1 Tom Brady vs. Peyton’s little brother
The dream matchup is always Brady vs. Peyton Manning, the NFL’s two best quarterbacks, who often meet in the AFC playoffs. For this Super Bowl, the Giants will counter with Eli Manning, a fourth-year quarterback who is coming off arguably his best four-game stretch. Brady, meanwhile, is coming off the best quarterback season in NFL history. Expect Brady to torch the Giants’ secondary, as he did in Week 17, and Manning to play well in defeat, as he did in Week 17.
2 Plaxico’s prediction
Before arriving in Phoenix for Super Bowl XLII, Giants receiver Plaxico Burress told a New York newspaper he predicted his team would beat the Patriots 23-17. When it comes to Super Bowl predictions, Joe Namath was an exception.
They didn’t work out for Kansas City defensive back Fred “The Hammer” Williamson in Super Bowl I, or for Atlanta’s Ray Buchanan in the 1999 Super Bowl against the Broncos. The Patriots have been known to take such bodacious talk personally — see Brady getting in the face of Steelers safety Anthony Smith following a touchdown pass in Game 13.
“You put a lot of pressure on yourself when you do make comments like that to go and perform,” Patriots safety Rodney Harrison said.
3 Super spots
There will be approximately 140 million people in the United States watching the Super Bowl, and not all of them are football fans. If the game becomes a bore — and don’t be surprised if Brady immediately attacks the vulnerable Giants secondary — the new line of commercials may be the only reason to watch. Coca-Cola is back for the first time since 1998 with three spots. Derek Jeter and Dwyane Wade will appear in the ad for G2, a low-calorie beverage by Pepsi and Gatorade. There will be the Budweiser spots. And Victoria’s Secret will be modeling its Valentine’s Day line.
4 Tom Petty & the
Heartbreakers
Ever since Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and “wardrobe malfunction,” the NFL can’t get enough of aging, mainstream performers for its halftime show. Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Prince and now Tom Petty have followed Janet’s exposure. Petty and his band get to play a 12-minute set. It’s hard to believe “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” which introduces seemingly every NFL pregame and postgame show, won’t be included.
5 Undefeated history
If they win, the Patriots would join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated, untied champions in NFL history. Those Dolphins finished 17-0. These Patriots are 18-0 entering their game today against the Giants. “I’ve been in a lot of big games, but all of us would agree that this is the biggest game of our lives,” Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said.
