| Randolph Charlotin. 28th August, 2008 - 8:16 pm
 It was the rematch of Super Bowl XLII, but no one cared. It was only a preseason game.
On Thursday, the New York Giants hosted the New England Patriots in their final preseason game of 2008. If anyone believed there was any meaning to that game for either team, it was imaginary. The Giants didn’t want to show the Super Bowl win was a fluke, and the Patriots weren’t out for revenge.
The coaches wanted their teams intact so they can prepare for the regular season opener. New York kicks off September fourth against Washington while New England waits until September seventh to play Kansas City.
Regarding New England, there’s been talk about a possible Super Bowl hangover. Over the past 10 years, Super Bowl losers have failed to reach the playoffs eight times. Considering the Pats’ near historic season, going 18-0 and losing the final and most important game, people wonder if the Pats will suffer a ’08 collapse.
Believers in that theory should be concerned about the Giants, as well. Super Bowl winners failed to reach the playoffs four times in the last 10 years. Their chances of playing beyond 16 games are 60 percent, hardly guaranteed odds.
History won’t determine what either team does this season. Both the Giants and Patriots have obstacles they must overcome in order to dispel myths or add to the patterns.
For both teams, it starts with their quarterbacks. The problem for New England is obvious: Is Brady healthy? Alhough he was a frequent participant during training camp, he did not play in the preseason.
According to reports, Brady has a sore foot. It’s unrelated to his Super Bowl ankle injury, but it was enough for the coaching staff to exercise caution and hold Brady out.
That decision probably was related to the play of a patchwork offensive line that missed at least two starters every preseason game so far. It’s too risky to put a hobbled Brady in a shaky pocket. The last time Brady was in that position was Super Bowl XLII, and he took a beating.
The Patriots regulate their injury reports very tightly, giving vague locations instead of specific medical terms. No on knows exactly what’s wrong with Brady. Tom Terrific did say he will be ready to start the regular season. But with the unknown severity of the foot and lack of game action, how ready is Brady?
As for the Giants’ Eli Manning, he’s fine. Heck, he’s probably never been better. After four years of mediocrity, the younger Manning brother is a Super Bowl MVP. Soon after the game of his career, he married his college sweetheart. He was in commercials and completed the talk shows tour.
Sure it was a busy off-season, but Eli won’t be distracted. He will be focused to prove his MVP was no f-l-u-k-e. Manning has a lot to prove and 16 games to make his case.
The NFL has a history of championship-winning quarterbacks with pedestrian careers. Trent Dilfer (Baltimore), Brad Johnson (Tampa Bay), Doug Williams (Washington), Mark Rypien (Washington), Jim Plunkett (Oakland/Los Angeles), and Jim McMahon (Chicago) all led their team to a Lombardi Trophy (Plunkett won twice). Between the six are five Pro Bowl selections. None will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player. Eli could be next if he doesn’t improve.
Manning hasn’t lived up to being the first pick overall. His career completion percentage is 54.7. In the three seasons he played 16 games, he threw 17, 18, and 20 interceptions. Last year he threw just three more touchdowns than picks (23 TD, 20 Int). Historically Manning starts the season strong but falls apart in the second half of the season.
That trend changed from week 17 through the playoffs last season. In those five games Manning completed 62 percent of his passes, threw 10 TD's and just two picks.
But a closer look shows Eli’s play declined in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl. His completion percentage dropped to 54 percent, he passed for two scores and was intercepted once. It could had been worse. Three would-be interceptions were dropped by the Patriots.
So is Eli turning the corner or did he just catch a hot streak that he rode through the playoffs? Time will tell whether Manning is an elite quarterback or just Average Eli.
If the Patriots snagged any of the three Manning passes that slipped through their hands there wouldn’t be a debate about Manning. Two of those drops were during New York’s final drive, including one by All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel. The Patriots don’t have to worry about another key Samuel drop. They have a bigger concern of replacing Samuel who left in free agency.
Asante wasn’t the only departure, as CB Randall Gay and S Eugene Wilson also signed elsewhere. But Samuel is the most significant. Over the past two years he led the league in interceptions with 16, including 10 in 2006. Some believe the system Samuel played in helped him put up those numbers.
That theory will be put to the test as five corners jockey for a starting and slot role. In the 2008 NFL Draft the Patriots selected Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite and New England signed three journeyman corners: Fernando Bryant, Lewis Sanders, and Jason Webster. Webster is out of the running as he was cut Tuesday.
That’s not all. Safety Tank Williams was signed. Based on training camp practices, the Pats had big plans for him as he played a lot of linebacker as a hybrid LB/S role. Unfortunately he was injured in the preseason and was placed on injured reserve. In his place is John Lynch, discarded by Denver because the coaching staff felt Lynch was a liability in coverage.
The Patriots defense was good last year, but the secondary was the weakest link. It could be worse without the services of Samuel and the other departures. A player of Asante’s caliber can’t simply be replaced with inexperienced rookies or adequate veterans. The system can help, but quality players make the system work.
The Giants must overcome departures of their own. In typical fashion, players from the championship-winning team were targeted in free agency. S Gibril Wilson and LBs Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor all cashed in on their success and will play elsewhere.
But the biggest loss could be DE Michael Strahan. The 15-year veteran decided to go out on top and retire after earning a Super Bowl ring. With his help, the Giants used a fierce pass rush to upset New England. Losing Strahan’s nine sacks from last year hurts, but unlike any other team, the Giants have the depth to compensate for the loss of Strahan.
But that was before DE Osi Umenyiora tore the lateral meniscus ligament in his knee. Umenyiora, Strahan, and DE Justin Tuck were the key package that shredded New England’s offensive line as Osi and Michael were the bookends and Tuck played defensive tackle.
Tuck fills Strahan’s shoes. LB Mathias Kiwanuka will be moved to DE and replace Umenyiora. Concerned about their depth, New York contacted Strahan about coming out of retirement. Thanks, but no thanks was Strahan’s reply.
Not immune to the injury bug is the Patriots offensive line. The starting unit is yet to play together this preseason, and that continues Thursday. While LT Matt Light returned to practice on Monday, RG Stephen Neal was placed on the physically unable to perform list. Neal won’t be eligible to practice until week seven.
Precautions were taken by signing veteran tackle Anthony Clement, but he was placed on injured reserve. To fill the hole left by Clement the Patriots signed versatile Barry Stokes. He soon joined Clement on IR. Season-ending ailments are contagious as reserve T Ryan O’Callaghan on Tuesday became the third lineman declared done for year.
Recently G/C Mike Flynn was signed to provide depth. He’s been durable, missing only nine games since becoming a starter with Baltimore. But at the rate linemen have gone down in New England, Flynn might want some Aflac.
These are tough hands dealt to the Giants and Patriots, but the problems aren’t crippling. Playing solid football for the full season would prevent the so-called Super Bowl hangover. But if these issues catch up to these teams, it will make for a painful morning after.
Read Randolph Charlotin’s blog at http://www.newenglandpatriotsnews.com/randolphc/weblog/. He can be contacted at lordrc@netzero.net. |
