Jeff Hart: Tuesday Linkfest for January 31, 2012

By: Jeff Hart | Posted: January 31, 2012

As it’s such a major sporting event and thus deserves all the coverage we can afford it, let’s begin with a few last thoughts on the Pro Bowl. Wouldn’t it be better if the whole game was just replaced by a skills competition? Run some QB accuracy contests, a non-kicker kicking contest, maybe some 1-on-1 route running. Hell, they could finally have Chris Johnson race someone. I’d rather watch any of that than some sluggish all-pros dog it.

Or, you could replace the entire Pro Bowl with Willis McGahee burning Ravens fans.

If the stylings of Willis McGahee aren’t comedic enough for you, how about this piece wherein Ndamukong Suh argues that there’s no substance behind his “dirty” label?

Anyway, onto the Super Bowl. In its annual simulation of the championship game, Madden NFL 12 predicted a 27-24 Giants victory thanks to a last second polygonal field goal. Since beginning these prophetic simulations in 2004, the Madden team has only been wrong twice: last year, and the first time the Giants beat the Patriots.

Maybe you prefer pouring over actual statistics rather than taking a video game’s word on who the winner will be. If that’s the case, here’s a detailed breakdown of playoff sack totals with a look at where the weak spots are on both the Patriots and Giants O-line.

Defenses win championships, right? If that’s the case, then the Madden simulation is probably right on, considering how lousy the Patriots defense has been all season. Except… maybe they aren’t so bad? Here’s a detailed breakdown – and when I say detailed, I mean game-by-game – of how the Patriots defense, while not as good as four years ago, is still a pretty solid situational unit.

Of course, Madden projections and defensive stats are all meaningless when faced with what we learned this season is the most powerful deciding factor in all of football: the favor of God.  

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