Covenant of the Gridiron 1.28.08: Superbowl XLII Preview

Posted by Derek Robbins on 01.28.2008

The NFL will draw to a conclusion next week, but who is going to come out on top of the biggest game of the year? 411's Derek Robbins breaks it down for you.

Hello and welcome to this week's covenant of the Gridiron: Super Bowl Preview edition!

I don't have much to hit on – other than the Royal Rumble being tonight, but by the time this is published it'll already be over – so let's get a crackin'!

Super Bowl Preview

New York Giants

The New York Giants entered this year with a whole lot of questions being asked about them. Namely, was Tom Coughlin the right man for the job? At the beginning of the year, the Giants had offered Coughlin a one-year contract extension (That runs out at the end of the year). This was pretty much do or die for Tom, as if he didn't at least push the Giants to greatness in January…he'd be done for. With young Eli Manning, a quarterback a lot of people were questioning at the helm, very few people thought that Coughlin would be coaching the Giants in the 2009-2010 season. Of course, the start of the season only prolonged that type of thinking.

On the very first game of the season, New York took on division rival and NFC favorite Dallas. They put on a pretty good game, but…the Giants ended up losing 45-35. Through this lot, many a pundit were questioning the Giants defense. Were they good enough to even make noise in the ‘weak' NFC? Well, it appears as though the speculation was correct when the Green Bay Packers – who at the time nobody knew would be as good as they turned out to be – lashed out on the Giants in the Meadowlands 35-13. Now the question: "Will Coughlin last the entire season?" popped up. After all, history doesn't look fondly on teams who lose their first two games, but…nobody could really predict what was coming next.

The New York Giants turned their season around by knocking out the then-un-defeated Washington Redskins in Washington 24-17. You could make a case that this pumped the team up and made them forget about the previous two weeks, as they proceeded to win in each of their next five games. (Against Philly, The Jets, San Fran, Miami, and Atlanta) The Giants were hot, but they weren't exactly playing the best teams week in and week out. So, they had something to prove. They needed a win against a big team, and as it was planned out…the Giants would play the Cowboys in New York after their bye week. Now with the Giants sitting at 6-2, were they different than the team that was beat in week 1? Could they un-seat the mighty Cowboys?

In another close-knot game the Cowboys beat the Giants yet again. Their defense had been much better since the first two games of the year, so that was no longer a question. The question remained: Could they beat a good team? And with that week, they had STILL yet to net a big one. Next week, though…they got their second win against a team with a winning record all season in beating the surprising 6-3 Lions. The game was in Detroit, and you could view it as a pretty major win, because of that fact. This was BEFORE the Lions started collapsing, so a lot of people thought this was a big deal. Of course, any momentum they had was promptly killed…
The very next week, the Minnesota Vikings came into New York and STOMPED on the Giants 41-17. This was DESPITE the fact that New York actually out-gained Minnesota. Why did this happen? Minnesota's defense was flat-out dominant and forced Eli to turn the ball over four times and also have a completion percentage lower than fifty. This is when the media suddenly turned on Big Blue yet again. Would they make the playoffs? Was the defense good enough? (Though it wasn't their fault they were crushed)? Is Eli really the future? Going into the fourth quarter next week against Chicago, it appeared as though those same questions were going to be running through our heads, but New York mounted a 14-point quarter and squeaked by the Bears. Eli was once again sub-par, but he DID win the game, and for the time being…the critics were silenced.

The following week, the Giants beat a struggling Philadelphia team yet again, and they were ready for their rematch against a rather disappointing Washington team. Remember how New York turned its season around against Washington? Well, Washington did the same thing here, stunning the Giants on their home turf. This inevitably led to the Redskins making it to the playoffs. Luckily for New York, they didn't suffer another loss (they seemed to be alternating a lot at this point) the following week as they beat the Bills who had impressed in recent weeks. At this point, the Giants were 10-5. They were certainly in the playoffs, but what set them apart from the rest of the pack? Many people had them pegged as the WORST (or second worst, depending on who you asked) of all the playoff teams. On the final week of the regular season, New England rolled into town, and this would be New York's last chance to prepare for the playoffs. Would they be the same ol', same ol' Giants team that doesn't do anything in the postseason? This following game meant a lot to the Giants, and you could tell…most teams would have rested their stars, but the Giants elected to play them. They wanted to end New England's perfect season. They wanted to give themselves a spark.

In the fourth quarter of that game, the Giants had a lead. That's right, the Giants had the Patriots down in the fourth quarter. Of course, the Patriots were un-defeated for a reason and they managed to rally for a win, but…the fact remains that the Giants kept up with them, played them well, and only lost by four points. Though New England hadn't been playing as well in recent weeks, a lot of folks figured this game would be a complete blowout. It wasn't. It was a close game with some SUPERB quarterbacking by Eli Manning. This rejuvenated Eli's belief, the fans' belief, and most importantly…the team's belief. I believe this game turned it around for New York. If they had not played New England this well, I think they'd have lost in Dallas. This faith pushed them over into the post-season.

New York Giants in the Post-season

The Giants were matched up against a Bucs team that had rested a lot of their starters in the weeks leading up to the big game. For the most part, the consensus was that the Buccaneers were a better team and that the Giants would be making an early post-season exit. The problem was, the Giants didn't believe that. After suffering an abysmal first quarter, the Giants bounced back and were led sublimely by Eli Manning. I firmly believe that in this game, he played his best football as it seemed like he was putting together drive after drive. Of course, it wasn't all Eli. The defense was absolutely stifling as they forced Tampa to turn the ball over three times and kept the Bucs running game to below 100 yards. At this point, a lot of people were crediting Tampa Bay's lack of preparation with New York's victory, and not crediting the Giants themselves. With the Cowboys looming, it appeared as though the post-season was coming to an end for Big Blue.

The Cowboys had beaten the Giants twice on the year and had indicted the ONLY road loss the Giants suffered all year. They couldn't possibly win, right? Though the stat sheet appears to favor the Cowboys, the Giants pulled off an amazing upset. Eli wasn't quite as sharp as he was the week before, but nobody was particularly on the ball today. The referees appeared to be blowing a whistle after every snap and it disrupted the game. What could have been a great game was potentially ruined. That said, a true sign of greatness is the ability to over-come the odds. While the Cowboys could not overcome the jumpy referees, the Giants were able to…and despite a marginal statistical difference, the Giants won the game. At this point, Tom Coughlin's job was probably safe. Nobody expected New York to come into Green Bay and rob Brett Favre of a potential last run in the sun. Though the last few weeks, New York always seemed to over-come the odds? Could it possibly happen again, against a living legend.

The very next week in Lambeau Field, the exact opposite of the week prior appeared to be taking place. The Giants were dominating the stat sheet, but…the game was all tied up at 20 a piece, and the Packers were getting the ball first in over-time. In NFL history, the first team to get the ball in over-time almost always wins. It's simple. This wasn't the case in the NFC championship as the Giants defense, who had been stellar all day long keeping Green Bay to under 30 (yes. THIRTY) rushing yards, intercepted Favre deep enough in Packers territory where the rest of the game seemed like a cinch. Though earlier in the game Lawrence Tynes missed two "chip-ins", he nailed one from 47 yards out to win it for the Giants. Offensively and defensively, the Giants were dominant in this game. Some could make the argument that the Giants didn't outplay the Cowboys, but…in this game, there was no denying it. The Giants outplayed the Packers and they had earner their spot in the Super Bowl.

Despite everyone doubting them, they made it to the big game. The Giants are pretty balanced team this year with no glaring weaknesses. Some could have questioned their quarterback going into the playoffs, but in recent weeks…I think Eli has lifted a lot of those questions off of his back. The Giants go into Super Sunday next week looking to avenge their week 17 loss and do something nobody else has all season long. That is: Beat the New England Patriots.

- Eli has earned that C on his jersey.

New England Patriots

Going into this season, the Patriots were one of the favorites to make it to the end. Even though the defending Super Bowl champions were still a formidable team, the Patriots were considered the team to beat. This can be attributed mainly to the signing of Randy Moss by the Patriots. Many have witnessed what Tom Brady can do without a go-to receiver, so now that New England had wrapped up Moss…could the Patriots take that next leap? Could they ascend from a great team to a truly legendary team?

In the very first week of the season, the Patriots played the Jets. Though the first half of the game was close, the Patriots blew out the Jets in the second half winning 38-14. Normally, this game wouldn't be worth a note, but something that affected the Patriots the entire season long occurred in this game. Spy-gate. The Jets had caught a cameraman taping their defensive coordinator, and this had gotten the Patriots in trouble. Bill Belichick would be fined 500,000 dollars and the Patriots would lose a 1st round pick (and two more if they didn't make the post-season). Through this scandal, it seemed everybody was doubting them. Could the ‘dynasty' that was the New England Patriots fall? Were they cheating this whole time? A lot was to be answered as the Patriots were set to play against a San Diego team many had winning the Super Bowl this year. If they could beat them without ‘cheating', perhaps they were legit afterall?

What followed…well, to call it a game would be kind. The Patriots rolled all over the Chargers with a final score of 38-14. Teddy Bruschi would say this win was the most gratifying one he has had outside of the Super Bowl victories. They had proven them wrong, but this would establish a trend. The Patriots were ticked off, and the league would surely pay for it. From then on, every single victory they had was by 20 or more points – and this included a rout of Dallas IN Dallas – and statistically the Patriots were rolling. Tom Brady was throwing touchdown after touchdown, Randy Moss was catching touchdown after touchdown, and things were starting to look legendary. At around this time, people started to ask: "Could this team go un-defeated?" Well, given how no team in the league could match up to them, it wasn't un-reasonable to ask. One huge hurdle sat in front of them though.

Over the past few years, the Patriots and Colts had established somewhat of a rivalry. Whenever a big game was to be played in the AFC – regular or post-season – you could figure that the Colts and Patriots were involved in some fashion. Really, since they played each other twice a year almost every year, it almost came to be like they were from the same division. This game featured something new for the Patriots. Yes, for most of the game, they were trailing. A matter of fact, Indianapolis scored a touchdown with nine minutes and forty-two seconds left to go that put them ahead 20-10. Then, the Patriots seemed to turn it on. They rallied for fourteen points (Two Brady TD passes) and put away the ex-champs. This was a battle of un-defeated teams on the ex-champion's home turf, so this win many people felt was the signifier that New England would go all the way.

After drumming the Bills 56-10 and edging out Philadelphia the very next week, the Patriots were locked in a game that by all means should have been a blow out, but as it turns out…was anything but. Thanks to some penalties and the Ravens out-right blowing the game, the Patriots managed to come from 7 points down in the fourth quarter and pull out a lead with forty-four seconds remaining. Though a lot of the Ravens complained about the officiating, through an un-biased observers eyes…the Ravens were too giddy, and thus…couldn't put away the favorites. New England is perfect for a reason, and this was simply a case of the better team pulling it together in the last second and winning it. Kudos to the Ravens for playing as well as they did, but…the Patriots were the best team in football, and they found a way to win, that's really all there is to it. After almost losing to a team like Baltimore, could New England really be perfect?

The following few weeks were like a microcosm of the Patriots season. They either blew a team out (Pittsburgh, Miami) or edged out a win in a tightly contested contest (Jets, Giants). Whatever the circumstance though, the Patriots managed to win…and they managed to do so in record fashion. Tom Brady broke the single season touchdown record, Randy Moss broke the single season reception record, the Patriots as a team had the most points scored of any team, and oh yeah, they also were the first team to have a 16-0 regular season. As the playoffs drew close, they were the prohibitive favorites.

New England in the Playoffs

The Jacksonville Jaguars were a team that was under-estimated all year long. Finally, they were getting some due respect, and they felt they could be the team that knocks off New England. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, Tom Brady brought his A-game as he completed 93% of his passes – the most in playoff history – and led the Patriots to a 31-20 victory. Not only this, but New England (specifically Laurence Maroney) was able to run the ball very well. Jacksonville, a normally proficient running team, wasn't even able to muster up 100 rushing yards. So on all sides, the Patriots fought well against their rival and improved their record to 17-0. Their next opponent was figured to be the Indianapolis Colts, but thanks to the tenacious play of their opponents, the Chargers made it in instead. The days leading up to the game, the Chargers were full of talk, but could their talk actually befuddle the flawless Patriots?

Against an injured Chargers team, Tom Brady was not at his best, but it didn't matter. The defense came to play and prevented San Diego from getting the ball in the end-zone. While the Chargers were able to put up good offensive numbers, the Patriots were able to stop them from scoring touchdowns which is more important. On top of their defensive plays, Laurence Maroney once again had a 100 yard rushing day and is slowly proving that he is the man in New England. One could argue that Maroney has been the most valuable Patriot this post-season. While the Chargers played a good game, their fate inevitably was the same. They lost, and the Patriots improved to 18-0.

Now the Patriots set their sights on the forty-second Super Bowl, where they can officially etch their names among the greatest teams in history. If they win, they could legitimately make a claim to being the greatest team ever, but…it's best not to look ahead. They have to face a Giants team that believes strongly in themselves, and sometimes…that is the key to victory. Will New England become 19-0? Is Tom Brady the next Joe Montana? We'll have to wait a few more days to find out.

- Maroney (39) could be the MVP of the Playoff Patriots. Who saw that coming?

Super Bowl XLII

Finally, the moment we've been waiting for all season. The AFC champions versus the NFC champions. While not many figured the Giants would be here, it's hard to argue against them at this point. They deserve their place in Arizona. The Patriots, on the other hand, were expected to make it this far…but can they close the deal? Or will this be one giant choke job?

Looking at the teams, it appears as though New England has every possible advantage. Offensively they're superior, defensively they're superior, and even on special teams they have the advantage. The seasonal stats seem to back it. Then again, one look at their record would tell you the Patriots are the best team in football. That said, I find it difficult to count the Giants short. Ever since the playoffs began, they have been playing with a fire. Every time they look like they're going down, they get right back up. Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Brandon Jacobs…they've led this team to this point, and right now they believe they can win it.

Picking the game is tough, but…it just seems extremely unlikely that New England is going to lose here. They've gone 18-0 so far, and the team just seems determined to go the distance. That said, expect the Giants to give them everything they've got just like in the last game of the regular season. This has the makings of a game that will be settled in the final two minutes…and to be honest, when it comes to the final minutes of a game, it's hard to choose against New England. As much as I would love to see the Giants come out on top, I just don't see it happening.

So write it down. The Patriots by three points in Super Bowl XLII.

Til' the Crossroads