Third Time's The Charm?

You all know the old NFL mantra, it's tough to beat a team three times in a single season. This is the challenge the Dallas Cowboys face as they take on the New York Giants for, not the first, not the second, but the third time.

It doesn't help matters that for the first time in years, the Giants actually look like they know what they're doing in the second half of the season. Eli Manning looks like his brother (finally), the running game is finally going, no matter how many times each back is gonna get hurt, and the defense is stepping up and making plays. At 11-6, the Giants are one of the most battle-tested teams in the league. 5 of the 6 losses they suffered this year were to play-off teams, Dallas twice, Green Bay, Washington, and New England. In fact, the only non-play-off team to beat them were the Minnesota Vikings, a team who just about slipped in.

Dallas still, arguably, has the best team in the conference though. Facing great ridicule because of his taste in blonde pop stars, Tony Romo will have to step up and put his play-off demons behind him to win this game. Terrell Owens is expected to play which makes things easier, but I maintain that Romo will have to win this game.

In all honestly, Dallas has not looked good in recent weeks. A team that should have finished 15-1, ended up with two ugly losses in the last month of the regular season. The momentum is traveling in opposite directions here, but is it enough to push the Giants over the unstoppable Cowboys? In a word, yes. Giants win 28-24.

Next week, I'll tackle the two championship games that I will have predicted correctly, as well as finally address those pesky other sports. Word on Brett Favre's future, the favorite in the NBA's eastern conference, the hottest team in hockey, and maybe a little off-season baseball.

Have a good weekend, enjoy the games.