COMMENT: East coaches share Super Bowl picks

We’ve heard it time and time again.

It’s become one of the biggest cliché’s in sports. But at no point this season has the old adage, “defense wins championships,” garnered more attention than right now.

In three days, the AFC Champion New England Patriots and the NFC Champion New York Giants will meet in Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI — and all eyes, including mine, will be on the Giants’ front four.
Four years ago, I sat and watched the Giants’ pulled off a stunning 17-14 Super Bowl upset of Tom Brady and the previously undefeated Patriots becoming the first NFC Wild Card to win the Super Bowl.

Sure, Eli Manning cemented his place in history with a 32-yard pass over the middle to David Tyree to keep the Giants’ final drive alive and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress to give the Giants the lead with 35 seconds left.

But as great as Manning was that night — and still is — it was New York’s ability to stop the run and throw Brady out of rhythm that led to the Giants’ monumental upset.

Now four years later, as the two teams prepare to meet in a Super Bowl rematch, the Giants’ formula hasn’t changed — except they are no longer the underdogs they once were.

And although New England is once again favored, I think the Giants have a legitimate chance to win this weekend. And it appears I’m not the only one.

Two of our East County football coaches — Don Purvis (Braden River) and Brett Timmons (ODA) — are picking the Giants to win Super Bowl XLVI. Lakewood’s Shawn Trent is the lone dissenter.

“New York will win the Super Bowl because of their front four,” Timmons said. “They’re finally healthy on defense.”

The coaches agree the Giants’ defense will be too much for the Patriots to handle, but the game could come down to which offense controls the clock and which players make the most of their opportunities.

“The biggest difference in the game will be the Giants’ ability to keep the game low-scoring, and their ability to control the clock on offense,” said Purvis who predicts the Giants will win 20-17.

“The biggest difference will depend upon which X factor comes to play on the big stage,” Timmons said. “In New England’s case, its Chad Ochocinco or Deion Branch, and for New York, it’s Mario Manningham. They have to make the most of the opportunities that will be presented to them.”

Trent, whose college career included playing for Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, said he is hoping for a New York win. However, intellectually, he can’t see the upset.

“I think the Patriots will win,” he said. “Brady is almost impossible to stop in big games. I think, defensively, they are about equal, so (I) have to give the nod to Brady.”

Personally, I’m all for upsets, and this Sunday, I’m predicting a 24-21 win for the Giants.