this one feels completely different. I was nervous before all the other ones. Not today.
I'm in the same boat; I don't think this one feels like any of the six previous ones (I was too young to have any recollection of the AFL championship loss to the Chargers, thankfully.)
In this game the Pats are slightly favored by Vegas, yet almost everyone else thinks the Pats will lose; that wasn't the case in any other game.
The only other game where the other team talked a lot prior to the game was in '85, but despite some - if not many - people trying to portray the Giants to be just as formidable and unstoppable, their record, stats, and narrow victory last week is all evidence that there is no comparison at all between the two teams.
I suppose the closest comparison would be to the Eagles; the Pats were favored and deservedly so. Freddy Mitchell talked a lot - but nowhere near as much as the Giants. People talked about the Pats not being able to stop Terrell Owens - but nowhere near to the extent that they have been talking about how the Pats won't be able to (a) stop the Giants pass rush, (b) stop the Giants receivers, (c) stop Eli Manning, (d) stop the Giants running game, and even (e) run the ball against Giants; in fact many are even saying (f) nobody on the Pats will be able to get open because Gronkowski is apparently going to have his leg amputated.
The really odd thing is that despite all the talk, when I look at this game as objectively as possible no matter how many times I do, I keep seeing the Patriots as the more likely victor.
To me the feeling heading into this game is unique, and unlike any other. The vast majority thought the Bears, Packers and Rams would win - but there was logic behind those opinions, and it coincided with the Vegas line. The vast majority - I would guess about 75% - seem to truly believe the Giants will win. Not only is that unique to championship games the Pats have played in, I can't recall such a large percentage of the public believing - not hoping, but actually believing - that the underdog would win
any championship game.