Giants 11-8 to stun New England in Super Bowl
NEW YORK GIANTS are 11-8 underdogs to again upset New England in the Super Bowl after Sunday’s dramatic Conference Championship games produced a repeat of the 2008 season finale.
Four years ago, the Patriots were seeking a perfect season after going 16-0 and were 12-point favourites only to lose 17-14 to the upstart Giants, who got in tothe play-offs as a wild-card team.
New England were again the top seeds in the AFC this season and had been 6-1 pre-season favourites despite their roster lacking the depth of their glory years.
Bill Belichick’s side are 20-29 with Ladbrokes to lift the Vince
Lombardi Trophy in Indianapolis on February 5, with most firms giving the Giants a three-point handicap start, although Blue Square offer Big Blue backers a 3.5-point line at 4-5.
Both Sunday’s matches were in the balance right to the end, with the Patriots prevailing 23-20 when Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff missed a simple field goal that would have tied the game, while the Giants, who had been three-point underdogs, needed overtime to overcome San Francisco 20-17.
The Giants were 40-1 shots before the season began but have found their form in style to set up the first repeat of a previous Super Bowl pairing since Dallas and Buffalo in 1993 and 1994.
The teams have already met this season, with the Giants winning 24-20 on the road in Week Nine. Tom Coughlin’s roster has 17 players left from the team who beat the Patriots four years ago, while the favourites have only five men left who have tasted Super Bowl glory with the team.
The big game will be played indoors at the Lucas Oil Stadium, and the total points line has been set between 54 points (Ladbrokes) and 55.5 (Paddy Power).
New England expect the two-week break will give tight end Rob
Gronkowski time to recover from his ankle injury.
Read Simon Milham's extensive Super Bowl betting preview and recommendations - as well as all the important prices, specials, stats and team news - in Sunday February 5's Racing Post
