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February 1, 2008

25 of 30 ESPN experts pick Pats

This was sent by the ESPN PR bunch:

SUPER BOWL XLII PREDICTIONS FROM ESPN

ESPN on-air personalities offer their predictions for Super Bowl XLII. Of the 30 ESPN picks, 25 chose the New England Patriots, while just five selected the New York Giants as the anticipated winner of this year’s Super Bowl game in Arizona:

PICKING NEW ENGLAND

Raul Allegre, ESPN Deportes NFL analyst and former New York Giants kicker
Patriots 31-21. I just don't see the Giants defense being able to stop the Patriots offense. Nobody is better at controlling time of possession than the Patriots and their arsenal is just too tough.

Russell Baxter, NFL research coordinator
Patriots 38-19. Thirty eight has been the Patriots’ magic number all year and 19 would be fitting since this would give them an undefeated 19-0 record.

Skip Bayless, First Take and 1st and 10 commentator
Patriots 38-17. Plaxico Burress lost this game for the Giants before it was played by saying the Giants receivers may be better than New England’s and by predicting the Giants would win by scoring 23 points and holding Tom Brady’s offense to a mere 17. Big mistake.

Ray Buchanan, 1st and 10 analyst
Patriots 28-24. Eli being hot will keep this game close and I don’t think the Patriots defense will be able to slow down the Giants offense.

Colin Cowherd, host of ESPN Radio’s The Herd
Patriots 31-17. It'll be close early but then the Patriots will do something in the 3rd quarter to pull away -- whether it's creating a turnover or converting on a big third down play. Tom Brady will be named the game MVP.

Jay Crawford, First Take and 1st and 10 co-host
Patriots 38-21. Not going to stop the Patriots offense. The difference in the game is that New England has been there, done that, while the Giants are taking video of everything like it’s a trip to Disney.

Hank Goldberg, Correspondent
Patriots 30-27. They always win by three points. Just look at their last three Super Bowls.

Mike Golic, NFL Live analyst and co-host of ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning
Patriots 31-24. Their versatility will be the key. They always find a way to get it done and they will again this time.

Jemele Hill, ESPN.com Page 2 writer and 1st and 10 commentator
Patriots 38-31. Tom Brady goes to quarterback immortal.

Gary Horton, ESPN Scouts Inc. Insider
Patriots 31-20. With two weeks to prepare for Bill Belichick - and with field conditions being perfect - as much as I respect the Giants, they can't keep up with the Patriots. Tom Brady will find 4-5 match-ups that he will exploit.

Tom Jackson, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown analyst
Patriots 31-21. Hard to imagine the most prolific offense in NFL history coming all this way and not winning. There is also something to be said for the Patriots’ experience, being in this position before and winning three times.

Ron Jaworski, Monday Night Football and NFL Matchup analyst
Patriots 41-21. The key will be the Patriots three down linemen -- Seymour, Wilfork and Warren -- who will be able to collapse on Eli, forcing him backward which is not his strength.

Keyshawn Johnson, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown analyst
Patriots 35-17. New England has had two weeks to prepare for this game, and the lights might be too bright for Eli.

Erik Kuselias, ESPN Radio host
Patriots 34-20. This game was over when Brady took off the boot and squeezed into a cleat…too much offense.

Steve Levy, SportsCenter anchor
Patriots 34-21. The Giants won their Super Bowl in Green Bay.

Chris Mortensen, NFL Insider
Patriots 41-31. Perfect climate, perfect game, perfect season for Tom Brady.

Sal Paolantonio, Correspondent
Patriots 31-24. Giants defense still won't have an answer for Tom Brady.

Sean Salisbury, ESPN NFL Live analyst
Patriots 34-17. The weather is not a factor and on a fast track and with all those weapons, I don’t think the Patriots can be beat.

Mark Schlereth, ESPN NFL Live and NFL PrimeTime analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion
Patriots 31-27. The Patriots do the best job in the NFL adjusting. They are chameleon-like in who they are and what they do. They can totally reinvent themselves during the course of a ballgame on the offense and defensive sides of the ball.

Stuart Scott, SportsCenter anchor
Patriots 34-20. The Giants will play them tough for a half, but the Patriots passing game is built for a dry, fast field.

Emmitt Smith, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion
Patriots 35-24. The bye week hurt the Giants by taking away their momentum. Belichick is a genius at breaking down tape and he had a second week to prepare.

Mike Tirico, Monday Night Football play by play commentator
Patriots 32-23. Too much offense, too much experience, too much to deny the perfect ending.

Marcellus Wiley, NFL Live analyst
Patriots 38-23. They have had a perfect season. Why bet against them now?

Trey Wingo, NFL Live and NFL PrimeTime host
Patriots 41-27. No weather problems, perfect fast track. They are going to unleash the full arsenal. I can’t see the Giants stopping the Patriots, If the Giants don’t score 30, they will get blown out.

Steve Young, Monday Night Countdown analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion
Patriots 42-10. Eli Manning is not a Hall of Fame quarterback yet. Brady will get the upper hand.

PICKING NEW YORK

Lomas Brown, 1st and 10 analyst
Giants 27-24. Giants win the first overtime game in Super Bowl history.

Mike Ditka, Sunday NFL Countdown analyst
Giants 31-28. I haven't picked the Patriots all year, so why should I start now?

Mike Greenberg, co-host of ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning and SportsCenter anchor
Giants 24-23. Just a little magic the Giants have working now. Call it a funny feeling.

Merril Hoge, NFL Live and NFL PrimeTime analyst
Giants 31-30. The Giants’ defensive scheme matches well with Brady and the Patriots because they attack the quarterback and challenge the wide receivers.

Shaun King, NFL Live analyst
Giants 34-26. Confidence.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 3:05 PM | Permalink

Comments

Posted by: Alex at February 1, 2008 4:49 PM