For the most part, Madonna delivered an entertaining Super Bowl half time performance that started strong and looked to easily beat out last year’s performer the Black Eyed Peas. Reaching into a bag of resources to not completely bore us, Madonna was smart to bring out guests Cee Lo, Nicki Minaj and dance rockers LMFAO to perform with her. Yet, the show will unfortunately be remembered by guest star MIA’s performance where she flipped the bird to the camera. The gesture, accompanied by a barely disguised expletive, came during a performance of Madonna’s new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin.”‘ At the end of her lines, M.I.A. appeared to sing “I don’t give a (expletive),” although it was hard to hear clearly.

Personally I don’t care whether it happened or not, but it will be the talk of the week by the media as they recap the game.

If you remember the NFL was suppose to have installed a delay feature for the Super Bowl to cut away for instances like this one. The NFL blamed a failure in NBC’s delay system for allowing the gesture to be seen. Spokesman Brian McCarthy said M.I.A. did not do anything similar during rehearsals and the league had no reason to believe she would pull something like that during the actual show.

Fantasy Football:

Sunday, February 5th 6:30 PM EST from Indianapolis (NBC)

Vegas line: New England -3 (ML -135) o/u 55

Perhaps the greatest day of the year is finally upon us: Super Bowl Sunday! The final game of another amazing NFL season where we will crown a new champion and eat and drink ourselves into a stupor in what has become one of the biggest party days on the calendar.

This year we get a rematch of what is commonly agreed upon as the greatest upset in the modern history of the game, the Super Bowl XLII classic between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. That game saw the Giants, 14 point underdogs, shock the world and end the undefeated Patriots run at immortality.

It won’t be such a surprise if the Giants pull it off this time. The Pats are slim three point favorites in the rematch, but most fans, players and prognasticators seem to be siding with New York. Despite the heavy action for the G-Men, Vegas has yet to adjust the +3 number accordingly….suspicious or trap?

Take a look at the Gridironexperts SuperBowl picks here and ridiculous prop bets. Use the comments thread below to make your own predictions.

Giants

It’s amazing that every year Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is supposedly on the hot seat. He’s been able to instill discipline into his teams and seems to be adept at getting the most out of them. It’s not an accident that he has this club in it’s second big-game appearance in four years.

As for the offense, you can’t spell ELITE without Eli. Upon playing in his second Super Bowl in four seasons, Eli Manning should now definitively be in the elite group of top-notch quarterbacks. The passing game is what makes this offense works….these aren’t your father’s G-Men.

New York actually finished last in the NFL in rushing this season. The rushing attack has improved over the playoffs, so expect New York to try to establish a ground game early, to set up play-action opportunities downfield. Both backs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will be involved, with Bradshaw commanding the lion’s share of the totes and Jacobs acting in a short yardage and change-of-pace role. D.J. Ware could also see about 4-5 touches.

It’s the Giants’ receiving corps that will pose major problems for the Patriots’ 32nd ranked pass defense. New England has been simply awful all season in coverage and this is the best group of wide-outs they’ve faced. Hakeem Nicks is the main receiver and redzone threat, but emerging Victor Cruz might be just as good. Both have the ability to stretch the field and outrun the secondary. Mario Manningham is a dangerous slot receiver option and very difficult for linebackers to cover.

Expect better than usual rushing numbers in this game, and don’t be surprised if Manningham ends up making a big contribution.

Patriots

New England is an interesting comparison to New York…both teams have prolific passing games, are led by All-Pro signal-callers, struggle in the run game and have bad defenses. Though the Pats have the league’s lousiest D, the Giants aren’t much better. They rank 27th, and the winner of this game will have the distinction of having the worst ranked championship defense in history.

We all know about the greatness of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. This is their fifth Super Bowl together. Brady will look to join Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana as the only four-time Super Bowl champions in league history.

Like the Giants, the Patriots offense is predicated on establishing a strong aerial attack. But rather than a group of strong wide receivers, the pats win with the NFL’s deadliest 1-2 punch at tight end. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are both nightmare matchups for any opposing team. They’re both just too big, strong and fast.

Gronkowski sets NFL records for touchdowns scored for the position and has 20 TD’s in 18 games. He’s nursing a high ankle sprain but should be good to go for the game. Hernandez is a threat as Brady’s preferred target in and around the goal line and has even been garnering several carries a game…what can’t these guys do?

Wes Welker is a fantastic slot receiver and had yet another ho-hum 100+ catch season. With the Pats running so many two tight end sets, Deion Branch is the main outside threat that will challenge a suspect Giants secondary. Chad Ochocinco’s reward for finally making it to a Super Bowl will likely to be inactive. He has made next to zero contribution and his signing will go down as a huge mistake for the club.

Predictions

The Giants have the ability to get an excellent pass-rush by just rushing four. This will allow them to drop seven into coverage and attempt to slow down the Patriots passing attack. This will actually set up opportunities for New England’s rushing attack. Look for better than expected numbers from BenJarvus Green-Ellis. A darkhorse sleeper for MVP: Stevan Ridley.

New York will likely try to keep the ball out of Tom Brady’s hands as much as possible by attempting to get Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs involved early and often. This could keep the scoring down.

Fantasy Football:

The ruined Patriots perfect season has left a bitter taste in the mouths of the New England faithful. Eli Manning led the winning drive and was well deserving of the MVP award as the super underdogs beat the perfect Pat’s in a thrilling 17-14 victory back in 2008.

This time round the term “underdog” doesn’t apply to either club and should be tossed from any descriptions. Both teams seem equality deadly on offense while the few weak spots on either team make it hard to find vulnerable targets to go after. Two great quarterbacks will battle for what should be an exciting Super Bowl Sunday.

Fantasy Football:

Do you remember any of last years Super Bowl commercials? Probably not. But if you think hard enough one memorial commercial on Super Sunday may pop into your head. It was the one of a little kid dressed up like Darth Vader. He tried to move things around the house with the force, only to have his dad play a trick on him with an auto-start to the car from inside the house.

The ad was so popular that Volkswagen has created another ad for this years Super Bowl. Here is a teaser to it:

Fantasy Football:

NFL Playoff Preview:

Who’s Got Enough to Win the Super Bowl? 

It’s time to break down the NFL playoff teams and discuss what will be their route toward victory or what will ultimately be their downfall. Some might seem obvious, others maybe not so much, but here is NFL Playoff Rundown to each team that could make a run toward the Lombardi trophy.

AFC

New England

• They win because . . . Tom Brady stays healthy and the passing game stays as lethal as it has been for the entire season. No team – maybe in the history of the league – utilizes the tight end better than the Patriots have this season and you still have Wes Welker to worry about.

• They lose because . . . The defense stinks. True they have not given up as many points as some other teams, but offenses have gone up and down the field on them all season. If they get into a game where Brady and company are slowed down even a little, they could be in for a short playoff run.

Baltimore

• They win because . . . They are allowed to play Ravens football. Although the defense doesn’t get the headlines of a few years ago, it is still pretty good. Like third in the league good. That Ray Rice guy is pretty good too. They have tried to even things out the last few years, but this team is still built on defense and running the ball. They are allowed to do that, they win.

• They lose because . . . They have to play out of character. If they have to play from behind or if they turn the ball over they will have to put the game on Joe Flacco’s shoulders. Flacco has gotten better every year, but the Ravens lose when Rice is not the most effective offensive player on the Ravens. Take the running game out of the offense and the Ravens fall.

Houston

• They win because . . . They play like the Ravens. They play great defense and pound with the running game. The Texans have the best one two running back duo in the league and a defense that ranks second in the league in yards allowed.

• They lose because . . . They get poor quarterback play. Week 17 Yates was hurt early, nothing serious, but enough to force the Texans to insert Jake Delhomme into the game. Either it’ll be lack of experience from Yates or lack of ability from Delhomme, one way or another this team has a weak link.

Denver

• They win because . . . They play outstanding defense and the opponent’s offense doesn’t show up. If they have great games running the ball, and the defense plays like it has most of the season, they’ll have a chance.

• They lose because . . . Not to state the obvious, but because of the caliber of quarterback. Tim Tebow has been a great story and John Fox should win Coach of the Year for how he was able to get this team to the playoffs, but this offense can’t score enough points to succeed in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh

• They win because . . . Their defense dominates the way it can and Big Ben is healthy enough to be effective. They have been solid throwing the ball all season.

• They lose because . . . They can’t stay healthy on offense. The running game is going to take a step back with the loss of Rashard Mendenhall. The passing game could be fragile as well with as beat up Roethlisberger has been – one big hit and the offense is crippled.

Cincinnati

• They win because . . . I hate to sound like a broken record, but they win if their defense can keep them in the game. The Bengal defense has played well all year. If they can keep them in the game and allow the offense to run the ball and take some pressure off rookie Andy Dalton, they can advance.

• They lose because . . . They fall behind or turn the ball over. As much praise as Dalton and fellow rookie A.J. Green have deservedly received this year, the fact is outside of Denver they have the least effective offense in the AFC field. This offense is not ready to consistently comeback against top teams.

NFC

Green Bay

• They win because . . . The offense keeps humming right along. For my money Aaron Rodgers has had the best season of any quarterback this year. Most years that would be a no brainer, but a couple other guys have had ridiculous years too. That being said the Packers offense has been slowed down once this whole year, I don’t see it happening a second time.

• They lose because . . . Before the Lions’ game I was going to say if Rodgers goes down, but Matt Flynn made me put that logic to bed. The real reason the Pack lose is the defense. There has been many games that have proved that there are holes against explosive offensive opponents.

San Francisco

• They win because . . . The defense continues to dominate and Alex Smith continues to play within himself. Smith has made great strides this year, but if he tries to do too much, or if the defense slips up just a little, the offenses in this field will kill you.

• They lose because . . . The offense can’t control the clock with the running game and the defense is not dominating. A team like the 49ers needs to play solid in all phases. Even a sub-par special teams game will doom the team by the Bay.

New Orleans

• They win because . . . Not to state the obvious, but they simply out score you. If Drew Brees is allowed to pick apart even a top defense he will. They have shown this season that they have no remorse and will pound you into submission if you can’t stop them.

• They lose because . . . The offense can’t keep up its pace. Weather could be a big factor for the Saints. They will have to go into possibly windy San Francisco and then potentially cold and snowy Green Bay. If they can deal with the elements, The Saints could end up in the Super Bowl.

New York

• They win because . . . Eli Manning continues to play at a high level. The defense has played well for stretches this season. The running game has had its moments, but the whole team has been inconsistent this year. The one steadying factor has been Manning.

• They lose because . . . The defense can’t do enough to keep them in the game. Manning has brought his team back in the fourth quarter a lot this year, but that won’t last long in the playoffs, especially on the road where they will have to play the majority of their games.

Atlanta

• They win because . . . They realize they need to rely on Matt Ryan and the passing game to support, not supersede Michael Turner and the running game. While improved, the passing game can’t keep up with the other offenses in this field. The Falcon defense certainly can’t.

• They lose because . . . They can’t keep the scoreboard under control. They might not have the offense to win a shoot out against the Giants, much less the Saints or Packers. They fall behind and are forced to abandon the running game, they are in trouble.

Detroit

• They win because . . . Their young stars play like it’s a regular season game with the pressure of winning it all. If Matthew Stafford, Ndamukong Suh and the rest of the young Lions stay poised, they have the talent to win a few games in the playoffs.

• They lose because . . . They show their immaturity. This team is not beyond shooting itself in the foot with stupid penalties. They are a quickly rising team in the NFC, but they are a few pieces away if they don’t control themselves. If they eliminate the stupid penalties they have the talent to hang with anyone in this field.

Fantasy Football:

There wasn’t too many surprises for me in this game, I knew the Packers were going to put points on the board and if Green Bay wasn’t so short-handed in the receiving department, this game would have been a blowout. I was surprised the Steelers defense wasn’t able to create more problems for Rodgers, they were not really a factor in this game. Roethlisberger was not sharp, although not all the turnovers were his fault.

Most of the commercials were boring, there were a couple favorites (Best and Worst)

With the Packers win my picking streak stays alive at 7-0 straight up and against the spread threw 3 rounds of the playoffs. Great way to end the season

Fantasy Football:

Super Bowl Party Games!

Are you hosting a Super Bowl Party? Want to put a little money on the game with your friends, but tired of the traditional “Super Bowl Squares”? Gridiron Experts has a poker game that is fun for all that we’d love to share with you. This game can be customized to playing for fun, drinks, or some big bucks.

What you’ll need: a deck of cards (maybe two decks if you have more than 9 people playing)

Object of the Game: To score the most points from kickoff to the last play of the game.

Prep work: You’ll need to do a little work before you can play, but it’s worth it. Find a deck of cards that has room to write on each card (or write on paper then tape them to the cards). Then assign each card with a different situation that could happen in the game. This game is totally customizable but we made it for you….

Rules: Every person is dealt 5 cards. Each time a players card happens in the game, he or she calls it out and places the card face up on the table. That player scores their points but does not pick up another card until the following commercial break. If a player can use all 5 cards before a commercial break they are awarded a 5 point bonus.

At a commercial break any player that did not play a card can “draw” up to 2 new cards. For those players that played cards, they replace the number of cards they played but are not allowed to trade in the remaining cards in their hand.

A player has until the next snap to play their card before it’s too late, if they don’t call it out the points are not awarded.

For any cards that you have to “spot” something on the field, another person must agree that they saw that moment of the game for the player to receive points for the “spot” card.

Have Fun!!

Fantasy Football:

Are you waiting on Mike Rodriguez’s Super Bowl pick? -I know I am. This season has been tough and I’ll admit my radar is off, but despite Chris Gable and Ben Hoyt’s excellent regular season records, no one is on a hotter streak than Rigz. The perfect streak started after wildcard weekend: 6-0 (SU & ATS).

A detailed Super Bowl Article is coming Saturday.

Fantasy Football:

As a writer for Gridiron Experts I’m constantly trying to predict the future. Whether it’s picking games on Sunday or digging for fantasy football gems, it’s all about the day after tomorrow. On Saturday night, the NFL Network let me take a break from the psychic friends hot-line, putting down the never-ending flipping of draft mags to re-live a memory from 1998.

Favre vs. Elway, Packers vs. Broncos, Super Bowl XXXII was one of my favorite games of all time.

You know that feeling where you get a chance to reminisce on the past, and prefer the memories. Seeing things in a different light and not having it live up to your expectations. Like an old-school video game that you played to death; Mega Man, Excitebike or Techo Bowl that seemed so much cooler when you were a kid…Super Bowl XXXII was not an exaggerated memory.

While I did get a kick out seeing a pre-streoid: Ed Hochuli, a younger Mike Holgrem or the wicked high-tech special effects that TV could offer in 1998, the game was very entertaining. Still, it’s funny seeing retro baddass’s like Bill Romanowski or fantasy studs like Mark Chmura that you’ve completely forgotten about. Fans never forget, but as these two teams were not favorites and just great entertainment for me at the young age of 22, I didn’t have any real sense of love loss from reliving that day.

Some things never change; “Rookie” Darren Sharper was in full effect, the Broncos running game had all the trademark formations and play calling that one would expect, while the rocket arm of Favre was still making plays that we’re all use too seeing (a including the ones where you’re questioning what he was seeing)

I’m not sure if this game was motivation for Redskin fans, as Mike Shanahan (with less of a leather face) lead the Broncos with a 37-year-old quarterback to a Super Bowl victory that year. Washington’s offseason of additions does have a sense of throwback irony, and I’m sure the NFL network had that in mind when replaying it.

Epic battles like Super Bowl XXXII are a staple of the NFL at it’s best. Elway is long retired but Favre is still hanging around. I wonder how long we have before battles between Manning and Brady become wicked throwbacks. Of all the junk on NFL network these classics keep my subscription going.

Other notes from a game that happened more than 12 years ago:

• The Packers were 11.5 point favorites (huge payday for me)
• Jewel sang the National Anthem.
• The pregame show was narrated by comedian Phil Hartman, who celebrated the music and history of California.
• Halftime show was titled “A Tribute to Motown’s 40th Anniversary” and featured Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, Martha Reeves and The Temptations
• Terrell Davis was named Super Bowl MVP (157 yards, 2 rec for 8 yards, and scored a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns.)

Fantasy Football: