Super Bowl XLII Preview

(My Sportsbook) - The New England Patriots stand 60 minutes from the first 19-0 season in NFL history, with the New York Giants, their Super Bowl XLII counterpart, seeking to ruin that run at perfection with a monumental upset on Sunday.

University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ will be the site of the conflict, which takes place roughly five weeks after the Patriots and Giants engaged in a memorable affair at the Meadowlands in Week 17 of the regular season.

New York took New England to the wire in that contest, building a double-digit second-half lead before falling, 38-35. The result made the Patriots the first team to finish 16-0 since the NFL schedule was expanded in 1978, and Bill Belichick's squad also became the first to achieve perfection in a regular campaign since the 1972 Miami Dolphins went 14-0 en route to a Super Bowl title.

The '72 Dolphins remain the only team in league annals to finish unbeaten and untied through the postseason.

Sunday will mark the second time two teams that squared off in the last game of the regular season will engage in a Super Bowl rematch. The Cowboys' 27-10 win over the Broncos in Super Bowl XII came less than a month after Dallas had downed Denver, 14-6, on the final week of the 1977 regular season.

In addition to achieving perfection, the Patriots can also enhance one of the NFL's foremost dynasties with a victory.

After winning Super Bowls following the 2001, 2003, and 2004 season, the Pats can become just the second team in NFL history to win four titles in a seven- year span. The Pittsburgh Steelers (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979), who won four world championships in six years, are the only other club to pull off the feat.

The Steelers and 49ers (1981, 1989, 1988, 1989) are currently the only franchises to win four Super Bowl titles in a single decade, another exclusive club New England could join with a victory.

The Patriots (3-2 in Super Bowls) will make their sixth Super Sunday appearance, a mark that trails only that of Dallas (8), and is tied with Pittsburgh (6) and Denver (6) for the most all-time.

While the game is viewed by some as being the final and inevitable step toward New England's coronation, a red-hot Giants team figures to have a little something to say about that.

New York is in the Super Bowl for the first time in seven years thanks to consecutive playoff road wins over the Buccaneers (24-14), Cowboys (21-17), and Packers (23-20 in overtime), and the Giants' 10 wins away from home in 2007 are an NFL record.

Tom Coughlin's squad can become just the second team to hoist the Lombardi Trophy following four straight playoff wins away from their home facility, joining the 2005 Steelers.

At the same time, the Giants (10-6 in the regular season) are the first six- loss team to reach a Super Bowl since the 1988 San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals after finishing 10-6 that year.

New York, which went 3-5 at home this season, is the first of 84 Super Bowl participants to reach the game's ultimate stage after finishing with a losing mark on its home field.

The G-Men are 2-1 in Super Bowls, beating the Broncos (39-20) and Bills (20-19) following the 1986 and 1990 seasons, respectively, and falling to the Ravens (34-7) to close out the 2000 campaign.

SERIES HISTORY

The Patriots have a 5-3 edge in their all-time series with the Giants, and have won four straight since New York took down New England by a 13-10 count at Foxboro Stadium in 1990. As mentioned, New England was a 38-35 road winner when the teams last met, in Week 17.

The Patriots and Giants also met in the 2007 preseason, with New England taking a 27-20 decision at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 30.

Belichick, who served as an assistant coach with the Giants from 1979 through 1990, is 2-2 against his former employer, with both losses coming during his tenure in Cleveland (1991-1995).

The Giants' Coughlin is 1-4 all-time against the Patriots, with all but one of those games dating back to his tenure with the Jaguars (1995-2002). That record includes a 20-6 loss to New England in the 1996 AFC Championship, and a 25-10 win in a 1998 AFC First-Round Playoff. Coughlin is 2-1 head-to- head against Belichick, with both wins coming for his Jaguars against Belichick's Browns in 1995.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

After putting together a regular season compatible with his inconsistent four- year career, Eli Manning (3336 passing yards, 23 TD, 20 INT) has undergone a playoff revelation marked by sound decision-making and a minimizing of mistakes. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has completed 62 percent of his throws and not committed a turnover in New York's three postseason games. Manning's outstanding run actually began with a strong outing against New England in Week 17, when he went 22-of-32 for 251 yards and tossed four touchdown passes. Since an interception thrown by Manning late in that game, the Giants offense has gone 33 possessions and 194 plays without a turnover.

New York's receiving corps possesses a strong blend of size, experience and youth in the threesome of Plaxico Burress (70 receptions, 1025 yards, 12 TD), Amani Toomer (59 receptions, 3 TD) and Steve Smith. The 6-foot-5, 232-pound Burress can be a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive backs, as Green Bay's Al Harris recently found out first-hand. Burress manhandled the Pro Bowl corner with an 11-catch, 151-yard performance in the NFC Championship and also caught two scoring passes from Manning in the Giants' 38-35 loss to the Patriots in late December. Toomer, one of only two remaining members from New York's 2000 Super Bowl squad, has compiled 196 yards and three touchdowns in this postseason. The rookie Smith has made up for an unproductive and injury- plagued regular season with nine playoff catches, including several key grabs.

The Giants have had to get by without the services of four-time Pro Bowler Jeremy Shockey (57 receptions, 3 TD) since the animated tight end broke his fibula in a mid-December loss to Washington. However, rookie Kevin Boss (9 receptions, 2 TD) has proven to be a useful fill-in at the position, as evidenced by a four-catch, 50-yard effort with a touchdown in the first meeting with New England. Michael Matthews (6 receptions), who made the club out of training camp as an undrafted rookie free agent, is a quality blocker who is often used in short-yardage situations.

The Giants will send out their "thunder-and-lightning" tandem of Brandon Jacobs (1009 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 6 total TD) and Ahmad Bradshaw (190 rushing yards, 1 TD) in hopes of keeping the Patriots' record-setting offense off the field as much as possible on Super Bowl Sunday. The 21-year-old Bradshaw has been the more effective member of the duo during the playoffs, having totaled a team-best 163 rushing yards on 39 carries, but Jacobs did put up a respectable 67 yards on 15 attempts against New England in the regular- season finale. The pairing will be running behind another unsung hero in fullback Madison Hedgecock, an early-season waiver claim whose powerful blocking has been essential to the team's proficiency in the ground game.

An unheralded offensive line group has been the most reliable facet of New York's offense, partly because of its ability to remain intact. All five regulars started all 16 regular-season contests, although anchorman center Shaun O'Hara missed the Wild Card round victory over Tampa Bay after spraining his knee in the New England game. The standout of the unit is right guard Chris Snee, who also doubles as head coach Tom Coughlin's son-in-law.

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New England primarily uses a three-man defensive front, with Pro Bowler Vince Wilfork (70 tackles, 2 sacks in the regular season) manning the middle and Richard Seymour (30 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and Ty Warren (83 tackles, 4 sacks) occupying the ends. Seymour, who has two sacks and a fumble recovery during his Super Bowl career, is often replaced by Jarvis Green (39 tackles, 6.5 sacks) in passing situations. The Patriots ranked near the bottom of the league with 4.4 yards allowed per carry during the regular season.

The Patriots have a pair of highly-decorated linebackers in the middle of their four-man group, with former Pro Bowlers Tedy Bruschi (99 tackles, 2 sacks), and Junior Seau (76 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 INT) occupying those places. Seau (16 tackles, 1 sack) and Bruschi (15 tackles) are 1-2 on the team in stops during the postseason. Mike Vrabel (77 tackles, 12.5 sacks) and Adalius Thomas (82 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT) man the outside linebacker positions for New England, and are viewed by opponents as the team's most dangerous pass rushers. Vrabel will be making his fourth Super Bowl start as a Patriot, and will be looking for an encore of his XXXVIII performance against the Panthers, when he sacked Jake Delhomme twice. Thomas had New England's only sack of Manning in Week 17.

Once regarded as an area of weakness and inexperience for the Patriots, the cornerback position is now well-equipped to deal with any receiving corps in the league. Asante Samuel (44 tackles, 6 INT), Ellis Hobbs (63 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT), and Randall Gay (33 tackles, 3 INT) have all had positive moments this season, and all will be on the field when the Giants use multi-receiver sets. Samuel and Hobbs both have picks during the 2007 postseason, and Hobbs had the team's only INT of Manning in Week 17. The safety position is also an area of strength for New England, as starters Rodney Harrison (67 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack), James Sanders (73 tackles, 2 INT), and top backup Eugene Wilson (32 tackles, 1 INT) all bring a great deal of experience to the table. Harrison and Wilson were the Pats' starters in their Super Bowl wins over the Panthers and Eagles, and Harrison has two picks and two sacks in those games.

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL

National Football League MVP Tom Brady (4806 passing yards, 50 TD, 8 INT) comes off one of the great statistical seasons in NFL history, though less focus will be on that fact than on Brady's gimpy right ankle. Brady was hurt in the third quarter of the Pats' AFC Championship win over the Chargers, and struggled during much of a performance in which he threw a season-worst three interceptions. Even with that showing, Brady (471 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT in the postseason) has a 105.7 rating in these playoffs. He's also 3-0 with six touchdowns, one pick, and 735 yards in three career Super Bowl appearances. Brady was 32-of-42 for 356 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants in Week 17.

One of the major storylines on Super Sunday will involve wideout Randy Moss (98 receptions, 23 TD), who will be appearing in his first career Super Bowl and trying to shake off a conspicuously quiet 2007 postseason to date. Moss has touched the football just three times in the playoffs, catching two balls for 32 yards and carrying once for 14 yards. Moss had six catches for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Giants in the regular season finale. Slot receiver Wes Welker (112 receptions, 8 TD) has 16 catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the playoffs thus far, and logged 11 grabs for 122 yards versus the G-Men last time out. Donte' Stallworth (46 receptions, 3 TD) and Jabar Gaffney (36 receptions, 5 TD) both had their moments during the regular season, and have combined for nine catches totaling 117 yards in these playoffs.

Tight end Benjamin Watson (36 receptions, 6 TD), who has made two of his three catches in the playoffs to date count for touchdowns, remains a trusted red- zone target for Brady. Watson, who will be making his first career Super Bowl appearance, caught four balls for 38 yards against New York in Week 17. No. 2 tight end Kyle Brady will be appearing in his first career Super Bowl at the age of 36. Brady had nine catches (two for touchdowns) during the regular season, and has one grab in the 2007 postseason. Vrabel, who caught a touchdown pass against the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, occasionally appears as a tight end in goal-line sets.

Running back Laurence Maroney (835 rushing yards, 6 TD) has generated a major impact for the Patriots during the playoffs, carrying 47 times for 244 yards and two touchdowns (5.2 yards per rush) in wins over the Jaguars and Chargers. In his last five games overall, Maroney has averaged 110 rushing yards and scored seven touchdowns. The second-year pro was held to 46 yards on 19 carries against the Giants in Week 17, but scored twice. Kevin Faulk (265 rushing yards, 47 receptions, 1 TD in the regular season), who led New England with eight catches for 72 yards in the AFC Championship win over San Diego, has 16 rushes for 95 yards (5.9 yards per attempt) and seven receptions for 45 yards during his Super Bowl career. Fullback Heath Evans (121 rushing yards, 3 TD), who comes in during short-yardage situations, has just three touches in the '07 playoffs to date.

The underrated New England offensive line is led by a pair of Pro Bowlers, left tackle Matt Light and center Dan Koppen, both of whom have a great deal of Super Bowl experience. Light will be making his fourth Super Bowl start as a member of the Patriots, Koppen his third. The third member of the starting group with a Super Sunday resume' is right guard Stephen Neal, who was a starter against the Eagles three years ago. Left guard Logan Mankins and right tackle Nick Kaczur, who complete a group that allowed just 21 sacks all year, will be playing in their first career Super Bowls. The Patriots rushed for 4.4 yards per carry during the regular season, but New England running backs amassed just 48 yards on 22 combined totes against the Giants. New York recorded only one sack in that game, that by linebacker Reggie Torbor.

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Giants ends Osi Umenyiora (52 tackles, 13 sacks), Michael Strahan (57 tackles, 9 sacks) and Justin Tuck (58 tackles, 10 sacks) have been wreaking havoc all year long, and the trio will be counted on to make Brady uncomfortable in the pocket for the Giants to have a chance to pull off the upset. The 36-year-old Strahan, one of only two players left from the Giants' 2000 NFC champion squad, has been the most productive of the group in the postseason. The seven- time Pro Bowler has compiled 18 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble in the three playoff games.

While the pass rushers get most of the defensive attention for New York, the Giants did finish eighth in the NFL against the run (97.7 ypg). The solid play of interior linemen Fred Robbins (42 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and Barry Cofield (34 tackles, 1 sack) had much to do with that lofty ranking, but perhaps no player is more valuable to the Giants on defense than middle linebacker Antonio Pierce (103 tackles, 1 INT, 1 sack), the team's top tackler and a vocal presence in the huddle. The linebacking corps did suffer a potentially- damaging blow when strongside starter Mathias Kiwanuka went down to a season- ending broken leg in mid-November, but Torbor (39 tackles, 1 sack) has filled in capably for the converted defensive end. Offseason acquisition Kawika Mitchell (76 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) has proven to be a nice addition on the weakside.

No position on the Giants' defense has experienced as much flux as that of cornerback, as recent injuries to Sam Madison (67 tackles, 4 INT, 14 PD), Aaron Ross (42 tackles, 3 INT, 1.5 sacks), and Kevin Dockery (46 tackles) have really tested the team's depth. New York has been able to survive, however, because reserves Corey Webster (18 tackles, 1 INT) and R.W. McQuarters (15 tackles) have stepped up their play at a most crucial time. The pair have accounted for all five of the team's interceptions during the postseason, with Webster setting up Lawrence Tynes' game-winning field goal in the NFC Championship by picking off Brett Favre in overtime. Both Madison and Ross returned to action in the conference title game, while Dockery has a good chance of playing in the Super Bowl as well. Similar to Pierce's role within the linebacking corps, the glue of New York's secondary has been free safety Gibril Wilson (92 tackles, 4 INT), a mainstay in the team's starting lineup since the Giants wisely grabbed him in the fifth round of the 2004 draft. Strong safety James Butler (61 tackles, 1 INT) has been inconsistent in his first season as a starter and often shares time with rookie Michael Johnson (25 tackles), who has flashed potential but also lacks experience.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Lawrence Tynes earned himself a notable place in Giants lore, not to mention an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, with his 47-yard overtime field goal that propelled New York to victory over Green Bay in the NFC Championship. However, the Scottish-born kicker also misfired on a pair of three-point tries in the game and had a spotty first year with the Giants. Tynes was 23-of-27 on field goals during the regular season, but all four of those misses were from inside 40 yards.

Punter Jeff Feagles no longer boasts a powerful leg -- his 40.4 yard average was the second-lowest in the league -- but he's still quite adept at pinning in the opposition with his kicks. The ironman punter had 25 boots land inside the 20-yard line this season.

Veteran R.W. McQuarters averaged a mediocre 7.6 yards per punt return during the regular season, but did come up with a key 25-yard runback in New York's upset victory at Dallas in the Divisional round. He also had a near-costly fumble in the Green Bay game. McQuarters has returned three punts for touchdowns during his 10-year career, but none since 2004. The Patriots are fully aware of the capabilities of New York kickoff returner Domenik Hixon, as the young backup wideout had a 74-yard kick return touchdown when the two teams met in the regular-season finale. Hixon, claimed off waivers from Denver in October, has also performed well on returns this postseason, averaging 25.1 yards on 10 attempts.

New York has been very strong on punt coverage this year, having limited the opposition to just 6.2 yards per return prior to the playoffs (5th best in the NFL). The stars of the unit are linebacker Chase Blackburn, who led the team with 17 special teams tackles, and wide receiver David Tyree, a Pro Bowl honoree as a special-teamer in 2005. The Giants haven't been as good defending kicks, and Tynes has struggled at times on kickoffs.

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The Pats' Stephen Gostkowski has attempted just two field goals in the 2007 postseason to date, missing on a 35-yarder and making one from the same distance in the Divisional Playoff win over Jacksonville. The second-year pro was 21-of-24 during the regular season, including 3-of-5 from 40 yards-plus, and hit a season-high-tying 45-yarder during a 3-for-3 night against the Giants in Week 17. He is 9-of-10 on field goals during his playoff career, including a 50-yarder against the Chargers in a 2006 Divisional Playoff. Gostkowski ranked among NFL leaders with 15 touchbacks during the regular season, but has just two in his last nine games.

Punter Chris Hanson (41.4 punting avg.) was the least-used regular punter in the NFL with just 44 kicks, and has booted the ball only five times in the playoffs (38.0 avg.). Hanson, who made his only Pro Bowl while playing for the Coughlin-coached Jaguars in 2002, had a punt blocked and recovered for a touchdown against the Jets in December.

New England is likely to use either Welker or Faulk on punt returns, as both have appeared at the spot during the 2007 postseason. Welker was the Pats' primary return man during the regular season, averaging 10 yards per attempt with his high a 35-yarder against Indianapolis in November. The Patriots have used both Maroney and Hobbs on kickoff returns during the postseason, and former second-round draft pick Chad Jackson was also utilized in that capacity against the Jaguars un the Divisional round. Hobbs was the club's usual return choice during the regular season, averaging more than 26 yards per return and scoring on a 108-yard play against the Jets back in Week 1.

Due to the proficiency of their offense, the Patriots have a great deal of experience covering kickoffs, and not as much on punts. New England allowed a modest 22.1 yards per kickoff return during the regular season, and the only touchdown surrendered by that coverage group was Hixon's aforementioned return in Week 17. New England's opponents were able to return only 14 of the team's 44 punts, with a 33-yard return by Yamon Figurs of the Ravens ranking as the only one to go for more than 20 yards all year. Special teams stars for New England this year have included Pierre Woods (22 special teams tackles), Brandon Meriweather (18 tackles), Kelley Washington (18 tackles), Larry Izzo (14 tackles), and Eric Alexander (14 tackles).

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Though the Patriots have the edge in a majority of the above personnel 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.

My Sportsbook Predicted Outcome: Patriots 27, Giants 24

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