2007 Giants vs. 2014 Patriots (Time Machine Super Bowl)

Just to have a little fun, who do you think would win a Super Bowl match-up between this year's team and 2007's 18-1 team? Part of why I'm asking is to gauge whether this year's team had a significantly higher degree of mental toughness or if that Giants's team was one of the most mentally tough clubs of the past 15 years. Beating a team as strong as an 18-0 Patriots club in such a large game showed the Giants were tough mentally, but the Patriots also demonstrated their mental fortitude against a world-class Seahawks club.

As a bonus, do you think this year's team could have beaten the Giants in 2007 or 2011, or does it have the same match-up problems? Maybe the Giants were just the anti-Patriots those two years.

Tough one to answer. I think that we have a secondary that 'could' contain Moss, Gaffney, Stallworth. That leaves Welker in the slot that would do some damage. BJGE was a decent runner. If healthy (Brady and Faulk), I think that 2007 team would beat this one. That being said, I think that the 2007 team would not have been able to cover Gronk. The linebacking core was too old.

Because of the front 4 of the Giants, I think the biggest hole in the Pats offence that super bowl was not having Faulk. They missed the screen game immensely. Just look at what Vereen did. He was pivotal. If Brady was able to do quick little passes all night in 2007, they would have easily beaten the Giants. Similarly having another 'slot receiver' like Amendola would have helped. The problem was that 2007 team was not built that way. I think that the defense in 2007 was good, but good because they were 'mature' rather than very athletic. Tonight they dink and dunked on the Seahawks all night, though the 1st interception was all because of the pass rush. It looked to me that Tom was trying to throw it through the end zone but did not have enough lift or arm strength. Bennett was good.

Tough one to answer, but the real question is whether the 2014 Belicheck would be able to game plan better. There was some arrogance in that 2007 team, and even Brady was ****y in saying he would score more than 20. 2014 Brady was clutch. Despite 2 interceptions, best performance in the superbowl (though 2003 against Carolina he was pretty good).

Also, the Seahawks are built to beat teams like the 2007 Patriots because of that outstanding secondary. Tonight Brady and co. essentially had no problems going up and down the field and moved the ball with relative ease just like in 2012. I was shocked how well the Seahawks moved the ball (last 2 drives of the 1st half, 1st 2 drives of the second half and then that last drive).

I also wanted to add that I think that the DL and OL of the 2007 team was far better than current. The Secondary is better in 2014 (but Harrison as SS was tough to beat), but the LB core I think is a toss up (smarter in 2007, athletic 2014).

The 2007 Pats would be this years team by 14

Don't think so. The 2007 team was spent.

What is clear to me is that if the Pats had a healthy Gronk in 2011-2012, they win the SB. A healthy Gronk changes everything.

This Patriot defense would have made our 2007 weapons disappear and then we wouldn't have been able to do anything. 2007 Patriots would have the better quarterback but the 2014 Patriots have a more dynamic offense and Gronk would have Gronk-smashed our 2007 defense.

I'm confused. The poll title and the thread title are at odds.

I'll assume the thread title is what's intended. I think this 2015 Pats team matches up well against the '07 Giants. The offensive game plan would be much as we just saw - lots of short quick passes to nullify the Giants rush.

PATS16N0 said:

This Patriot defense would have made our 2007 weapons disappear and then we wouldn't have been able to do anything. 2007 Patriots would have the better quarterback but the 2014 Patriots have a more dynamic offense and Gronk would have Gronk-smashed our 2007 defense.

Click to expand...

No the 07 Team would have picked on Browner.

Gronk would have got his but they would have contained him.

Plus the 07 Pats had a pass rush the 2014 Pats pass rush was sub par this season the main pressure we were able to get this season was from Blitzing Lbs

This calls for a Madden simulation

2014 team wins. Better secondary, younger more athletic LB's and more depth on offense.

QB - 2007
WR - tie
RB - 2014
TE - 2014
OL - 2007
DL - 2007
LB - 2014
CB - 2014
S - 2014
ST - 2014

It's too difficult to say as the Seahawks didn't dominate the interior line. I thought the OL held up pretty well (for the most part) and Brady was able to climb in the pocket and hit some serious plays.

Now, given those comments, all Josh McDaniels needed to do was pull his head out of his ass in 42, make the adjustments early and the Patriots probably win. McDaniels showed me he is a far better coach now than then so I would go with the 2014 Patriots.

deters said:

2014 team wins. Better secondary, younger more athletic LB's and more depth on offense.

Click to expand...

How would the 2014 pats stop the 2007 Pats with no Pass rush?

PatsfanCP said:

No the 07 Team would have picked on Browner.

Gronk would have got his but they would have contained him.

Plus the 07 Pats had a pass rush the 2014 Pats pass rush was sub par this season the main pressure we were able to get this season was from Blitzing Lbs

Click to expand...

Hmm. I wonder who Browner would have covered on the 2007 Patriots. Revis obviously would have been on Moss. Arrington on Welker? Browner on Stallworth? With safety help from McCourty I think the 2014 Patriots would have faired well in those match ups. Much better than the 2007 defense would have faired against Edelman, Gronk, Lafell, Vareen, and Amendola. 2014 Brady would have been under more pressure than 2007 Brady, but 2014 Brady would have had a better running game than 2007.

turkeyneck said:

I'm confused. The poll title and the thread title are at odds.

I'll assume the thread title is what's intended. I think this 2015 Pats team matches up well against the '07 Giants. The offensive game plan would be much as we just saw - lots of short quick passes to nullify the Giants rush.

Click to expand...

Yes, I also thought this was about the 2014 Pats against the 2007 Giants. No?

mosi said:

Yes, I also thought this was about the 2014 Pats against the 2007 Giants. No?

Click to expand...

So did I. Either way, this 2014 team would beat both the 07 Giants and 07 Pats.

The passing attack we saw yesterday is exactly what was needed vs the Giants front.

mosi said:

Don't think so. The 2007 team was spent.

Click to expand...

This. The 07 squad had nothing left in the tank. Doing what they did was exhausting.

VrabelJr said:

This. The 07 squad had nothing left in the tank. Doing what they did was exhausting.

Click to expand...

Yes. I also think the Tomase report the night before really hurt them. Add to the fact that Brady was injured and that game was bad news.

I am assuming that the OP poster means if the 2007 Patriots played the 2014 Patriots who would have won. I agree that the 2014 Patriots beat the 2007 Giants (and the 2012 Giants), but I still think 2007 Patriots beat the 2014 Patriots. I also wonder if the 2007 Patriots do not beat the 2014 Seahawks.

2007 Brady > 2014 Brady
2007 OL > 2014 OL
2007 RB = 2014 RB (BJGE + KF = Blount and Vereen)
2014 TE >> 2007 TE
2007 WR > 2014 WR (Moss/Stallworth/Gaffney/Welker are better than Lafell/Amendola/Edelman)

2007 DL > 2014 DL
2007 LB = 2014 LB (though I would give the 2014 group the edge if Mayo was playing)
2007 Safties > 2014 (Harrison, nuff said)
2014 DB > 2007 DB

2014 ST > 2007 ST but not by much

If 2014 Patriots could man cover Moss without safety help, then they would have a chance, but because they do not have much of a pass rush, 2007 Brady in a pocket would even be able to beat Revis consistently.