It all comes down to this. One game to rule them all. I’m overjoyed that my Patriots are in the game, but now is not a time to celebrate. While it is a quasi-rematch, that angle almost immediately became overblown. Most importantly, the vast majority of players on these teams did not play in the game in 2008. The stakes are different too. Yes, the winning team is still this season’s NFL champion, but no one has the chance to go undefeated. The only result that can truly wipe away the sting of 18-1 is for a team to go 19-0. At the very least, that seems unlikely.

It should not shock you to hear that I am picking the Patriots to win this game. While I may be a homer, I have my reasons. Right off the bat, I would like to remind you that the Giants were only 9-7 this year. While they are peaking at the right time, they are still a team that was .500 at one point in December and was outscored by six points over the course of the regular season. The Patriots, in contrast, were 13-3 and outscored opponents by 171 points. Surely this means something?

Neither team played particularly well in the Conference Championship games, a development that favors the Patriots. Many of the Patriots’ problems came from Tom Brady playing poorly, and he always plays well after a bad game. The Giants, meanwhile, had their hands full with a team helmed by Alex Smith. In an NFC Championship game in which the 49ers’ only reliable offensive weapon was tight end Vernon Davis, it took overtime and a few breaks for the Giants to win. The Patriots have two tight ends better than Vernon Davis. Also, they have Wes Welker. That’s a pretty big difference.

The one area in which the Giants unquestionably have an advantage is at receiver. They have three elite wideouts, and the Patriots have a subpar secondary. The secondary has been made to look worse because they give up so many yards, but that is in many ways a function of the Patriots almost always being ahead. The consensus is that the wide receivers will run wild in the secondary, and I just don’t think that will be the case. Because it is the consensus, I don’t think it will happen. I can’t give you a reason beyond the fact that Belichick is adept at taking away a team’s best option, but I am always wary of common wisdom.

I expect the Patriots to win 31-28.

What do I write about this week?

• Do I write about how the Super Bowl is a rematch between the Giants and Patriots?
• Do I write about how it isn’t really a rematch because a vast majority of the players weren’t on either roster for the game in 2008?
• Do I write about the conference championship games?
• Do I write about the goats in the conference championship games?
• Do I write about the Giants admitted to targeting Kyle Williams for hard hits because of his concussion history?
• Do I write about Billy Cundiff missing the field goal because he was so tardy rushing onto the field?
• Do I write about the Pro Bowl?
• Do I write about how it is the least representative all-star game among the four major sports because of roster depletion and rule changes?
• Do I delve into the professional ramifications of Senior Bowl practices?
• Do I begin a two part Super Bowl preview?

No, I won’t discuss any of that. There is nothing truly worthwhile to write about at this point, and that is the unfortunate side of having two weeks between the conference championships and the Super Bowl. I like having two weeks, because it gives teams enough time to prepare and allows for the anticipation to build. However, the downside is all of the nonsense fans have to wade through. I don’t want to make you wade through nonsense.