February 13, 2012
  • 1/23/08

    giants

    By Ryan Chatelain

    G-men can find inspiration in ... the Patriots?

    Photo credit: Game Face

    In talking to several football fans who live outside New York City, most aren’t giving the Giants much of a chance in Super Bowl XLII, many forecasting a New England blowout. (The fact that the Giants lost by 3 points to the Patriots last month is inconsequential to them.)

    Big Blue currently sits as a 12-point underdog. To understand why no one should count out the Giants, look no farther than the last time a team was a double-digit underdog in the big game.

    If anyone should understand the position the Giants find themselves in, it should be the Patriots.

    In February 2002, New England earned a trip to Super Bowl XXXVI against the mighty St. Louis Rams. The Rams were easily the most feared team in football from 1999-02, similar to how we think of the Patriots today.

    New England, on the other hand, was widely considered to be nothing more than a speed bump for the Rams, propelled by their “The Greatest Show on Turf” offense, on their way to an inevitable world title. By kickoff, St. Louis was 14-point favorites.

    Fast-forward to the final score: New England 20, St. Louis 17.

    Prior to Adam Vinatieri's 48-yard game-winning field goal, the Rams were regarded almost as highly as the 49ers of the '80s or the Cowboys of the '90s, despite winning just one title. Little did we know at the time, it was a Patriots dynasty that was instead hatched that night in New Orleans, while St. Louis fizzled into merely a one-hit wonder.

    And when you think about it, there are several similarities between the 2001 Patriots and the 2007 Giants:

    - Both had young quarterbacks amid breakout seasons.

    - Both had hard-nosed coaches leading their second NFL teams.

    - Both lost their first two games of the regular season.

    - Both lost to their Super Bowl opponents (who had the NFL's best records) during the regular season.

    So if you encounter someone who is already dismissing this Super Bowl as a laugher, just ask this question: Who was your pick before Super Bowl XXXVI?

    Photo by Getty Images

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