The New York Rangers have to be pretty pissed off about the way they lost to the New Jersey Devils last week, so look for a crazy game at Madison Square Garden.  The Penguins visit the Habs after Montreal played one of their most sound games of the year.  The Canucks play the Predators in Nashville as the Preds hope to prove they’re legitimate this year.  The Leafs, on no rest, play the Jets in a new / old Canada rivalry.  The Panthers and the Caps are battling for first place in the Southeast, which is kind of like being the prettiest stripper during the morning shift on a Tuesday in Newark.

Tuesday might be the most exciting slate of games yet.  I’m so excited, in fact, that I’m going to forget yesterday (and so should you).  I got in a fight with Michael Kay, lost about 100 dollars, and ended my nineteen wins in a row streak.  Sigh.

New Jersey Devils (+150) at New York Rangers

I never bet against the Devils, i just vary the amounts.

The Rangers are going to be pissed off.  They had a game at The Rock won until the puck hit the boards funny and David “20 goals” Clarkson buried the tying goal.  That game, with backup goaltender Marty Biron in net, propelled the Devils to four straight wins after the All Star break.

You can bet that Henrik Lundqvist will be in net, the boards at the garden won’t be nearly as forgiving, and the Rangers will come out firing.  Still, I think the Devils win because, as I’ve said all year, the Rangers don’t have the defensemen to shut down Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise, and in typical DeBoerian videogame style, Patrik Elias, now all on the same line.  If the Devils can hold the Rangers, who are second worst in terms of goals scored of playoff teams in the East, to less than three goals then the Devils have a chance.

Devils 4 – Rangers 2

Confidence: 1/6
Value: 2/6 – It’s a good line considering how hot the Devils are, but the Rags are going to be pissed.

Minnesota Wild (-125) at Columbus Blue Jackets

I think the Wild figured out that if they lose every game the rest of the way they probably won’t make the playoffs.

Wild 4 – BJs 1

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 3/6 Let’s pretend, for one more day, that the Wild are playoff bound.  If so, isn’t this line a bit ridiculous?

New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers (-185)

I think it would be hilarious if the Islanders won this game.

The Flyers are one of the dirtiest teams in hockey.  Cheap shots, slew footing?, and other Philadelphia shenanigans have confirmed exactly why I absolutely hate this team.  I think the Flyers will win, but they’ve got a lot of bad karma coming their way.  Maybe the Islanders, cute and young as they are, can capitalize on some of that ill will from the “humongous big” universe – but probably not.

Flyers 4 – Isles 3

Confidence 0/6
Value 0/6 – I’m not betting this game, but if I did, I’d bet on the Flyers… I guess.

Florida Panthers at Washington Capitals (-160)

This is a crappy line but a great game.  Can the Panthers possibly recover from an injury-riddled slump that let the Caps catch them in the Southeast?  Are the Capitals ever going to actually wake up?

Winning the Southeast right now is as impressive as placing sixth in American Idol.  People will still pretend to care, but only because they don’t know any better.

Caps 2 – Cats 1

Confidence: 1/6
Value: 1/6 – Tough line, but I think the Caps are the better team right now.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens (+120)

For a while there, as dirty as it feels to admit this, I was headlining and picking the Habs because I thought it would boost my hit count.  Now I realize that most of their fans have given up on the season.  Just kidding.

The Habs are coming off the most complete game they’ve played all season.  They scored three goals, shut out the streaky offense of the Jets, and won a big home game.  Let’s see if they can do it again.

Canadiens 3 – Pens 0

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 3/6 – I love home underdogs.  When done properly they can be very profitable.

LA Kings (EVEN) at Tampa Bay Lightning

If the Kings are a legitimate playoff team and the Lightning are as terrible as they’ve pretended to be all season, this is a beautiful line.

Kings 4 – Bolts 3

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 3/6 – I think the Kings will pull this one out at a pretty nice payout.

St. Louis Blues (-125) at Ottawa Senators

The Senators are falling from the fatty heights of Eastern Conference playoff mediocrity faster than Ken Hitchcock’s cholesterol levels.  Seriously though, good for that guy, he’s lost a lot of weight.  The Blues are great and have incredible goaltending.

Blues 5 – Senators 2

Confidence: 4/6
Value: 5/6 – I know the Senators can’t lose every game, but I hope they lose this one too.

Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators (-115)

This is a huge game for the Predators.  The Red Wings just lost to the Coyotes, which leaves the door open for the Preds to gain ground.  The Canucks are one of the best teams in the league but nothing like the team they were last year.  A statement win from Nashville will go a long way toward making a push for the rest of the season.

Preds 3 – Canucks 2

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 2/6 – This feels like the line is right where it should be.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Winnipeg Jets (-115)

The Leafs are skating two nights in a row and the Jets are home.  Also, I root for an Eastern Conference team that’s relevant to the playoffs, so I’d like to see the Jets win.

Jets 4 – Leafs 3

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 2/6 – Again this line feels right.  Good job Vegas.

Phoenix Coyotes (+125) at Dallas Stars

The Coyotes will ride a huge wave of momentum after a big win against the Red Wings.  This is their playoff push, hanging in the balance.  The Stars don’t impress me much.

Coyotes 3 – Stars 1

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 3/6 – If the Coyotes are going to make some moves, it’s now or never.

Chicago Blackhawks (-135) at Colorado Avalanche

The Blackhawks are too good to keep playing this badly.

Hawks 3 – Avs 2

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 2/6 – Given how poorly the Hawks have been playing… I really don’t know what to do here.

Follow me on Twitter:  @FasterHockey

No, I’m not snarkily suggesting that Tom Brady is anything but a great quarterback. The guy has three Super Bowl rings, earned while he was winning the first 10 playoff games he started. But since then the Patriots supuhstah is 6-6 in the postseason, including Sunday night’s 21-17 loss to Eli Manning and the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.

And yet the man is coated with Teflon. Criticism simply does not stick to Brady.

The story of XLVI can be simplified to two sets of names: Eli and Mario, Tom and Wes. Though there were plays made (and missed) by lots of guys all night long, the game pretty much came down to a pair of pass plays involving those four men that occurred about 20 seconds apart in the fourth quarter. One pair connected, and the other didn’t.

There was 4:02 left and New England, leading by 17-15, faced second and 11 at the Giants 44 when Brady threw a pass in the general direction of Welker, who was wide open near the 20. And, well, I’ll let NBC play-by-play man Al Michaels describe what happened: “It’s incomplete! Just a little bit behind Welker, who tried to reach up behind him and couldn’t haul it in.”

I used the Michaels call there because it was about the only honest critique of the play that I’ve heard. In the aftermath, pretty much all we’ve been fed is that Welker dropped the ball, both literally and figuratively. It’s true that if Wes had managed to make the catch, the Patriots would have had a first down at the 20 with less than 4 minutes left and the Giants down to one timeout. New England could have moved the ball not an inch farther and still been in position to kick a field goal that would have made it a 5-point game with not much more than 2 minutes on the clock.

So, yes, it was a big play, the kind that a big-time receiver like Welker usually makes. However, he shouldn’t have had to make a twisting, leaping try. He was wide open and Brady was well protected in the pocket, with plenty of time to hit his receiver in stride rather than throwing the ball behind him. But other than that “just a little bit behind” call by Michaels, I’ve heard hardly a word of criticism directed at Brady and lots of it heaped upon Welker. (Even from Brady’s wife, supermodel-turned-NFL-analyst Giselle Bundchen, who after the game responded to some razzing from Giants fans by saying, “My husband cannot f—ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time!”)

We didn’t hear criticism for the quarterback, either, after Brady handed the Giants their first points of the game, intentionally grounding the ball while in his end zone on New England’s first offensive play, making it 2-0, which soon became 9-0 after New York drove 78 yards for a touchdown following the free kick. We didn’t hear a bad word about Brady early in the fourth quarter, either, when he was nursing that 17-15 lead, had first down near midfield and, after being flushed from the pocket, heaved one downfield for a blanketed Rob Gronkowski. Predictably, the 6-foot-6-inch tight end with the high ankle sprain was unable to outmaneuver 6-3 Chase Blackburn for the jump ball, and the Giants linebacker came away with the interception. Brady would have been better off throwing the ball away.

On one of the endless highlight shows on NFL Network or ESPN or somewhere, an anchor described that miscue by laying blame on the receiver who “couldn’t get open.” Just like Welker later couldn’t make the twisting catch that shouldn’t have had to be a twisting catch. Just like on the first play of the Patriots’ desperate final drive, when Brady threw one for Deion Branch, running across the middle near the 40 yard line, wide open, with 57 seconds left. The Michaels call: “And it’s dropped by Branch.” The pass was behind the receiver and was tipped by a defender. Yet it was Branch’s drop?

Brady’s fourth-quarter passes were no less impressive than his postgame rap, though. Welker manned up and fell on his sword, saying, “It hit me right in the hands. It’s a play I never drop, I always make, and in the most critical situation, I let the team down.” As for Brady, he addressed a question about Welker and the “drop” thusly: “He’s a hell of a player. I’ll keep throwing the ball to him for as long as I possibly can.” Nice of you to support a teammate under fire, Tom, but you didn’t exactly throw the ball “to him.” It would have been nice for Brady to acknowledge that his pass was off target.

This is not meant to pile on Brady, who played a good game overall, at one point setting a Super Bowl record with 16 straight completions (none of which, by the way, he caught himself). This is more a commentary on how fans and media — and even athletes themselves, and their wives — buy into the established narrative about a player and tell his story from that perspective no matter what has actually happened on the field. Brady is known as one of the greatest ever, so when passes fall to the turf it must be the receivers’ fault. Imagine if those bad throws have come from the arm of Eli. Imagine how much fun the TV pundits and nitwits would have had with the “elite” thing.

Unfortunately for them, Eli didn’t feed their storyline. He was on the money all night, especially when the game hung in the balance. When the Giants took possession two plays after the Welker “drop,” Manning and company had 88 yards of green between them and the end zone and 3:46 to get there. Seven seconds later, they were at midfield. That’s because on the first play, Eli had stepped up amid pocket pressure and heaved a ball down the left sideline that dropped perfectly into the hands of Mario Manningham, who held on and got two feet down before being piledriven out of bounds.

Even though the ball was just at the 50 at that point, you just knew the Giants were going the distance. And sure enough, with Eli completing  6 of 7 passes for 74 yards on the drive, the team from the swamps of Jersey took the lead on a 6-yard run by Ahmad Bradshaw with 57 seconds left.

Bradshaw’s run was actually a mistake, though, since Manning had told him in the huddle that if he gets near the end zone on the second-and-goal play he should fall down at the 1, which would have forced the Patriots to call their final timeout and allow the Giants to run the clock down under 30 seconds before kicking a chip-shot field goal to win it. But Bradshaw, riding the forward momentum that had propelled him through the line, was unable to stop and fell into the end zone. I think that was the better play for him to make. Take the touchdown and the lead. For one thing, there’s no guarantee you’re going to hit even a short field goal. (Right, Baltimore Ravens?) Even though the quick score gave Brady 57 seconds — not less than 30, as would have been the case if the Giants had played fore the field goal — to try to win the game, he needed to get the Patriots into the end zone, not merely close enough for a field goal try. Bradshaw did the right thing … even if he didn’t mean to.

So on this night, Eli Manning’s one mistake — calling for the lay-down — turned out OK. And Tom Brady’s mistake was heaped upon someone else. What a life it is to be a Super Bowl quarterback.

The New York Giants, as predicted here, won another Super Bowl.  They beat the Patriots, who were inexplicably favored by three points, and put to bed a slew of rumors.  Tom Coughlin is not going anywhere despite a remarkably mediocre season and two playoff collapses since his last Super Bowl win.  Eli Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and his drive in the final minutes that went the full length of the field cemented his place as an elite quarterback.  Here is my quick Super Bowl Recap:

1. Super Bowl XLVI came down to the final play: Eli Manning was forced to drive his team the length of the field with three minutes left.  A bomb to Mario Manningham and a consistent, heroic drive ultimately led to the Patriots conceding a touchdown with 57 seconds left.  Tom Brady was let down by a few drops and a tipped Hail Mary barely fell to the ground.

2. Ahmad Bradshaw almost stopped on the one: I’m not sure why, but it appears the Giants tried to kneel down on the one, run the clock down to about twenty seconds, and kick a field goal.  Kneeling would be moronic in that situation, in my opinion.  You’d allowed just 17 points all game, Brady would need to go the length of the field with one timeout and under a minute, and anything can happen on that kick.  Nerves, a bad snap (49ers playoff gamea few years ago?), a missed kick, a block…  Just take the points and play defense.

3. Rob Gronkowski: Gronk tried to play through a high ankle sprain, an injury which typically takes four to six weeks to heal, and was a non-factor two weeks after the injury.  He caught two balls for a total of 26 yards, couldn’t get open, demanded only single coverage, and couldn’t get to a hail mary tipped up that landed a few inches away from him.  I blame Gronkowski.  Great prop bets:  Gronkowski under 80 yards receiving, no touchdown in the first half, no touchdown.

4. The commercials sucked: The commercials were so boring that it had people proclaiming the Super Bowl, which came down to the final play, as boring.  Some women, children, and non-football fans can’t watch football without good commercials and the advertising world really let us down on this one.

5. Eli Manning: He really is that good.  He outplayed Tom Brady again, made huge plays when they mattered in the fourth quarter, and may have supplanted his brother as the best quarterback in the family.  At the very least he’s by far the most clutch.  Elite.

6. Luck: The Giants put the ball on the ground twice and were fortunate enough to fall on it both times.  On the final drive Tom Brady was trying to put together, two dropped passes stalled any real chance of putting plays together.

7. Slow Start: After a Giants safety on the Pats’ first possession, it took a little while to get going but once it did it was worth the wait.  The Patriots were down 9-0 at the end of the first, but ten unanswered points gave them momentum.  After a long touchdown drive to open the second half, the Pats were in cruise control.  The Giants battled back, scored last, and won a thriller where the slow beginning served to magnify the excitement at the end.

8. Hot Quarterback Play: Eli Manning opened the Super Bowl completing nine passes in a row, a new record.  Tom Brady answered back with fourteen of his own in the middle of the game, also a record.  Brady drove his team 98 yards for a touchdown, Manning went the length of the field to win the game in the final minute.  The league is truly a league of quarterbacks, and Eli Manning and Tom Brady proved that.

Ultimately, it was another historically exciting Super Bowl, won by the Giants on their final drive.

The New England Patriots were the top seed in the AFC.  They were led by the top quarterback in the AFC and possibly the NFL.  The Pats have a great coach in Bill Belichick, a great offense, and experience.  They get to rematch the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI and get revenge on the 18-1 season the Giants caused in 2007.

Things are different this time.  There’s no pressure on the Pats this year because the New England Patriots shouldn’t even be in the Super Bowl.  If Billy Cundiff were any high school kicker in the nation, or Lee Evans didn’t eat buttery popcorn at halftime it’s Ravens Giants.  The Pats are lucky this year; a team of dropped-pass, missed-kick destiny that slayed the Tebow dragon.  However, the Patriots are not going to win Super Bowl XLVI, and here’s why:

1. Rob Gronkowski: Gronk suffered a high ankle sprain two weeks ago and has been in a walking boot since then.  He’s not running in practice and won’t run, full strength at least, in the Super Bowl.  Remember all the talk last year about Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey playing through a similar injury and then missing the game?  The Giants will game plan as if he’s 100% but Rob Gronkowski will not be a factor in Super Bowl XLVI.

I realize the Pats still have Aaron Hernandez, but keep in mind they’ve had both all year.

2. Bill Belichick: The way Belichick coaches doesn’t work against a team like the New York Giants.  Belichick is an expert at minimizing a team’s best weapon, but when the Giants have three wide receivers it’s hard to choose.  Besides, how many championships do the Patriots have since they presumably stopped illegal sideline videotaping?

3. The New England Patriots defense: They’ve played well in the playoffs so far, but they’ve also only beaten Joe Flacco and Tim Tebow.  There’s no way to cover Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham with wide receivers playing the other side of the ball and a dilapidated coverage team.  Add Eli Manning throwing open his receivers when coverage is acceptably and it’s not going to be pretty for the Pats.

4. The Action is on the New York Giants: Trust your gut, America.  Last year we all picked the Packers and pushed the line a point or so.  The year before we all hoped for the Saints and their feel good story in Louisiana.  In 2009 nobody gave the Cardinals a chance and while they made it close and beat the spread, Arizona fell for moneyline fans everywhere.  In fact, not since the Patriots beat the Rams have gamblers truly been surprised.  The Pats are favorites but the betting is on New York.  It could be all that Wall Street money, or it could just be that collectively we know our football.

5. The New York Giants D-Line: The Giants linebackers have been eaten alive all year.  The secondary of the New York Giants is a liability.  The defensive front of the New York Giants is so good that none of that matters.  They don’t need to blitz to generate pressure and they throw other teams off their game plans.  They hit Tom Brady, force mistakes, and stop the run.  Chris Canty, JPP, Justin Tuck, and a pissed off Osi Umeniora will be enough to keep Brady and company in check.

6. Eli Manning: In the beginning of the season Eli Manning called himself an elite quarterback and spent the rest of the year backing up his uncharacteristically controversial words.  Of course he’s in the same class as Brady – he’s beaten him once before.  Manning has 8 TDs, 1 interception, and 900 yards in the playoffs so far.  He’s as hot as Aaron Rodgers was last year and that kind of quarterback play wins championships.  Add to it that the Pats have the weakest defense the Giants have faced yet and Manning will have his biggest game of the playoffs on its biggest stage.

7. The Giants Running Game: It took all season but the two-headed monster is back.  Brandon Jacobs is actually gaining yards, which is bringing out the best in Ahmad Bradshaw.  If these two can keep rattling off twenty-yard runs and closing out games, the Giants can control the game from start to finish.

8. Lucas Oil Stadium: The Pats don’t win in Indy.  Whether it’s 4th and 2 from the mad genius, the ghost of Peyton Manning lurks these halls and locker rooms.  Fans will travel better from New York and any Colts fans will surely root against the Pats.  It’s Peyton’s little brother and their arch rivals.  Look for the Giants to have something of a home field advantage.

9. Super Bowl XLII: I’m not sure how the 18-1 disaster-bowl for the Pats will factor into the equation but I expect it to have a negative effect.  Eli Manning pulls confidence from his improbable win against the Patriots a few years ago and I think that outweighs the revenge factor.  Combine Lucas Oil’s ghosts with the ghost of Super Bowls past and the Patriots have a lot of mental anguish to overcome.

10. Predictions: We’ve never gotten a major prediction wrong on The Faster Times.  The NBA Championship, Stanley Cup (in seven games as well), and Super Bowl last year were all dead on. Aaron Rodgers carved up the Steelers, the Canucks choked, and Dirk got his ring.  Now it’s time for Manning and Coughlin to get the recognition they truly deserve.  Since it is written, so it shall be.

Unlike most of the other top QBs of his generation, who are polished pocket passers, Eli can take a hit, and while he doesn’t exhibit Ben Roethlisburger’s concrete endurance or Aaron Rodgers ability to walk off a sack like it was nothing, the pain on his face bellies a strength that is, in a way, more terrifying. Saddled with an offensive line built for run-blocking and not much else, Eli expects to be hit. While the other elite signal callers can plant their feet, scan the field, and hit the open man without fear of a grass stain, Eli knows he’s going to eat it and it won’t be one big hit that leaves him a bit woozy. No, they’re coming early and often. Peyton and Brady see sacks as either a profound failure on their part to get the ball out fast enough, or a dagger getting thrust into their backs by their linemen. For Eli, a sacks, tipped balls, and fumbles are things that happen when you play football.  Protection and ball security are luxuries. It’s impossible for a defense to phase a man like that. No matter what gets thrown at him, he’s seen worse.

The Faster Times

Super Bowl Prediction: Brady Will Be Sacked, Matt Will Get Crunk

NFL Pro Bowl 2012: Where the Game Goes Wrong

NFL Playoff Power Rankings: Pre Super Bowl Roundup

Open-faced BradyManningwhich: The Giants offensive line has always seemed a little uncomfortable when it drops into pass coverage, and with Vince Wilfork on the warpath, Eli is going have a rough day ahead of him. While the Patriot’s O-line has shown some more gumption, the Giant’s rushers are tearing it up. Chris Canty looked inexplicably unstoppable in the Championship game, and Jason Pierre-Paul seemingly teleports and destroys to whomever is holding the ball, which, with the Patriots, is usually Tom Brady. Relish the opportunity to see two famous people you dislike suffer physical pain.

Tom Coughlin, the Tebow of Coaches: When Tom Coughlin took the Giants job, he promised two things; the Giants would never have another mid season collapse, and his staff would stop the rampant ACL tears that plagued the organization. He failed to do both these things. His players seem to hate him and disregard everything he tells them, and everyone that leaves the team dumps pounds of dirty laundry into the streets. And yet, he’s sent them to the Super Bowl twice. The first time made some sense, what with Justin Tuck in top form and Michael Strahan putting it all on the line, but it was their first year without Tikki Barber. Without their best player on offense, they got better. (That said, their best player on offense was kind of a dick) This year’s roster looked particularly weak and overmatched. Big name players were hurting, and they lost Steve Smith and Kevin Boss, two key parts of their passing attack, to free agency. Then the playoffs came, and they started pasting fools. They looked unstoppable against the league’s top teams, a few of whom beat them in the regular season. Why did this happen? The same reason the Broncos beat the best defense in the NFL; God has a sense of humor.

Peyton’s Pain: Tall, fit, and oozing poise, Peyton Manning looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game before he became one. NFL MVP a record four times, he’s dominated the game like few others. Except, you know, when it’s really important. He spent the 2011 season watching the franchise he built fall apart, Cam Newton wreck his rookie records, and his shorter, (allegedly) mouth breathing, vaguely fetus-like younger brother establish himself as a clutch post-season quarterback par excellence. From every angle, Eli’s accomplishments in the playoffs dwarf the elder Manning. Peyton had to outgun Rex Grossman for his first ring, while Eli was David to Brady’s Goliath, a hulking touchdown machine that piles on points because it hates you. Likewise, in Peyton’s second run, he brushed middle-lower-class QBs Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez off his shoulders like ants, but imploded when he ran into an elite competitor, Drew Brees. Eli’s play against the former champs in Green Bay, one of the toughest stadiums in the league, just plain shamed Aaron Rodgers, a shoe in for this season MVP. It was painful. Finally, he got ground into pulp by the 49ers, and still pulled off the final drive to send the Giants to Super Bowl XLVI, forcing sports writers to admit that, yeah, he’s a pretty good quarterback. That all said…

Eli Manning Will Never Not Be Funny: His helmet looks too big, he makes funny faces whenever he gets hit, and he gets hit all the time. I remember one moment in the NFC championship; Eli was leading the Giants up the field in overtime. The 49ers dropped him for the sixth time. He stood up, his helmet askew and his mouth covered by his oversized chinstrap. Drenched in mud, he desperately called for a timeout, his curled hands barely able to form a “T.” It was pitiful, sad, and easily funniest thing I’d seen in months. In the offseason, when the inevitable Peyton vs. Eli comparisons pour into blogosphere, I’ll snicker every time I see the title, even if Eli wins a second ring. Despite the mounting evidence on Eli side, it’s an absurd question. You know that Peyton still sits at the head of the table at Thanksgiving, Archie can’t remember if his other son plays for the Jets, the Giants, or the Buffalo Bills, and Eli’s mom still calls him up to tell he’s “her very special boy” every time he loses a game. It’s totally ridiculous to think otherwise, even if Eli wins two Super Bowls and holds the NFL record for 4^th quarter touchdowns in a season.

A Patriots Win Will End Spygate Forever: There are two people who talk about spygate; Patriots fans who want to make sure you’re aware that Bill Belichick is 64-16 since he stopped video taping other teams’ practices and ESPN bloggers who haven’t met their traffic quota. This win will quiet the Pats fans down, though I don’t see those “… but remember SPYGATE!” posts ending anytime soon.

Chad Occhocinco Might Get a Ring: Unless Belichick cuts him before kickoff, that is. One of the most entertain players of his generation, and an incredible wide receiver back in his prime, it’d be fun to see a highlight reel of his touchdown dances get capped off with him celebrating a Super Bowl victory, so long as no other Patriots players get in the frame. Sure, he’ll play 3 downs and finish with zero catches, (since for Occho, embracing “the Patriot way” means sitting the bench and high-fiving everyone within fifteen feet of him) but, he’ll nail his post-victory interview anyway.

The Game Might Actually Be Kind of Good: The Patriots’ and the Giants’ last game was a nail biter that came down to the last the drive. While we can argue about who wants it more, Brady vs. Giants secondary, etc., it’s a dead even matchup. Some of that confusion comes from the differing strengths of their schedules, some from their varying play styles, but the big reason its difficult to pick a clear favorite is because they’re both really good football teams. If you can ignore the color of the uniforms and Cris Collinsworth’ Bradygasms, it’ll be a damn good time.

More Faster Football

Super Bowl Prediction: Brady Will Be Sacked, Matt Will Get Crunk

NFL Pro Bowl 2012: Where the Game Goes Wrong

NFL Playoff Power Rankings: Pre Super Bowl Roundup

To answer that last one; Fuck Yes.

As part of TFT’s ongoing coverage of the Super Bowl and ketamine use, I’ve drawn up this drinking game. It might kill you, but it’ll also make the pain go away.

1 drink every time anyone says David Tyree, or helmet catch (this includes pregame). 3 drinks if they replay the clip

1 drink for every Manning face. E.G., these

1 drink for every sack. If the sack results in a turnover (sack-fumble, failed fourth down conversion), finish your drink

1 drink every time a camera shows Tom Brady yelling at his teammates. If it happens after a play that resulted in positive yardage, finish your drink. If it happens after a blown play that was clearly his fault, finish your drink.

1 drink every time someone says they’re “just watching the game for the ads.” If they say “I’m just watching for the halftime show,” gut them.

3 drinks if a coach challenges a spot. If it wasn’t even 3^rd down, finish your drink.

1 drink for every interception Eli throws after his second.

2 drinks for every interception Tom Brady throws

1 drink for every mention of Tim Tebow, 2 drinks if someone uses his name as a verb or adjective.

1 drink for every fumble, plus 2 drinks if it’s Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis. When the Patriots fans around you scream that it’s the first fumble of his career, finish your drink.

1 drink every time Brady runs, plus 1 if he gets a first down, plus 2 if he’s manhandled before he can slide.

1 bump of special K for intentional grounding.

Drink continuously during Madonna’s performance. A keg stand is preferable. It is acceptable to cry during this part of the broadcast, so long as the drinking continues.

1 drink for every after-the-play-scuffle/fight. Plus 2 drinks if Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth deride the players for acting immature, and plus 5 drinks if they compliment them for “setting a physical tone.”

1 drink if anyone misses a field goal. If they miss a PAT, finish your drink.

If Cris Collinsworth says, “you always have to take points on the road,” finish your drink.

If either quarterback gives up a safety, finish your drink. If it’s Brady, call him a dumbass bitch. If it’s Eli Manning, you must say “Oh no, not again!”

All drinks are cumulative. If Tom Brady throws an interception to a Giants player, who then fumbles it on the return prompting Eli to make a Manning Face, that’s four drinks.

Super Bowl Score Prediction: Giants 3, Patriots 2

I hope so anyway.

In eight of these seasons, the player in question went on to win the MVP.  The only four who did not were Yastrzemski in 1965, Schmidt in 1982, Walker in 1999 and Lynn in 1975.  Schmidt’s failure to win the MVP in 1982 is largely because he had won it the previous two years.  In the early 1980s, Mike Schmidt was a fantastic player, baseball’s greatest third baseman ever at the top of his game.  However, many of the voters, rightly or wrongly, were reluctant to make him the MVP three years running.  Larry Walker’s 1999 season was a very good year, but he only played 127 games and played his home games at Coors Field.  Walker is the only one of the group who managed to lead his league in OBP and slugging, but due to his extreme home field advantage, not OPS+.  In 1965, Yaz was a great player, but he only played 133 games and did not excel in the field. He lost that MVP to a more deserving candidate.  Zoilo Versalles who played standout defense at shortstop while hitting well for a shortstop of his era on a pennant winning team.

Lynn’s failure to win the MVP in 1979 is more puzzling.  To understand this it is useful to look at three seasons from the late 1970s.  In addition to their slash numbers, I have also included home runs and RBIs as well as stolen base and caught stealing numbers.

.296/.371/.530 36, 139 22/12

.315/.370/.600 46, 139 7/5

.333/.423/.637 39, 122 2/2

The numbers above suggest that the seasons are ranked in ascending order.  There are other things to consider.  The second two played in a hitter’s park, while the first played in a pitcher’s park.  Additionally, the first two players spent most of their time at corner outfield positions, first base and DH, while the third player was a Gold Glove center fielder.  Conventional triple crown numbers, slash numbers and traditional defensive measures all suggest that the third season was the best.

The third season, Fred Lynn’s 1979 was probably the best of the three, but was the only one of the three that did not lead to an MPV award.  The first season was that of Don Baylor who was the 1979 MVP.  Baylor was a good player for a long time, but he was nowhere near as good as Fred Lynn in 1979. Lynn outhit Baylor, got on base more, slugged better, played a more important defensive position better and even hit more home runs.  Baylor had a good season, but the only things he did better than Lynn was drive in a few more runs, steal more bases and play on a better team.  Actually, Lynn played on a better team as his Red Sox won 91 games while coming in third, but Baylor’s 88 win Angels managed to win the division.  The middle line was that of Jim Rice the previous year when he won the MVP.  Rice’s 1978 season was, at the time, considered the best by an AL slugger in a long time, but his teammate had an even better year the following season.

The 1979 MVP race in the AL was strange because Baylor won so handily despite not leading the lead in a any major offensive category other than RBIs, contributing almost nothing on defense and, although nobody used the term at the time, not even finishing among the top ten in the league in WAR.  Baylor’s election, by a margin of 347-241 over second place finisher Ken Singleton was one of the most extreme cases of the MVP simply going to the top RBI man on a division winner.

Major awards are frequently won by candidates who are not the most deserving, but 1979 was significant because it effected the narrative of Lynn and his teammate Rice.  This narrative in turn had a strong impact on Hall of fame voting decades later.  For fans of baseball in the 1970s, Lynn and Rice are linked as they were rookies together in 1975 and carried their Red Sox team to the World Series that year.  Lynn won the MVP and Rookie of the Year honors that year.  Three years later, in 1978 Rice emerged as the leagues best slugger and won the MVP.

The Lynn narrative is that he peaked in his rookie year and was never a great player after that, while the Rice narrative is that he went on to become the league’s most feared player.  Neither of these narratives are true.  Lynn peaked in 1979, continued to be a star into the early 1980s, and a useful player into the mid-1980s.  Rice, for his part, was a top hitter for many years, but the best and most feared hitter in the AL, during most of Rice’s career was George Brett.  Brett, by the way, like Lynn hit for a higher batting average, OBP and slugging percentage while contributing more than Baylor on defense in 1979.

The biggest winner from the 1979 MVP vote, at least from the historical perspective, was not Baylor, but Rice.  The 1979 vote also contributed to Lynn lasting only two years on the Hall of Fame ballot, while his long time teammate, despite very comparable career offensive numbers, got elected to Cooperstown. Rice had a career OPS+ of 128, while Lynn’s in around 1000 fewer plate appearances was 129, but Rice was a left fielder and DH while for most of his career Lynn was a good center fielder.  Lynn’s career and Hall of Fame chances were derailed by injuries, but the difference in how they were treated by Hall of Fame voters is nonetheless stark.  Had Lynn won the MVP in 1979, which he deserved, he would have been viewed differently by baseball writers when it came time for the Hall of Fame voting.  He may not have gotten elected, but the logic of keeping Lynn out while putting Rice in would have been harder to defend.  Moreover, Had Brett won that MVP award, which he deserved more than Baylor and almost as much as Lynn, the story of Rice being a more feared hitter than Brett would have gotten less traction, because Brett would have been a two-time MVP, thus damaging Rice’s Hall of Fame chances.  Instead, Baylor won the MVP allowing the logic of the Rice Hall of Fame narrative became more powerful over time.

Follow Lincoln on Twitter.

As a Redskins fan, I haven’t had much to cheer about. The last time I got excited about this team was 2007, during the Pro Bowl. Early in the day, a pass went to Reggie Wayne, but he saw ‘Skins safety Sean Taylor coming at him and just let the ball drop. Later, in the third quarter, Bill Belichick called punter-sneak. Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman nearly made it to the first down marker, but Taylor shot down the field and plastered him to the grass. It wasn’t a Pro Bowl hit. Taylor showed up to play.

The Pro Bowl’s real draw is the all out media assault that takes place beforehand. Chris Cooley and Jason Witten fishing. Chad Occhocinco filming awkward interviews with his Darrell Revis. The mismatched helmets. Then there’s the unique opportunity to see what would happen if Larry Fitzgerald and Drew Brees were on the same team, but really, this isn’t football. There’s no blitzing, they’re forced to play a 4-3 defense and there’s no pressing on the corners, essentially telling the defense that they can’t play. Some players skip out on the free vacation and exposure just because it’s such a joke.

With rule changes transforming the game into an all out aerial assault, the Pro Bowl is completely unrecognizable as football. The teams are picked from the winner of a league wide popularity contest, which Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers manage to win somehow. Moving it to the Sunday before the Super Bowl helped in some way; its builds up anticipation for most intense game of the year by teasing the audience with a subpar product, sort of like when they have midget wrestling before a boxing match.

Injuries are the major concern. I think they should scrap the entire game. The linemen just stand there slapping each other and no one tackles. The audience sees the best QBs in the game throw hitch routes. It’s not worth the trouble.

My idea is simple. Break everyone up into 7 man squads and play flag football. The catch is everyone has to be out of position. Dwight Freeney tossing bombs over Calvin Johnson to a wide-open Andy Dalton? Sign me up. What we have now is completely unwatchable.

1. Giants, 12-7: I’m. Not. Saying. Anything. –Anthony

2. Patriots, 15-3: Dragging this fabulously flawed Patriots team to the Super Bowl might be Belichick and Brady’s best performance yet. Make no mistake: the way the Pats have performed in the draft and free agency, they never should have been here. They’ve brought in more busts than Canton. Yet they’ve made the big game with a band-aid team, relying on scrappy former-5th round pick Julian Edelman for 30 snaps on BOTH sides of the ball and undrafted free agents like Sterling Moore to save the season. Give serious credit to Vince Wilfork, Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, and the offensive line, too. It’s simply amazing that this team has a 50-50 shot at a Super Bowl Championship with 7 above-average players, Brady and Belichick. As long as that latter duo remains in Foxboro, the Pats will remain contenders. –Joe

3. Packers, 15-2: It’s kind of hard to piece together what happened to Green Bay other than the fact that they were off their game. And yes, Aaron Rodgers didn’t play between Christmas and the Divisional Round, but it’s kind of hard to argue against letting his backup have the best single quarterbacking performance in Green Bay history. I don’t know, I’ll be damned if I can analyze this one, and double-damned if I make a coherent attempt to try. –Anthony

4. 49ers, 14-5: Alex Smith was mediocre in the NFC Championship Game, but he was facing a great pass rush with one great receiver (Vernon Davis), one average receiver (Michael Crabtree), and a whole lot of ugly after that (namely Kyle Williams). He deserves a shiny new contract, and he’ll get it. The defense will only get better, and Jim Harbaugh is building an absolutely fantastic program in San Fran. They’ll enter 2012 championed as a conference heavyweight along with the Giants, Packers, Saints, and (inevitably) the Eagles. –Joe

5. Saints, 14-5: If you have one of the greatest offensives ever, and you lose a quarterback duel to Alex Smith, someone has got to go. Gregg Williams has his ups and downs, but his playcalling was absurb. To this day, I can’t figure out why someone sends an 8 man blitz on 3^rd and long. So the opposition has to punt from five yards deeper than they would’ve if they threw an incompletion? Steve Spags is an enormous upgrade, and their defense is stacked to the gills with talented players. Saints fans have a lot to look forward to. –Matt

6. Ravens, 13-5: As many pundits have noted, Joe Flacco played a hell of a game against the Patriots (better, really, than Brady did). With that said, it’s hard to argue that Cam Cameron’s ludicrous playcalling, plus the somewhat porous play of the offensive line, put the Ravens in the position of having to kick the game into overtime in the first place. Give supreme credit to the Baltimore D for doing what it does best, but apart from Flacco, the offense was off its game the whole time. –Anthony

7. Lions, 10-7: Matt Stafford did some work to prove he’s more than a Megatron Long-Bomb Delivery System, and hey, if you gotta go, getting outgunned by the most productive offense in NFL history isn’t a bad way to do it. Despite the final score, it was neck and neck until there were 7 minutes left in the 4^th quarter. –Matt

8. Texans, 11-7: Not only did the Texans turn one of the worst defenses in the NFL into an elite unit, but they weathered injuries to marquee playmakers Arian Foster, Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. They nearly beat the Ravens with a rookie quarterback who went to Fordham. If Manning returns to the Colts, he may find that the once-cushy AFC South has found a bite. –Matt

9. Falcons, 10-7: You have to wonder whether a first-round playoff exit is the Falcons’ ceiling. Matt Ryan doesn’t look like he’ll ever be anything other than the 12th or 13th best QB in the NFL. Julius Jones will emerge as a dynamic playmaker, but Tony Gonzalez seems sure to decline, and Michael Turner hits the dreaded age of 30 in 3 weeks, and he’s carried the ball 1,299 times since he arrived in Atlanta 4 seasons ago. With John Abraham ageing on the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons are going to have to make some big moves to get over the hump. –Joe

10. Bengals, 9-8: With a core group of very green rookies, underperforming veterans (*cough* Cedric Benson *cough*), and a coach who seemed to determined to combust the team at all costs, the Bengals went 9-7 in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions, made the playoffs, and their quick exit was only the 3^rd most embarrassing loss of the postseason (#1: Steelers. #2: Falcons. #3: Bengals). They’ll face a more difficult schedule next year, but it was a pretty good year for a team that was supposed to go 2-14. –Matt

11. Steelers, 12-5: Regular season performance be damned, they lost to Tim Tebow, and it wasn’t even that big an upset. –Matt

12. Broncos, 9-9: Listening to John Elway and the Broncos players’ ambivalence about Tim Tebow following their thrashing at the hands of the Patriots, it’s become clear that Broncos’ fans believe in Tebow far more than the Broncos’ locker room and front office. Tebow will go into training camp as the starter, but Tebow’s struggles against defenses he was playing for a 2nd time is a very bad omen for next season. With a dynamic young defense and talented young playmakers on offense, the Broncos would be best-served trading Tebow to the Jaguars—who desperately need Tebow to fill seats—for a ransom and then doing whatever it takes to defeat the Seahawks in the Matt Flynn sweepstakes. –Joe

By Joe Lazauskas, Anthony Benigno and Matt Alberswerth