The Cobra
02-02-2012, 02:05 PM
As per TSN
Four years after the New York Giants brought an abrupt end to the New England Patriots nearly perfect season, the two teams are preparing to do battle with the Lombardi Trophy once again on the line.
The biggest winner of Super Bowl week so far may be retired NFLer and former Giant David Tyree, whose against-the-helmet catch during the Giants' game-winning drive at Super Bowl XLII will be on constant loop this week.
The Giants' comeback victory over Patriots in 2007, aided by Tyree, marked the seventh time the Giants earned the right to be called Super Bowl champions and their first title since 1990.
New York's trip to this year's Super Bowl mirrors their playoff run from four years ago as they emerged from Wild Card weekend with enough momentum to propel themselves into the big game. Victories over the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers not only punched their ticket to Indianapolis, but it also galvanized the team along the way.
Eli Manning has proven he is indeed one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, and his receiving corps is as deep as they come with Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham moving the ball downfield.
The Giants defence has also returned to its 2007 form, with Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason-Pierre Paul leading a rejuvenated defensive line that is as healthy as it's been all season. Their goal will be to disrupt Tom Brady and the Patriots pass-heavy attack.
As Brady goes, so does the Patriots offence.
Brady is coming off an outstanding campaign, in which he broke Dan Marino's single season passing record, only to finish behind Drew Brees in passing yards this year.
His main weapon, tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to play on Sunday despite a reported high ankle sprain, which he sufferred in the Conference Championships when New England narrowly defeat the Baltimore Ravens.
Brady has enjoyed success most of his career, but prior to this year's post-season, Brady had yet to win a playoff game since falling to the Giants in 2007.
The Patriots passer began his NFL career with 10 straight playoff victories, during which time he threw for 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions and helped bring three Super Bowl titles to New England. However, since that time, Brady's post-season record has dipped to a much more pedestrian 6-5, with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Yet it is difficult to go against the duo of Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, who have the most post-season wins by any quarterback and head coach tandem in league history with 16.
Belichick has been working to improve his often porous defence for most of the season and things may have finally clicked in January when the Patriots defenders put together two of their best outings of the year against the Denver Broncos and the Ravens.
While early season results count for nothing at this time of year, this is the second time the Patriots and Giants take the field against each other this season. The Giants came away with a 24-20 victory in New England in early November, without the help of a miracle against the helmet catch.
The hype is in place and now all that is left to be done is play the game.
Four years after the New York Giants brought an abrupt end to the New England Patriots nearly perfect season, the two teams are preparing to do battle with the Lombardi Trophy once again on the line.
The biggest winner of Super Bowl week so far may be retired NFLer and former Giant David Tyree, whose against-the-helmet catch during the Giants' game-winning drive at Super Bowl XLII will be on constant loop this week.
The Giants' comeback victory over Patriots in 2007, aided by Tyree, marked the seventh time the Giants earned the right to be called Super Bowl champions and their first title since 1990.
New York's trip to this year's Super Bowl mirrors their playoff run from four years ago as they emerged from Wild Card weekend with enough momentum to propel themselves into the big game. Victories over the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers not only punched their ticket to Indianapolis, but it also galvanized the team along the way.
Eli Manning has proven he is indeed one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, and his receiving corps is as deep as they come with Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham moving the ball downfield.
The Giants defence has also returned to its 2007 form, with Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason-Pierre Paul leading a rejuvenated defensive line that is as healthy as it's been all season. Their goal will be to disrupt Tom Brady and the Patriots pass-heavy attack.
As Brady goes, so does the Patriots offence.
Brady is coming off an outstanding campaign, in which he broke Dan Marino's single season passing record, only to finish behind Drew Brees in passing yards this year.
His main weapon, tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to play on Sunday despite a reported high ankle sprain, which he sufferred in the Conference Championships when New England narrowly defeat the Baltimore Ravens.
Brady has enjoyed success most of his career, but prior to this year's post-season, Brady had yet to win a playoff game since falling to the Giants in 2007.
The Patriots passer began his NFL career with 10 straight playoff victories, during which time he threw for 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions and helped bring three Super Bowl titles to New England. However, since that time, Brady's post-season record has dipped to a much more pedestrian 6-5, with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Yet it is difficult to go against the duo of Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, who have the most post-season wins by any quarterback and head coach tandem in league history with 16.
Belichick has been working to improve his often porous defence for most of the season and things may have finally clicked in January when the Patriots defenders put together two of their best outings of the year against the Denver Broncos and the Ravens.
While early season results count for nothing at this time of year, this is the second time the Patriots and Giants take the field against each other this season. The Giants came away with a 24-20 victory in New England in early November, without the help of a miracle against the helmet catch.
The hype is in place and now all that is left to be done is play the game.