1. What the hell was that? I didn’t see that coming, and if you say you did then you are probably lying.

2. I’m not sure Brady has ever been hit like that. Judging by how he reacted to it, I would guess that he hasn’t. The most shocking part wasn’t the number of times he had to pick himself up, it was the number of pretty awful passes he threw as a result of the constant pressure.

3. That non-sack of Manning that essentially sealed the game was one of the sorriest things I have ever seen. There is no excuse for that from the Raiders, never mind an undefeated Super Bowl favorite.

4. Nice catch, David Tyree. Enjoy your 15 seconds.

5. I still hate Eli. I don’t see that changing.

6. How is it that the Patriots didn’t have a way figured out to contain the pass rush when they had two weeks to prepare? That’s the biggest story of the game in my mind. I was watching the game with a couple of people who aren’t even close to football fans, yet by about the second snap they had figured out that the Giants were going to rush Brady every time he touched the ball. It wasn’t a secret.

7. I was interested to see how quickly the Pats gave up on the run. It was working well in the playoffs, but it didn’t start well in the big game, and they moved away from it. As a result, especially with the Kevin Faulk hamstring tweak, the play seemed to be a pass to Welker every time out. It’s not hard to look like a defensive genius when you just have to defend the same play every time out.

8. I keep hearing about how this was one of the all-time great Super Bowls. I’m not buying it. The first half was defensively impressive, but the offenses did little to help themselves out. The third quarter was sloppy. The fourth quarter was entertaining, and the last scoring drives by both teams were impressive, but for me that payoff at the end doesn’t outweigh the disappointment and boredom of early on. As good as the Giants were defensively, a game can’t be great when the teams don’t play like they can, and the Pats were a shadow of themselves. That was partly because of the Giants, but only partly.

9. The Patriots’ decision on what to do with Randy Moss just got much harder.

10. It seems poetic that the biggest total in Super Bowl history resulted in the biggest margin that two teams have gone under the total in Super Bowl history. The teams went under by 24 points.

11. That’s four unders in a row after the games had gone over in six of eight. Trend watchers will have to adjust expectations.

12. Man, do I hate the Mannings.

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2. Depth. The offense is scary. They have pass catching threats everywhere, Brady will get the time he needs, and they can run at will. On the defensive side they aren’t quite as scary, but they can still give the Giants nightmares. They are more talented in a significant majority of positions.

3. Experience. Just think about this – this is the fourth time in seven years that the Pats have been here. The roster and coaching staff has undergone changes along the way, but the core is the same, the attitude is the same, and the hunger is stronger than ever. It is not a coincidence that the Patriots have been as consistently outstanding as they have been, and they’re ongoing excellence is a compelling reason to support them.

4. 19-0. The chance to be the first team to do something that seems impossible has been motivating this team all year, and it will be a huge motivator in this game. They could decide that they really want to put an exclamation point on the victory, and that would mean a cover.

5. The public doesn’t believe it. For the first time all year, the public is firmly on the side of the other guys. The spread is seen as too big by bettors, and more than two-thirds of bets have been on the Giants. Going against the public is never a bad thing, and especially not in a game where so much of the public money isn’t backed by a lot of rational thought.

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San Diego (+14.5) at New England – I said it earlier in the week, and I am going to stick by it – I’m taking the Chargers. They are probably outclassed, and injuries will hurt, but two touchdowns is  a pretty big cushion, and I am more confident in their ability to keep it close than I am in the Pats to run away with it. I don’t see how New England won’t win, but San Diego is the choice here. Pick: San Diego.

Incidentally, as I suspected on Friday, the public seems to be jumping onto the Pats’ bandwagon with more authority. Their support has jumped from 48 percent to 54 in just over a day.

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The concern, of course, is the health of the Chargers. This is up in the air, but the only guy I am really concerned about in terms of potentially not playing is Philip Rivers, and Billy Volek isn’t a huge step back. This line reflects overcompensation for those injuries by the public in my mind.

I’ll make my bet on San Diego now, and if I get nervous between now and game time I can always reverse it by making a bet on New England.

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I had a pretty good feeling about the games last Saturday, and I got them both wrong. Maybe it’s a good thing, then, that I don’t feel great about either of today’s games.

Seattle (+8) at Green Bay – I have no doubt that Green Bay is the better team and the pick. I’m just not particularly thrilled about having to give up eight points to take them. I don’t like the Seahawks at all, but last week is a clear sign that I underestimate them. Green Bay has more talent, more emotion, and they are at home, so I have to just bite the bullet and give the points. Hasselbeck’s bruised thigh makes me feel a bit better about having to do it. Pick: Green Bay.

Jacksonville (+15) at New England – I wasn’t at all happy about making a pick, but I feel a bit better now that I was able to find -15 at 5Dimes. The best bet there is on this game, I guess, is to take Jacksonville and hope that they can stay within two touchdowns. If they play at their best then I don’t see why that can’t happen. The problem is that I also don’t struggle to much to see the Pats win it by 30. reagrdless, the closest thing to value is the Jags. Pick: Jacksonville.

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