Published: September 27, 2007

Much has changed since that rainy night in Miami when quarterback Peyton Manning hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy high above his head. Super Bowl XLI now sits in our rearview mirror, as 31 hungry contenders seek to dethrone the defending champion Indianapolis Colts.

Hopes are high for our city of excellence, as the New York Giants and    New York Jets try to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

Thus far, both franchises have faced plenty of bad luck. The Jets opened their season at home against perhaps the greatest team in sports in the last decade, the New England Patriots. Although it was discovered that the Patriots used cameras to spy on the Jets’ defensive hand signals, one could speculate whether cheating was really even necessary, as the Pats ploughed through the Jets 38-14.

The following week, the Jets faced the Baltimore Ravens, a franchise known for its unstoppable defense. Without quarterback Chad Pennington, who sat out due to an injured right ankle, the Jets turned to quarterback Kellen Clemens who, despite leading a comeback in the fourth quarter, saw his team lose 20-13.

The Giants have also started the season 0-2. This year’s Tiki Barber-less squad opened the season with a devastating loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Allowing Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo to throw for a career-high 345 yards, the Giants fell 45-35.

In Week 2, Brett Favre captured the 149th victory of his career, catapulting him to the top of the all-time career wins list. Unfortunately, his accomplishment came at the expense of the Giants, whose defense continued to look lost.

If both teams continue to play so poorly, expect far less than the highly-anticipated match-up being counted on when the two teams meet in Week 5.

Three weeks later, the Giants will take part in another exciting match-up, as quarterback Eli Manning’s

club will take on the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London for the first regular season NFL game to be played outside of North America.

The final week of the season may also be the final regular season game of one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, when Farve and the Packers host the Detroit Lions. Before he makes his triumphant exit, Favre seems determined to take the record of all-time passing yards away from Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino.

Surprises are sure to appear from the most unlikely of sources. For fantasy football fans, keep an eye out for Denver Broncos tight end Greg Olsen, a definite sleeper pick. The Broncos will also be using Mike Bell, a young running back who will put up great numbers. Running back Adrian Peterson, the newest addition to the Minnesota Vikings, should also turn some heads this season.

Certain teams may be on the upside as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins are expected to be teams of great promise, boasting second year quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Jason Campbell, respectively.

Although starting 0-2, the St. Louis Rams still hold the top offense in the NFC behind quarterback Marc Bulger and running back Steven Jackson. If the defense gets together, expect great things from them.

The road to Super Bowl XLII will be a memorable one. Teams such as the Colts, San Diego Chargers and Patriots expect nothing less than a trip to Arizona, while contenders such as the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans seek to be counted among the elite. Only one thing can be sure—more Peyton Manning commercials are sure to come.