The Patriots Should Benefit the Most from Taking the Week Off

There are very few things to depend on in the NFL that almost makes it possible to predict the outcome of games, and one of those things is the almighty trend. Trends provide the cornerstone of sports betting and lead to the most interesting story lines to be dissected ad nauseum during pre-game shows every week. The two major trends going into Super Bowl XLII are the Patriots' utter domination in the win column, and the Giants' road winning streak, which is pretty remarkable in its own right. One of those trends will come to an end in less than a week.

So with a full six days before the big game, how will this week off affect both teams? The week will be filled with team meetings and practices, but also distractions galore: media days, PR events, autographs, flashbulbs, parties, celebrities, etc. The Patriots are the seasoned veterans when it comes to the Big Game, and will undoubtedly be unaffected by the prevalent distractions. The Giants, on the other hand...

I'm not saying the Giants are an undisciplined team; in fact, Tom Coughlin is one of the most respected veteran coaches in the NFL, and as been to the Super Bowl as an assistant in the past. The problem the Giants are facing is that this week exists as a roadblock to their road winning trend. Momentum is very important in the NFL, and is one of the main reasons why the G-men were able to roll through the playoffs. A week off could very easily throw off their frame of mind, their killer attitude, at the most inopportune time possible. Throw in the emotional high coming off a huge, nail-biting victory in Green Bay, and some of the younger guys might already be in an ill-advised celebratory mood.

On the other side of the field, the week off helps the Patriots immensely. Tom Brady's high ankle sprain has been widely publicized this week, and he gets to benefit this week from some much needed rest. Ditto for some of the aging veterans on the Pats defense, especially the linebacker corps. A week off to tend to some of the more nagging bumps and bruises could be akin to jumping in the Fountain of Youth for guys like Junior Seau and Tedy Bruschi. Finally, a week off affords Bill Belichick the luxury of an extra seven days' worth of preparation. Truly a master of football strategy, and having already played the Giants less than a month ago, Belichick can use this extra time to work an airtight strategy for success.

It's not impossible for the Giants to pull off what would be the greatest upset in NFL history, but it certainly doesn't look likely, and the week off will only hurt them and their road winning trend.