2012 Super Bowl

In the year of the quarterback, when the league did everything it could to stimulate scoring and make defense a bad word, the two conference championship games were things of wonder and beauty. Both were gritty, memorable throwback games dominated by tough defense.

So after the two best conference championships games ever played on the same day, with the total score showing only a six point difference for the first time in history, my record for this year's playoffs stands at 9 out of 10, with the tenth being a loss in the last 9 seconds, and the two teams I thought would play in the Super Bowl when the playoffs started, New England and New York, won and will play in the Super Bowl.

I really didn't think it necessary to write an article about the Super Bowl, because everyone should know that I think the Giants will win.

But I guess some reasons might be appropriate. I've been saying for four weeks that the Giants had the best team in football now. New England is a team like Green Bay, a terrific quarterback with a weak offensive line, no running game, lousy defense, and a bunch of good receivers. The Giants beat Green Bay easily, which was no great surprise to me. They should beat New England.

One thing you can't see from watching football on TV is the defensive secondary. So what I'm going to say is not from observation, but from deduction. Because Aaron Rodgers ran for so many first downs, and because San Francisco was successful on only 1 of 13 third downs and Smith was forced to run so often, the conclusion is that the Giant secondary has been providing spectacular coverage. That was the weakest part of their team. Their four man rush is so good it allows them to forego the blitz and keep seven men in the secondary, which means they can pressure the passer, but still have good coverage.

The Giants are blessed with not only one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Manning, but three terrific receivers and two exceptional running backs, all supported by a very good offensive line. Brady and Belicheck are good, but they are going to need a lot more to beat New York, and I don't think they have it.

My feeling is that New England's only hope is if they can get something out of a long passing game. They haven't used Chad Ochocinco much at all this year, and he's their main long ball threat. If he can get free for a couple of long passes, and if tight end superstar rookie Rob Gronkowski isn't hobbled by his high ankle sprain, New England might have a slight chance. But Brady isn't going to have a lot of time to throw and when he's forced out of the pocket, he's not nearly as effective as when he has protection. He's no Aaron Rodgers when forced out of the pocket, especially when he can't step up into the middle to throw.

This year's playoffs have shown that old-time football, emphasizing defense, is still a winning mode. Three of the four teams in the finals, Baltimore, San Francisco, and the Giants have great defenses.

The only thing that worries me about my pick is that all the talking heads are picking the Giants. But New York is so superior in every phase of the game, they should overcome that burden and prevail.

Tony Medley is a film critic accredited by the Motion Picture Association of America. His reviews may be read in several newspapers as well as on Rottentomatoes.com, the Movie Review Query Engine, mrqe.com, and at www.tonymedley.com. In addition, he’s written numerous newspaper and magazine articles for publications like The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Magazine, The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner and Good Housekeeping Magazine.

Tony Medley is a Silver Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), an ACBL-certified Director, and the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Bridge. With over 100,000 copies in print, it is the best selling basic bridge book. He is also the author of UCLA Basketball: The Real Story, available on Kindle, and Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed, first published in 1978 and now in its third edition with over half a million copies in print, the first book ever written about the job interview for the interviewee.