Books get matchup they can bank on

With the stage set for heroes to emerge, Eli Manning came the closest to resembling one. Manning again proved he's an elite quarterback by guiding the New York Giants to another Super Bowl.

But a few goats almost stole the show Sunday. One was a kicker, one was a punt returner and the other was a horrific singing freak.

The last game of this NFL season, set for Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, will be easier on the eyes and ears because the Baltimore Ravens won't be there, and neither will Steven Tyler.

What we have is a game worthy of two weeks of hype, with Tom Brady and the favored New England Patriots out for revenge against Manning and the Giants. The wagering handle will be strong, the proposition bets will be plentiful and the game should provide drama.

"It's much easier to make props on the Patriots," said Jimmy Vaccaro, director of operations for Lucky's sports books. "The Giants are a marquee team."

And that's what this super betting event is all about -- hundreds of props and teams that intrigue the public.

Tyler, who should be impeached as an "American Idol" judge, set the tone for a sloppy AFC Championship Game with an amateurish, screaming rendition of the national anthem. It certainly did not inspire Brady, who made a bunch of questionable throws, two that were intercepted.

The Patriots lost the turnover count but still survived and advanced, because the Ravens wrecked their own chances. Lee Evans let touchdown pass get swatted from his hands and Billy Cundiff hurried a 32-yard field goal that he choke-hooked with 11 seconds left.

You could sense the sigh of relief in Las Vegas sports books after New England's 23-20 victory ensured a quality Super Bowl.

"When we got the Patriots in there, I don't think it mattered who won in the NFC," LVH sports book director Jay Kornegay said. "It was going to be an appealing matchup as long as we got the Ravens out of there. The Ravens were the worst-case scenario. Going into the day, three of the four teams were popular teams."

Baltimore was the unpopular option. But I'll give respect to the Ravens, who covered as 7-point underdogs and rewarded the sharp money. Joe Flacco turned into Johnny Unitas and outplayed Brady, who looked strangely ordinary against a fast, physical defense.

"I sucked pretty bad," Brady admitted in a postgame interview. "I've got a chance to redeem myself."

Who knows if Brady truly wanted the Giants to win the NFC title game, but if he wants total redemption, this is his chance. In 2008, the perfect Patriots were stunned in the Super Bowl by the Giants, who opened as 13½-point underdogs. The line closed at 12. The Giants won 17-14, thanks to Manning's heroics, and the Patriots finished 18-1.

The Giants also won this season's first meeting in New England, so this is deja vu, and where to set the Super Bowl line was up for debate. The total moved from 53½ to as high as 55½.

Some oddsmakers suggested a point spread of 4 or 4½, but most books opened the Patriots minus-3½. Kornegay dropped it a half-point, partly because of a leg injury to Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is expected to play after some extra time to recover.

"We liked it lower than some of the numbers we heard," Kornegay said. "I make it 3. I don't think New England is anything special. Give me 4 right now. I'll take the Giants.

"Gronkowski is New England's biggest weapon, and he's not likely to be 100 percent, so that's going to make a difference. The health of Gronkowski is going to be a big story."

Manning is another story. He completed 32 of 58 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants' 20-17 overtime victory in San Francisco, where it rained throughout the game and eventually poured on the 49ers' Kyle Williams, who fumbled two punts.

Williams' last fumble doomed his team and led to Lawrence Tynes' 31-yard game-winning field goal for New York, which closed as a 2-point underdog and attracted a majority of the money-line bets.

"We needed the Niners for a decent day," MGM Resorts sports book director Jay Rood said. "It's going to be a losing day for us."

It was an especially bad day for the Harbaugh coaching brothers. Jim and the 49ers were ousted in overtime, after John and the Ravens failed to get to overtime.

"The Harbaughs are going to be together for the Super Bowl," Kornegay said. "It's just not going to be in Indianapolis."

The state's sports books have reported a win 15 times in the past 16 years, with the only recent Super Bowl loss in 2008. That, of course, was the Giants' upset of the Patriots.

Brady and Manning are back. The goats are gone. The books will take their chances with this matchup, which is about as good as it gets.

Contact sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts the "Las Vegas Sportsline" weeknights at midnight on KDWN-AM (720) and thelasvegassportsline.com.