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Super Bowl News: Tale of the Tape
February 3, 2008
You can hear them on radio call-in shows from coast to coast, read their thoughts in blogs and on public forums all over the web.
Some are paid for their opinions, and some aren't, but they're united in a quest to diminish the work of the 2007 New England Patriots, whether they beat the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII or not.
Even at 19-0, no way should the Patriots be considered the best ever, they say.
The argument has to do with dominance, and with the notion of fear.
During their past 10 games, the Pats have not always been a dominant team. The Eagles (31-28) and Ravens (27-24) - two non-playoff entities - came ever-so- close to ending New England's run at perfection. Four higher-quality opponents - the Colts (24-20), Giants (38-35), Jaguars (31-20), and Chargers (21-12) - had their chances as well.
Many expect the Giants to give New England another competitive game on Super Sunday, at the very least.
Then, there is the element of fear.
No one seems frightened of the '07 Patriots the way they were the '85 Bears, or one of those Steelers or 49ers teams of days gone by.
The New England offense set a number of NFL records in 2007 but also showed some warts in the second half, with attack lynchpins Tom Brady and Randy Moss both looking (gasp!) mortal at times.
The defense is very good and boasts several stars, but you can both move the ball and score points on the Patriots.
Randy Moss and Tom Brady have looked mortal at times during the second half of the season.
I agree with the naysayers - surely New England will go down as the worst 19-0 or 18-1 team in NFL history. And the best. And the only, which is why I have very little time for the haters.
If the Patriots win Super Bowl XLII - whether by three or by 43 - they're the best ever.
Don't give me stats or margins of victory, or tell me that Richard Seymour is no Richard Dent, or spout out any Spygate nonsense, it's all immaterial.
The measure of greatness in competitive athletics is winning. Any number other than wins or losses is incidental, which is why the 1972 Miami Dolphins deserve to be considered the best ever and the 1998 Minnesota Vikings do not.
Now, if the Giants upset the Patriots on Super Sunday, does New England still belong in the discussion of the No. 1 team in NFL history by virtue of its unprecedented 18 wins?
In the discussion, yes, but not before any of the previously mentioned greats that actually won the title.
There is no reasonable proxy for such a situation in recent NFL annals, so I'll use one from another sport with a single-elimination postseason structure.
The 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels were the most talented college basketball team I ever saw, winning their first 34 games (most in decisive fashion) before being upset by Bobby Hurley and Duke in the Final Four.
It's fair to say they were more talented than any of the undefeated UCLA clubs or that '76 Indiana team, but inaccurate to claim that they were better, since the Rebs didn't answer the most important challenge on the scoreboard.
At this stage, however, the Patriots don't look or sound like a team that is too worried about the meaning of 18-1.
New England has experienced a few perceived scares along their playoff road, but has been good enough to this point to flex its muscles when it counts. If the Patriots fail to play a "complete" game by someone else's standards, but still win, you're not going to hear many apologies from Belichick, Brady or anyone else sporting champagne-soaked attire.
And ultimately, no one will be able to crack the "best ever" argument with any credibility. After all, none of the Patriots 19 opponents will have done so.
Below we break down each area of the Patriots and Giants lineups, gauging the advantage of all units and concluding with our overall analysis (stats in parenthesis are from the regular season):
Quarterbacks
One guy's headed to the Hall of Fame, and the other guy's brother is headed to the Hall of Fame. Maybe that's an unfair analysis, but there's no overestimating the fact that Brady (4806 passing yards, 50 TD, 8 INT) will be playing on the Super Bowl stage for the fourth time, and won't be facing as many early jitters as the occasionally skittish Eli Manning (3336 passing yards, 23 TD, 20 INT). Brady's ankle remains something of a concern, but don't count on it impacting the Pro Bowler's play to any great degree.
Advantage: Patriots
Running Backs
New England's Laurence Maroney (835 rushing yards, 6 TD) has been outstanding over the past month-plus, rushing for 550 and seven touchdowns over his last five games. Third-down back Kevin Faulk (265 rushing yards, 47 receptions, 1 TD), meanwhile, basically carried the Patriots' passing game against San Diego in the AFC Championship and will be appearing in his fourth Super Bowl. At the same time, the Giants' duo of Brandon Jacobs (1009 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 6 TD) and rookie Ahmad Bradshaw (190 rushing yards, 1 TD) is arguably more dangerous, since Jacobs is difficult to bring down and Bradshaw has been a terrific change-of-pace back. Call it a draw, due to New England's experience and greater versatility versus the Giants' home run ability.
Advantage: Push
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
No contest here (no matter what Plaxico Burress says), as Randy Moss (98 receptions, 23 TD) and Wes Welker (112 receptions, 8 TD) come off two of the great statistical seasons by receivers in NFL history, and Donte' Stallworth (46 receptions, 3 TD) and Jabar Gaffney (36 receptions, 5 TD) had their moments as well. The Giants' primary group - Burress (70 receptions, 12 TD), Amani Toomer (59 receptions, 3 TD), and rookie Steve Smith (8 receptions) - is scary in its own way but doesn't hold a candle to New England's corps. At tight end, Benjamin Watson (36 receptions, 6 TD) is a better red-zone presence than Giants rookie Kevin Boss (9 receptions, 2 TD), who has nonetheless done a fine job of subbing for the injured Jeremy Shockey.
Advantage: Patriots
Offensive Line
There isn't an area on the Patriots roster that gets less credit than this one, but left tackle Matt Light, left guard Logan Mankins, and center Dan Koppen are three of the best in the business. New England's group is versatile enough to both clear frequent holes for Maroney and protect Brady. The Giants have some strength in their trench unit as well, with center Shaun O'Hara and guard Chris Snee at the front of that line, but right tackle Kareem McKenzie has been an occasional liability and left tackle David Diehl has not fully shed the reputation that he's a natural guard playing out of position.
Advantage: Patriots
Defensive Line
The Giants had the best pass rush in the league thanks to ends Michael Strahan (50 tackles, 9 sacks), Osi Umenyiora (53 tackles, 13 sacks), and Justin Tuck (58 tackles, 10 sacks), though it should be noted that no member of that trio had a sack against the Patriots in Week 17. New York's interior starters, Barry Cofield (41 tackles, 1 sack) and Fred Robbins (43 tackles, 5.5 sacks), have been steady but unspectacular. It's difficult to compare New England's three-man front to New York's four-man group, but the Patriots have not always been dominant up front this year and thus can't receive the check-mark. End Richard Seymour (30 tackles, 1.5 sacks) has had his weakest year as a pro amid injury problems, and Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork (70 tackles, 2 sacks) has made a number of his boldest headlines for dirty play during a season in which the Patriots have ranked near the bottom of the league by allowing 4.4 yards per rush.
Advantage: Giants
Linebackers
Again, no contest. The Patriots' four-man group of current or former Pro Bowlers includes Mike Vrabel (77 tackles, 12.5 sacks) and Adalius Thomas (82 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT) on the outside, Tedy Bruschi (99 tackles, 2 sacks) and Junior Seau (76 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 INT) on the inside. The quartet has combined for seven Super Bowl appearances, and only Seau lacks a ring. The only real star on the Giants' LB group is middle man Antonio Pierce (116 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT). Outside backers Kawika Mitchell (87 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) and Reggie Torbor (29 tackles, 1 sack) are average players.
Advantage: Patriots
Secondary
New England is as deep as its ever been in this area, with Asante Samuel (44 tackles, 6 INT), Ellis Hobbs (63 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT), and Randall Gay (33 tackles, 3 INT) all proven corners and safeties Rodney Harrison (67 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack), James Sanders (73 tackles, 2 INT), and Eugene Wilson (32 tackles, 1 INT) all capable of providing a big play in support. The Giants' group has also been good, especially during the playoffs, but is also capable of sinking the team with a blown coverage or bone-headed penalty. Strong safety Gibril Wilson (96 tackles, 4 INT) is the most reliable player in the defensive backfield for the G-Men, and once-maligned cornerback Corey Webster (16 tackles, 1 INT) has played the best football of his career during this postseason.
Advantage: Patriots
Special Teams
Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes (23-27 FG) and his Patriots counterpart, Stephen Gostkowski (21-24 FG), have both made a few big kicks during their respective careers, but neither team is especially hoping that the game comes down to a field goal. Gostkowski yanked a 35-yarder against the Jaguars in the Divisional Round, and Tynes missed two makeable kicks before drilling a 47-yard game-winner against the Packers. In the punting game, both Chris Hanson (41.4 avg.) and Jeff Feagles are steady but far from elite. New England had a couple of kickoff returns for scores during the regular season, including one for Ellis Hobbs (26.0 avg.) way back in Week 1, and the Giants' Domenik Hixon (24.8 avg., 1 TD) burned New England on a touchdown return in Week 17. Call this matchup a wash, and include both teams' return defense in that equation.
Advantage: Push
Coaching
Bill Belichick hasn't come up short in a Super Bowl situation since 1996, when the then-assistant head coach and secondary coach under Bill Parcells couldn't help dial up a suitable defense of the Packers' Brett Favre (Al Groh was New England's defensive coordinator that year). Since then, he's hardly ever been out-coached. This will be the first Super Bowl for Coughlin, but he's 2-1 head-to-head with Belichick. Both wins came for Coughlin's Jaguars over Belichick's Browns in 1995. Giants coordinators Kevin Gilbride (offense) and Steve Spagnuolo (defense) probably have a slight edge on Pats counterparts Josh McDaniels and Dean Pees, but not enough of one to mitigate New England's advantage in the head chair.
Advantage: Patriots
Overall
Though the Patriots have the edge in a majority of the above categories, it's not a decisive edge on many counts. The Giants proved on Dec. 29 that they have the ability to make this a game, and it is difficult to envision a team that is playing with as much confidence and purpose as is New York to get run off the field in this one. Still, it's even more difficult to visualize the Patriots dejectedly walking off the pitch at University of Phoenix stadium as Coughlin and Manning share smiles and hugs on the awards stage. New England has found a way on 18 consecutive occasions, and will find a way yet again.
February 3, 2008
You can hear them on radio call-in shows from coast to coast, read their thoughts in blogs and on public forums all over the web.
Some are paid for their opinions, and some aren't, but they're united in a quest to diminish the work of the 2007 New England Patriots, whether they beat the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII or not.
Even at 19-0, no way should the Patriots be considered the best ever, they say.
The argument has to do with dominance, and with the notion of fear.
During their past 10 games, the Pats have not always been a dominant team. The Eagles (31-28) and Ravens (27-24) - two non-playoff entities - came ever-so- close to ending New England's run at perfection. Four higher-quality opponents - the Colts (24-20), Giants (38-35), Jaguars (31-20), and Chargers (21-12) - had their chances as well.
Many expect the Giants to give New England another competitive game on Super Sunday, at the very least.
Then, there is the element of fear.
No one seems frightened of the '07 Patriots the way they were the '85 Bears, or one of those Steelers or 49ers teams of days gone by.
The New England offense set a number of NFL records in 2007 but also showed some warts in the second half, with attack lynchpins Tom Brady and Randy Moss both looking (gasp!) mortal at times.
The defense is very good and boasts several stars, but you can both move the ball and score points on the Patriots.
Randy Moss and Tom Brady have looked mortal at times during the second half of the season.
I agree with the naysayers - surely New England will go down as the worst 19-0 or 18-1 team in NFL history. And the best. And the only, which is why I have very little time for the haters.
If the Patriots win Super Bowl XLII - whether by three or by 43 - they're the best ever.
Don't give me stats or margins of victory, or tell me that Richard Seymour is no Richard Dent, or spout out any Spygate nonsense, it's all immaterial.
The measure of greatness in competitive athletics is winning. Any number other than wins or losses is incidental, which is why the 1972 Miami Dolphins deserve to be considered the best ever and the 1998 Minnesota Vikings do not.
Now, if the Giants upset the Patriots on Super Sunday, does New England still belong in the discussion of the No. 1 team in NFL history by virtue of its unprecedented 18 wins?
In the discussion, yes, but not before any of the previously mentioned greats that actually won the title.
There is no reasonable proxy for such a situation in recent NFL annals, so I'll use one from another sport with a single-elimination postseason structure.
The 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels were the most talented college basketball team I ever saw, winning their first 34 games (most in decisive fashion) before being upset by Bobby Hurley and Duke in the Final Four.
It's fair to say they were more talented than any of the undefeated UCLA clubs or that '76 Indiana team, but inaccurate to claim that they were better, since the Rebs didn't answer the most important challenge on the scoreboard.
At this stage, however, the Patriots don't look or sound like a team that is too worried about the meaning of 18-1.
New England has experienced a few perceived scares along their playoff road, but has been good enough to this point to flex its muscles when it counts. If the Patriots fail to play a "complete" game by someone else's standards, but still win, you're not going to hear many apologies from Belichick, Brady or anyone else sporting champagne-soaked attire.
And ultimately, no one will be able to crack the "best ever" argument with any credibility. After all, none of the Patriots 19 opponents will have done so.
Below we break down each area of the Patriots and Giants lineups, gauging the advantage of all units and concluding with our overall analysis (stats in parenthesis are from the regular season):
Quarterbacks
One guy's headed to the Hall of Fame, and the other guy's brother is headed to the Hall of Fame. Maybe that's an unfair analysis, but there's no overestimating the fact that Brady (4806 passing yards, 50 TD, 8 INT) will be playing on the Super Bowl stage for the fourth time, and won't be facing as many early jitters as the occasionally skittish Eli Manning (3336 passing yards, 23 TD, 20 INT). Brady's ankle remains something of a concern, but don't count on it impacting the Pro Bowler's play to any great degree.
Advantage: Patriots
Running Backs
New England's Laurence Maroney (835 rushing yards, 6 TD) has been outstanding over the past month-plus, rushing for 550 and seven touchdowns over his last five games. Third-down back Kevin Faulk (265 rushing yards, 47 receptions, 1 TD), meanwhile, basically carried the Patriots' passing game against San Diego in the AFC Championship and will be appearing in his fourth Super Bowl. At the same time, the Giants' duo of Brandon Jacobs (1009 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 6 TD) and rookie Ahmad Bradshaw (190 rushing yards, 1 TD) is arguably more dangerous, since Jacobs is difficult to bring down and Bradshaw has been a terrific change-of-pace back. Call it a draw, due to New England's experience and greater versatility versus the Giants' home run ability.
Advantage: Push
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
No contest here (no matter what Plaxico Burress says), as Randy Moss (98 receptions, 23 TD) and Wes Welker (112 receptions, 8 TD) come off two of the great statistical seasons by receivers in NFL history, and Donte' Stallworth (46 receptions, 3 TD) and Jabar Gaffney (36 receptions, 5 TD) had their moments as well. The Giants' primary group - Burress (70 receptions, 12 TD), Amani Toomer (59 receptions, 3 TD), and rookie Steve Smith (8 receptions) - is scary in its own way but doesn't hold a candle to New England's corps. At tight end, Benjamin Watson (36 receptions, 6 TD) is a better red-zone presence than Giants rookie Kevin Boss (9 receptions, 2 TD), who has nonetheless done a fine job of subbing for the injured Jeremy Shockey.
Advantage: Patriots
Offensive Line
There isn't an area on the Patriots roster that gets less credit than this one, but left tackle Matt Light, left guard Logan Mankins, and center Dan Koppen are three of the best in the business. New England's group is versatile enough to both clear frequent holes for Maroney and protect Brady. The Giants have some strength in their trench unit as well, with center Shaun O'Hara and guard Chris Snee at the front of that line, but right tackle Kareem McKenzie has been an occasional liability and left tackle David Diehl has not fully shed the reputation that he's a natural guard playing out of position.
Advantage: Patriots
Defensive Line
The Giants had the best pass rush in the league thanks to ends Michael Strahan (50 tackles, 9 sacks), Osi Umenyiora (53 tackles, 13 sacks), and Justin Tuck (58 tackles, 10 sacks), though it should be noted that no member of that trio had a sack against the Patriots in Week 17. New York's interior starters, Barry Cofield (41 tackles, 1 sack) and Fred Robbins (43 tackles, 5.5 sacks), have been steady but unspectacular. It's difficult to compare New England's three-man front to New York's four-man group, but the Patriots have not always been dominant up front this year and thus can't receive the check-mark. End Richard Seymour (30 tackles, 1.5 sacks) has had his weakest year as a pro amid injury problems, and Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork (70 tackles, 2 sacks) has made a number of his boldest headlines for dirty play during a season in which the Patriots have ranked near the bottom of the league by allowing 4.4 yards per rush.
Advantage: Giants
Linebackers
Again, no contest. The Patriots' four-man group of current or former Pro Bowlers includes Mike Vrabel (77 tackles, 12.5 sacks) and Adalius Thomas (82 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT) on the outside, Tedy Bruschi (99 tackles, 2 sacks) and Junior Seau (76 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 INT) on the inside. The quartet has combined for seven Super Bowl appearances, and only Seau lacks a ring. The only real star on the Giants' LB group is middle man Antonio Pierce (116 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT). Outside backers Kawika Mitchell (87 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) and Reggie Torbor (29 tackles, 1 sack) are average players.
Advantage: Patriots
Secondary
New England is as deep as its ever been in this area, with Asante Samuel (44 tackles, 6 INT), Ellis Hobbs (63 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT), and Randall Gay (33 tackles, 3 INT) all proven corners and safeties Rodney Harrison (67 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack), James Sanders (73 tackles, 2 INT), and Eugene Wilson (32 tackles, 1 INT) all capable of providing a big play in support. The Giants' group has also been good, especially during the playoffs, but is also capable of sinking the team with a blown coverage or bone-headed penalty. Strong safety Gibril Wilson (96 tackles, 4 INT) is the most reliable player in the defensive backfield for the G-Men, and once-maligned cornerback Corey Webster (16 tackles, 1 INT) has played the best football of his career during this postseason.
Advantage: Patriots
Special Teams
Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes (23-27 FG) and his Patriots counterpart, Stephen Gostkowski (21-24 FG), have both made a few big kicks during their respective careers, but neither team is especially hoping that the game comes down to a field goal. Gostkowski yanked a 35-yarder against the Jaguars in the Divisional Round, and Tynes missed two makeable kicks before drilling a 47-yard game-winner against the Packers. In the punting game, both Chris Hanson (41.4 avg.) and Jeff Feagles are steady but far from elite. New England had a couple of kickoff returns for scores during the regular season, including one for Ellis Hobbs (26.0 avg.) way back in Week 1, and the Giants' Domenik Hixon (24.8 avg., 1 TD) burned New England on a touchdown return in Week 17. Call this matchup a wash, and include both teams' return defense in that equation.
Advantage: Push
Coaching
Bill Belichick hasn't come up short in a Super Bowl situation since 1996, when the then-assistant head coach and secondary coach under Bill Parcells couldn't help dial up a suitable defense of the Packers' Brett Favre (Al Groh was New England's defensive coordinator that year). Since then, he's hardly ever been out-coached. This will be the first Super Bowl for Coughlin, but he's 2-1 head-to-head with Belichick. Both wins came for Coughlin's Jaguars over Belichick's Browns in 1995. Giants coordinators Kevin Gilbride (offense) and Steve Spagnuolo (defense) probably have a slight edge on Pats counterparts Josh McDaniels and Dean Pees, but not enough of one to mitigate New England's advantage in the head chair.
Advantage: Patriots
Overall
Though the Patriots have the edge in a majority of the above categories, it's not a decisive edge on many counts. The Giants proved on Dec. 29 that they have the ability to make this a game, and it is difficult to envision a team that is playing with as much confidence and purpose as is New York to get run off the field in this one. Still, it's even more difficult to visualize the Patriots dejectedly walking off the pitch at University of Phoenix stadium as Coughlin and Manning share smiles and hugs on the awards stage. New England has found a way on 18 consecutive occasions, and will find a way yet again.
