Earlier this week, Giants receiver Plaxico Burress predicted that his team will beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII by the score of 23-17.

On Wednesday, Pats quarterback Tom Brady responded.

“We’re only going to score 17 points?” Brady said, laughing.  “OK.  Is Plax playing defense?  I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for more points.”

But Brady didn’t respond with any guarantees or predictions of his own.  “I learned a lesson early in my career:  No matter what you say during the week — and God knows we say a lot this week — we’re going to be focused on going out and winning this game.  We’re confident, but I don’t think we share our thoughts with everybody.”

Exactly.  Nothing is gained by possibly getting the other team riled up.  And we know the Pats are capable of getting riled up.  Remember how Brady jawed at Steelers safety Anthony Smith during their December 9 game, which was preceded by a stupid-ass guarantee from Smith that Pittsburgh would win?

Brady knows to be low key for now.  Come Sunday, he and the rest of the Pats will be anything but.