OT: Is it fair to compare the '07 Giants to the '01 Patriots?

[Patriot_dynasty]

"technically he was a second year regardless if he played 0 snaps or 100 snaps his first year. Also don't forget the tuck rule"

Yeah, we had the tuck rule...and the Brett Favre gift wrapped the AFC Championship in overtime by throwing a "Is this an easy enough pass for you to intercept" ball to seal the Giants place in the SB.

 

[Topher]

If you work hard, you can certainly imagine a lot of similarities between the two teams.

The most significant difference, however, is that the '06 Giants were an 8-8 team -- two games behind the SB-losing Eagles -- that won a tie breaker to get an NFC wild card berth, while the '00 Patriots were 5-11 and the worst of the (then 5-team) AFC East.

In that context, the Patriots are a better rags-to-riches story.

You're absolutely right. For a few years, the Giants have been a team with at least playoff expectations, if not more.

Maybe its just cause they beat the Pats, but I just cant appreciate anything about what the Giants did. They have always been a team of real talented individuals / or guys like Manning who are supposed to be the next coming. Simply because they got it together for 4 games and played like they should have been, in my mind, isnt worthy of praise.

I also think what they have is very tenuous b/c of the character of their players - - - and they could just as easily fall apart this year, even though they have the talent to continue to be successful.

 

[Topher]

I would add too, that through the Super Bowl runs up till the present, I have never felt like the Pats have had the "most talented" players in the league.

Maybe this is because I am a homer, but I have always felt our guys are successful cause they are more disciplined / smart enough to buy into the team concept and their roles. This is why we can win 18 straight, but lose at any time / to the Giants who are bigger, faster, and stronger.