Fool's Gold: Patriots Severely Overrated

It's ok to make the statement. People will not write you off as crazy anymore. The 2007 New England Patriots were severely overrated.

All season and especially in the past two weeks, the football "experts" and national media would have you believe that the Patriots were the greatest team of all-time and Super Bowl XLII would not be close. An 18-0 team with the highest-scoring offense in NFL history heading for a perfect season as a 12-point favorite, failed in the end...in the biggest game of the year. Turns out, the "greatest team of all-time" wasn't even the greatest team of 2007. As Todd pointed out earlier this week, the Patriots had not won anything yet and this is the reason why you play the game.

Hats off to the Giants. How quickly things can change in the landscape of the NFL. Seven weeks ago, Eli Manning was a joke and never going to lead his team anywhere. At the end of last season a lot of people (me included) said Tom Coughlin should be fired. Now, they are both World Champions. Eli was always in the shadow and never going to be as successful as his brother...well there's one way to shut your critics up and have your name remembered and that's winning Super Bowls. On the other hand, all the records the Pats piled up this year mean absolutely nothing at the end of the season when they are not holding up the Lombardi trophy.

With everything surrounding this game from an undefeated season and a 12-point line...you have to say this is one of the greatest upsets in NFL history. Even though when they played in Week 17, it was a three-point game and even though the Giants were the hotter team in the playoffs. Despite all of that, still nobody gave the Giants a chance. Just like when nobody gave the Chargers a chance against the Colts this year or when the Steelers had no chance against the Colts in the 2005 playoffs. I've said it before...the worst thing a team can do is underestimate their opponent. Because that's when the upsets happen and become memorable.

STUNNED

If anything else, this game reminds me of why I love sports. While history was on the line for a season of perfection, a cast of unlikely players emerged to steal the show and make their own dent in history. Despite trailing in the fourth quarter, despite only scoring once in the entire game, you had that sick feeling deep down that the arrogant Patriots would somehow pull this game out. Their late score seemed to prove it as they took the lead. But the Giants moved the football, made an unbelievable catch that will go down as one of the greatest in Super Bowl history and pulled off the stunning upset.

Some will say it was just a game. But us sports fanatics know better. This game proved that anything can happen and that's why we continue to watch sports. You never say never.