Super Bowl

Well, my pick was the Colts over the Rams. I thought both teams would be able to prevail in physical playoff games, but both came up short. Patriots vs. Panthers, however, is a great matchup. The 2003 season has been dominated by physical/boring football over passing/exciting football, and this game pretty much proves it. The Patriots deserve their due -- it's hard to believe that team is so effective with the players they have. As interesting as that story is, the Panthers are even moreso. That team has quietly knocked off bigger-named competition for the last 1 1/2 seasons and it's culminated in a Super Bowl berth, a game that is winnable. Amazingly, it's Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith who have really elevated that team to such a high level. I'm rooting for the Panthers but would be hard-pressed to wager much on it.