where Eli became a man.
- Will the Giants complete their David vs. Goliath act and bring glory to Manhattan? (OK, I find the irony of the Giants playing the David role humorous.)
The Patriots seem to have destiny written all over them, though they have looked human in their last several games. The teams of destiny often do what is expected of them. But this year things have not turned out quite that way. The Cowboys looked like the only team capable of beating the Patriots for three fourths of the season. Even though they lost to the Giants, I still think they were one of the few teams who could beat the Pats. The Cowboys did not really get beaten by the Giants. Yes, the Giants played very well. But the Cowboys were slightly out of synch and could not quite close the deal. Even so, they had two of the scariest (to their opponents) drives of the entire season. It looked like Destiny might even work its magic in the post-season but the fairy dust ran just a few seconds short.
It could happen to the Patriots. The Giants are a different crew from the one that started the season. They may not have peaked yet. Eli Manning seems to have found the handle, at least for now. So this is a game that needs to be watched — it is not a fait accompli. And I don’t think it will be a blowout. It may not even cover the spread (last I heard it was 13 points). The Patriots are a machine: businesslike, cool under pressure. If the Giants can keep their cool they have chance. Not a great one. But a chance.
