Replace the bitter cold with warm sunshine. Board a plane and turn the clocks back three hours. The stage is set. A team that is trying to prove they are champions, not cheaters, are one victory away from having the most glorious season in the history of the game. A quiet four-year quarterback is trying to emerge from the shadows of his superstar older brother. This Sunday's game in Arizona is about more than a ring.
Super Bowl XLII is about redemption.
Week 17 was the rehearsal for the big show. Giants head coach, Tom Coughlin, played all of his starters and lost to the Patriots by a mere three points, 38-35. The Giants proved that the Patriots are a beatable team and that the game is still fresh on their minds. During that game Eli Manning threw four touchdown passes, which is the most any quarterback this season has thrown against Tedy Bruschi and company.
The 18-0 Patriots are being described by some as an underdog, but I would describe them more as the least popular favorite. Polls show that people really want to see them not just lose, but get crushed. During the early part of the season “Spygate” (when the Patriots were caught recording the Jets defensive signals, costing them their first round draft pick and $50,000 out of Belichick's pocket) resulted in the world questioning the validity of the Patriot's previous three Super Bowl championship seasons. After public humiliation, the team wants their undeniable success in 2007 to force the world to forget “Spygate”.
Currently Gibbs and Belichick are tied with three Super Bowl championships and a win would put Belichick in an elite coaching class. Look for Belichick's game plan to be the same as it has been during the entire season: relentless.
Brady has already established himself as one of the best quarterbacks the National Football League has ever seen; there is no denying that. Brady makes setting an NFL single season record of 50 touchdowns and leading a team to a perfect season look effortless. With a win, he will be the third quarterback to win four Super Bowls, joining Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw. Brady, and 20 of his teammates, have been to the Super Bowl before.
Is a perfect regular season meaningless without a ring to take home? Most would say it's an amazing accomplishment, but could become forgettable without the trophy and ring. This post-season Brady played his worst game against the San Diego Chargers, throwing three interceptions. He has only connected with Randy Moss on two passes for 32 yards, resulting in no touchdowns in the playoffs. I compare Moss to the Giants' Plaxico Burress, since both are not scared to use their size to make remarkable plays. Look for both teams to cover both of these wide outs with double teams.
If the Giants choose to gang up on Moss then Patriot's running back Laurence Maroney and wide receivers Dante Stallworth and Wes Welker are going to be used frequently. The player who could make his case and literally run his way to the MVP award is Maroney Maroney has over 50 touches with two touchdowns and nearly 300 yards rushing this postseason. The Giants are going to have to focus on finding a way to contain the run.
The Giants are fully capable with their offense and defense to beat the Patriots. They'll have to get in Brady's face, forcing him out of the pocket in hope of him making consistent mistakes. Future Hall-of-Famer Michael Strahan will have a big role in taking on pretty boy Brady. The Giants led the NFL with 53 sacks, so they are fully capable of getting to the quarterback.
In week 17 the Giants got eight hits on him and a sack, yet New England was still victorious. It's necessary for the Giants defense to keep Tom Brady on his toes and not give him enough time to read their plays.
The Giants have been playing decent football lately, winning the past 10 road games. Two of the three Super Bowl wins the Patriots have had started 0-2 and resulted in a Super Bowl win, just like this year's Giants are hoping to do.
Manning has been criticized for his careless passes and set records for most incomplete passes, 34, against the Redskins this season. This postseason Manning has yet to throw a single interception and has been making solid passes. Manning's performance this post-season has impressed me more than Brady's.
Regardless of the outcome of Super Bowl XLII, this season has proved to be more than a game; it's about playing for a cause. Each game reflected a step in a journey to express a deeper meaning about life - victories and defeats. Whether it was about character flaws- cheating or poor leadership, the murder of Sean Taylor, the life-threatening injury and miraculous recovery of Kevin Everett, the conviction of Michael Vick- the game of football took on a new meaning in 2007 where a locker room became a family and football was just a game.
| 