Who Wants It More? Super Bowl Edition
by Dave Gardner
Dave Gardner looks at the path that took the Giants and Patriots to Super Bowl XLII.
It started all the way back in March, do you remember? Free agency moved along as it always does, with the Patriots barely edging the Bucs by picking three wide receivers to the Bucs’ two quarterbacks, and several offensive linemen getting $17 million in guarantees. Then came the draft, with the slide of Brady Quinn, and the hidden gems of the Giants’ first draft class under general manager Jerry Reese (seven – seven! of them are still playing football for this team including Aaron Ross, Kevin Boss and Ahmad Bradshaw). The OTAs and training camp came and went, and news and rumors began pouring on about quarterback and running back controversies, about the new systems of head coaches, and about the team’s chances for taking home the Lombardi this season.
Finally, when it seemed like it never would, the preseason ended, and week one arrived. Everyone was hopeful for their teams, and everyone had a right to be. While the regular season unites football fans, the playoffs alienate 20 franchises whose teams no longer take the field, and whose fans don’t turn on the television for every game. Then for one night, two billion people gather together to watch one game. Even though a small fraction of the viewers will be Giants or Patriots fans at heart, very many will be kicking and screaming during the game. We’ll cheer because of something greater than hatred for one of the teams; we’ll cheer because this is the end of football until next fall… sure, there’s the Pro Bowl, the AFL, or, dare I even say, the AAFL, but they don’t compare. The Super Bowl is an ambivalent time for us all, so even if it’s not the Super Bowl you had hoped for, and you need a “priceless pep talk” from Peyton Manning, you’ll tune in for the last time until this fall.
Here’s a look at how each team got here, with a little help from Oasis:
All the Roads We Have to Walk are Winding
Coming off an 0-2 start, cynics were wondering about the job security of Tom Coughlin, and even of Eli Manning. They said of the former that he was too tough, and that he wasn’t a “player’s coach.” They said of the latter that he was too inaccurate, that he wasn’t a natural leader, and that his play was too erratic. During the season, the Giants continued to be an up-and-down football club, but three things changed for them, that made them great:
1. Ahmad Bradshaw and Eli Manning emerge. Bradshaw has been key to the Giants’ success at the end of the season and into the postseason. On fewer than 30 carries in the regular season, he averaged over 8 ypc; while in the postseason, he’s only accomplished half of that number, he has been the perfect change-of-pace back for Brandon Jacobs, and has been a home run threat on every play. For Manning, it seems like confidence is brimming off of him more and more after every game, although it’s hard to tell. He has most certainly been spectacular in the playoffs, and, having lived and played in the shadow of his older brother, it seems like he might even deserve it.
2. Steve Spagnuolo gets his system together. The Giants defense was terrific at pressuring opposing quarterbacks during the regular season — and that is exactly why he was hired. The defense also gave up a lot of points during the regular season, and that is not exactly what the Giants were looking for when they hired him. Now, while avoiding the pressure to look at head coaching jobs, Spagnuolo has been putting together remarkable game plans. He changes the defensive look on almost every down (completely changes it) and, with some of the best defensive line talent in the league, has been able to get pressure on the passers, and create turnovers.
3. Jeremy Shockey gets injured. Shockey is an amazing talent, but he is also a terrible personality. Commentators like to call it a “love” or a “passion” for football, but the man was a distraction for his team. He, like Tiki Barber last season, was taking away the ability for Eli Manning to become a leader. His soft hands may have been missed, but Kevin Boss has filled in more-than-admirably, and also is a better blocker than Shockey. Addition by subtraction really works sometimes; this is a guy who might not even go to the Super Bowl to support his team, because he can’t play. However, he will, according to rumors, be attending T.O.’s after-party.
The Giants face a daunting task in this game, and some writers want to compare their possible victory to the Jets upsetting the Colts in Super Bowl III, but don’t discount the Giants’ ability to overcome adversity and at least make it interesting for four quarters.
And all the Lights that Lead the Way are Blinding
The Patriots are certainly no surprise in this game. Under the Brady/Belichick era, they have to be counted among contenders in every single season. What’s surprising is that they haven’t lost a game yet, and, with another win, they’ll be just two short of their previous record of 21-consecutive victories. The Patriots are a veteran, disciplined football team, who excel in covering up their very few weakness, by constantly attacking in their areas of strength. One of the reasons that they’re able to do this is because Belichick is not only the greatest game-planning coach in the game, he’s also the best at making halftime adjustments. Besides a great coach and a great quarterback, here are three reasons the Patriots are in the Super Bowl again:
1. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Donte Stallworth. It’s one thing if you have a really good quarterback, it’s another thing if you give him really good weapons with which to work. Brady proved this season that he wasn’t just the guy who put up average numbers during the regular season and then blew up in the postseason. No, he’s that guy that’s just as much of a big-play quarterback as Peyton Manning. Randy Moss broke the touchdown receptions record this season, but it was when he drew double and even triple coverage, that he left the rest of the field open for Stallworth or Gaffney. Wes Welker is simply the best zone breaker in the NFL, and he’s great after the catch as well.
2. Josh McDaniels gets his system together. After meeting with Urban Meyer during the offseason — and after acquiring the talented bunch mentioned above — Belichick decided that he’d like to try spreading out his offense. Josh McDaniels, the 31-year-old offensive coordinator, who struggle with play calling during his first couple of seasons on the job, has really found his rhythm, and that led the league’s highest scoring offense of all time. He, like Steve Spagnuolo, is also avoiding listening to the head coaching calls around him. Won’t be interesting to see which one of the young minds puts together a better game plan? Will it affect his chances at landing one of the head coaching jobs?
3. Junior Seau. The Chargers thought that Seau was washed up five years ago… five! He announced his retirement before the season began, but that was before he knew that the Patriots would come looking for him. The Patriots linebackers are old, yes, but they are still playing exceptional football. Everyone thought at the beginning of the season that Adalius Thomas was going to be the key linebacker acquisition of the Pats; he didn’t even have his own booth on media day. Also, Seau has never won a Super Bowl, don’t you think he’ll be motivated come Sunday?
The Patriots have the personnel and the desire to win this game. They say they don’t think about their place in history, but they do consider in the back of their minds before every game, probably starting after they beat the Colts. They want to be known as not only the best single-season great team, but also the greatest dynasty of all-time (which would probably have to include another Super Bowl run). They don’t need any more motivation, yet the Giants are giving it to them, by predicting their own victory. Are they pulling a Joe Namath or an Anthony Smith?
I Don’t Believe that Anybody Feels the Way I do About You Now
This matchup seems to favor the Patriots in every category, from the X’s and O’s to the front office personnel. But hasn’t it been that way so far in at least two out of three of the Giants’ playoff victories? Tom Brady will be himself, and it’s hard to imagine that Randy Moss won’t pull down a few more passes than he has so far in the postseason, but the Giants defense has the potential to pressure him when it matters. Eli Manning will continue to look like he doesn’t care, while leading his team to one of the greatest upsets of all time, 34-31… Giants. (Seriously.)
Next Week: I’ll deny I ever wrote this column.