The New York Giants of 2012 have many similarities with the Giants of 2008.
Four years ago, New York pulled off one of the biggest upsets in National Football League history. After a 10-6 regular season, New York took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers to advance to Super Bowl XLII. There they would topple the 18-0 New England Patriots 17-14 for Eli Manning’s first championship.
Now the Giants find themselves in a similar situation. New York were a modest 9-7 this season before beating the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers to win the National Football Conference. Standing in their way once again is the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, slated for this Sunday, 5 February, at 6.30pm in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
New England had yet another phenomenal season as they were 13-3 before rolling over the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens to claim the American Football Conference crown.
Just like years ago, the hype centres around superstar quarterbacks Manning and Tom Brady of the Patriots. Manning rallied from a disappointing 2010 campaign to have a career year highlighted by his propensity to deliver in the fourth quarter. Brady was one of two quarterbacks to break the all-time single season record for passing yards, ending the year with 5,246 yards.
There is also, yet again, a stark contrast in the personalities of the teams. New York are still gritty, performing exceptionally well at the moment in all phases of the game. New England remains an offensive juggernaut with an unparalleled aerial assault, featuring fearsome tight-ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, complimented by an unheralded run game and defence.
Many of the qualities that made the Giants Super Bowl champions before are present now. They still have a hard-nosed coach in Tom Coughlin, one of the game’s best hurlers in Eli, a formidable run game featuring Brandon Jacobs, talented wide receivers highlighted by Victor Cruz and a relentless pass rush accented by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
The similarities are too many to overlook. While the Patriots deserve all the credit for getting to the big game once again, they seem destined to fall short to the underdogs. It should be another close match filled with defensive stops and incredible touchdown catches. Ultimately though, look for Eli to get a leg up on his brother Peyton Manning by securing his second Super Bowl ring.
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