Clarion Content

All week the Clarion has been thinking, chalk, chalk, chalk.

How can we possibly pick Eli Manning over Brett Favre in Green Bay?

How can we possibly pick the banged up Chargers to beat the undefeated Patriots?

Suddenly. Doubt. Second thoughts. Your first instinct is right ninety-nine percent of the time, but what about that other one percent?

There is no reason to believe in Eli Manning. The Giants do have an excellent defensive line and good linebackers. However, they will going against the legendary Brett Favre with an undermanned and banged up secondary. So much so that they have elevated a rookie from the practice squad, Geoff Pope who is going to see significant action. The Clarion has to believe that Favre and the Pack are going to get the benefit of the close calls. Eli has admitted he dislikes playing in cold weather. The high tomorrow in Green Bay is forecast to be about zero at game time with a wind chill of about minus twenty. No despite the Giants strong running game, and Brett Favre's propensity for the big turnover, the Clarion envisions them pulling this one out.

That leaves (gasp!) the Patriots.

The undefeated Patriots, against the Chargers quite likely led by back-up QB Billy Volek. Philip Rivers is still technically a game time decision with a sprained knee. Rumor mill has it as a partial torn ligament, if he plays, he won't play long. Oh, and the star, all everything running back, Ladamlian Tomlinson, is nursing beat-up legs, too. Yet somehow...

There are signs.

After a record setting super season, that was totally quiet off the field, Randy Moss is being "publicly extorted" this week.

The Patriots future Hall of Fame linebackers, at least two, possibly all three, have been exploited for the reality that they are closer to said ugly yellow jackets than they are their rookie years. They are slowish. The Chargers have weapons to exploit this, Michael "Burner" Turner, Antonio Gates and lighting in a bottle, the 5'6" Darren Sproles.

The Chargers of all teams have an athlete who can jump with Randy Moss, Antonio Cromartie.

All that said, there is still Tom Brady. If Tom Brady is still vertical in the fourth quarter we're betting on the Patriots to win the game. Could the Chargers uber-fast linebackers alter that outcome? Possibly, Shawne Merriman's nickname is "Light's Out."

For the record the picks: Packers-Chargers!?!
you can't always get what you want...

Labels: NFL, Predictions, sports