INDIANAPOLISThe lasting memory of Super Bowl XLVI reduced to a snapshot would probably be a still of the David Tyree helmet catch.
Or Plaxico Burress game-winning touchdown.
But anyone who watched the game knows the reason those moments became the memories was the New York Giants defensive line.
A Big Blue wave of pressure crashed down on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throughout that night. Five times Brady was sacked. A dozen or more times he was knocked to the ground. On every dropback, he was conscious of the Giants pass rush.
Theyre coming again. Can the Patriots stop them?
Thats going to be one of the keys to the game, and thats something that the linemen take to heart, said Patriots right guard Brian Waters. Theyre more than pretty good. Honestly, these guys individually are as good (as there is). And the fact they throw so many different looks at you. Theyre more than good, we note that.
The Giants rolled up 48 sacks this season, led by phenomenal second-year man Jason Pierre-Paul (16.5). JPP is the new face joining Justin Tuck (five sacks), Osi Umenyiora (nine sacks) and Dave Tollefson (five sacks) as the core of the Giants pass rush. Chris Canty (four sacks) and Matthias Kiwanuka (3.5 sacks) are also factors.
That group knows what Waters knows. How effective they are will likely determine the winner again.
Tuck was asked the key to bothering Brady.
I think it starts with hitting him even you dont actually get sacks, just keeping people around him so he cant step up (in the pocket), Tuck stated. I think he gets a little frustrated when he has to go to his second or third receivers. You can kind of confuse him sometimes with our coverage. I think there are a lot of things that can get him rattled, but it just seems like not too many people are able to do that.
If you detect a little haughtiness in Tucks words, youre dead on. The Giants arent scared of Tom Brady. They werent in the final regular-season game of 2007, when the Patriots won 38-35, and they played that way in the Super Bowl. And they showed no inclination to be awed by Brady earlier this season when the Giants took out New England, 24-20, back in Week 9.
The Patriots mentality, of course, isnt to batten down the hatches and hope for the best. They need to scheme and execute to offset the Giants pass rush.
And they can. The reason? A fundamental change in the teams offensive philosophy from 2007 to now means Brady wont have to hold the ball as long.
The 2007 offense was predicated on big-play explosiveness andentering Super Bowl 42Bill Belichick believed the tender spot in the Giants defense was its safeties. To exploit that, the Patriots had the perfect weapon in Randy Moss. But for him to get downfield far enough to take advantage of them meant Brady had to hold the ball while Moss got vertical. It took too long and the Giantsoften sending just four pass rusherswon their individual battles against the Patriots offensive line over and over again.
The 2011 Patriots offense is more horizontal. Instead of doing their damage deep in the secondary, Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski do their best work at the linebacker level. Outs, digs, crossing patterns, slantsthats what the Patriots do more of now.
The Giants will likely try to rush four and drop seven men in coverage and try to confuse Brady.
But if the Giants front isnt getting there, it wont take long for Brady to begin picking them apart. Thats the game.
Theres been some spirited back and forth between the two groups. The Giants D-line talks more; the Patriots O-line files it all away.
On the field, the contingent of Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly, Waters and Sebastian Vollmer (who appears close to returning from his foot injury) or rookie Nate Solder are pretty chippy.
Theyre a tough, tough bunch, said Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. They are physically and mentally tough. Thats one thing I love about our offensive line. The leader over there is my main man Logan. Those guys are very, very tough. Fiesty. They dont take crap from anyone.
Said Mankins when asked if he had any extra dislike for the Giants defensive line. We dont like any defensive line.
Especially one with which there is a significant score to settle.