PatriotSeven

I understand your point, although I think you're giving maybe a bit too much credit to one side and not enough to the other.

The Patriots offense may have been the greatest in the NFL history that season(arguable, honestly, as I feel this offense is even harder to stop and that one was heavily dependent on one guy, Moss), but on that day, I'm not sure how much of their failure can be credited to the Giants D and how much you can also credit to the Patriots offense itself. Just the play calling on the first two plays alone on the final drive was insane looking back at it. No different a situation then the Pats first Super Bowl, needing a FG to tie this time, but they had time outs and plenty of time. They dug themselves in a hole against that D because their intent on going deep(or did they have no other options) and got caught without short yardage options.

Likewise, considering that final offensive drive by the Giants, not sure how "mediocre" they were that game. I think it had more to do with how little respect the Giants offense and Eli got that year. The Giants offense had 6 4th quarter comebacks that year and 3 of them came in the playoffs. That's usually sign of a very good offense that doesn't quit until the end. It's more of a sign of a "mediocre" defense. When the only way your team can win their games is by the offense having the ball last, and they actually do it, that's not an indication of a bad offense. That's a dangerous offense.

Maybe we just don't want to accept that yes, by the end of that season, the Giants actually had the better offense. Even if you want to call them mediocre, then the facts say NE's defense was #1, allowing exactly 17.0 ppg to an average offense. That's exactly what they allowed in the Super Bowl, isn't it? Just look at the facts and use a bit of common sense.

-The Giants were a slightly above average offense(14th), scoring 22.9 ppg against an average defense, but against the #1 defense they only put up 17. Makes perfect sense to me. That's exactly what the #1 defense was supposed to do. Is it not?

-The #1 offense, NE Patriots put up 34.5 ppg against an average defense but could only muster up 14 against the Giants defense, whatever you consider them to be.

Simple common sense tells you even if the Giants had the best defense in the league, and we had them all wrong, during that Super Bowl, a #1 offense should at least be able to put up average points(22) on a #1 defense. They didn't. They only put up 14. Which was equivalent to being the 31st worst offense in the league.

A #1 defense can't make a #1 offense look last all on their own. They need a little help, from that team's own offense. The only way to make them look that bad, is if that offense also falls flat on their face.

Just ask yourself, how many points did the other top offenses put on them that year? GB, the #4 offense, put up 35, Dallas, the number 3 offense managed 45 and 31 points in the regular season. Heck the Pats put up 38 in week 17. And then even in the playoffs, GB managed 20 points even in their playoff loss 2 weeks before they faced the Pats in the Super Bowl. Dallas managed 17 in their loss 3 weeks before. The only other offense who scored 14 points against the Giants D during the playoffs was Tampa Bay, and they were the 19th ranked offense that year in points scored.

The Patriots offense failed in the 2007 Super Bowl. Not the Patriots defense. Their over reliance on Moss was their undoing and them being forced to go deep and thinking Moss could beat everyone is what created a lot of sacks. And the Giants defense certainly didn't do anything amazing. The shut down the run game, and forced Brady to hold on to the ball in the pocket so they could get to him. You can either continue to believe the Giants average defense improved astronomically in the playoffs, above and beyond what even a #1 defense can do, or simply believe the Patriots offense performed poorly and the Giants offense was the better offense in the game. Which one makes more sense?

reflexblue

I'm amazed at how Elie Manning can take a lickin and keep on tickin. Hes really



With a helmet. Kind of looks like Gumby too.

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I Likes Spikes.

Harry Yelreh

In all seriousness, Wilfork and his ability to collapse the middle of the pocket are huge keys. Not joking at all, I think Eli right now is playing with some of the best pocket presence I have ever seen. The Giants' OL isn't great and not of primary concern, imo. But Eli has been unreal at avoiding the rush (especially DE's), sliding, sidestepping, and stepping up into the pocket,and always knowing where his outlet receiver are. This is what makes him so tough, especially on third down, when he is incredibly clutch.

San Fran did a tremendous job of rushing him (as the sack numbers show), but they also missed him on at least a half-dozen occasions by allowing him to slip through gaps, step up in the pocket, and take advantage of the lanes left by hard-charging DE's. New England HAS to be more disciplined with its outsider rushers and any blitzing LBs, and Wilfork MUST control the middle. If not, Eli will step up, buy more time for his receivers, and make throws down field all day.

SpiderFox53

He's referring to the SBTSNBN

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Gumby

I resent any implication that Eli looks like me.

Gumby

careful; I don't think we should wish for anyone to get hurt (exceptions for b. Pollard ALWAYS authorized).

But you did cause me to go, hmmmmm WHO is their backup?

CMPATTYDSCMP%AVGTDLNGINTFUMRAT2010 Regular Season5136738.55.150221023.6Career13512,26414,4335 9.76.386581714074.9CMPATTYDSCMP%AVGTDLNGINTFUMRAT2 010 Regular Season5136738.55.150221023.6Career13512,26414,4335 9.76.386581714074.9

You have to like that comparison. I mean our backup has a 100% completion rating.

IllegalContact

somebody on the pats is going to lay a game-changing hit on manning. not going to kill him or anything, but he will affected the rest of the game. it won't be such a vicious hit, but the pats DL has gotten pretty good at getting to the QB from all angles.....it will be similar to shaun ellis' hit on tebow. manning will simply not know what's behind him until it is too late. from that point on, he will not be the same player.

book it

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“ I think good coaches will coach with the personnel they have, and if you only have one (good) linebacker, you’re not going to play a 3–4. ”
—Hank Bullough, who installed one of the first 3–4 defenses with the New England Patriots.

DaBruinz

I think it's kinda ironic that there is a thread asking how the Giants will stop the Pats Pass Rush. For the first 8-10 games, there were many people in this forum were saying how bad the Pats Pass Rush was. That they couldn't get to the QB. How they couldn't put pressure on the QB. Etc. Etc. There were a few people who stated otherwise, and it turns out THEY were right. That the Pats did have a pass rush. And, low and behold, it's what people are looking forward to in the SB.

I think that with Wilfork, Love, and Deaderick in the 3-4 and Ninkovich/Anderson at OLB with Mayo/Spike inside, the Pats pass rush will be very good. I think that this formation is also extremely stout against the run. And, if they put McCourty in at FS all game, they will easily be able to switch to the Nickel package.

italia44

I feel like I'm watching an endless loop of David Cronenberg's "Scanners"......3 more friggin' days

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mgcolby

It won't be just Wilfork up the middle. Kyle Love is a large man and gets a lot of push up the middle as well, allowing the Pats to move Wilfork all around the line looking for the best matchup(s). And IMO, McKenzie is the weakest link. I think the Pats will line Deaderick up at his normal LDE spot against McKenzie for the first series or two and see how that matchup plays out, with Love at Nose and Wilfork at RDE against Diehl.

One thing that is certain is the Wilfork will move all around that line during the game. And the Giants O-line's first responsibility will be identifying where Big Vince is.

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Hey, Bill you're wasting Brady's prime years......oh wait....
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