Young Lawyers Journal
Issue 4
Sports in the Courts: "Super Showdown"
by Marc A. D’Antonio, Esq.and Jared D. Correia, Esq.
Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston
Explanatory:
This edition of Sports in the Courts will not feature the usual hard-hitting legal analysis and pithy commentary generally reserved for this space. No. This month, the erstwhile Messrs. D’Antonio and Correia will open it up a bit, and debate the merits of the two contenders for the championship of the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: the New England Patriots and the New York football Giants.
Dramatis Personae:
Marc A. D’Antonio, California native and bandwagon jumping Patriots fan for the New England Patriots
Jared Correia, the last Massachusetts native who is still a Giants fan, even though it would have been easy to jump on the Patriots bandwagon (see D’Antonio, Marc) for the New York Giants
Argument:
We’ll analyze the matchups based on the following Eight Factors, with our game predictions to follow.
Quarterback
Marc: There is no way we will truly know the status of Tom Brady’s high ankle sprain until he takes his first snap from center. Regardless, will the Giants defense have an answer for Brady’s poise in the pocket, not to mention the offensive weapons at his disposal? If the Giants decide to keep everything in front of them and rush four the way Jacksonville did in the divisional round, he’ll pick them apart underneath (Brady is the master at taking what the defense gives him). I keep hearing that you have to pressure Brady and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. That won’t work either with Brady’s ability to adjust at the line and the Pats ability to shift into power mode with a three tight-end set and pound the ball with Laurence Maroney. To quote Sirius NFL Radio’s own Adam Schien, “At the end of the day, who do you trust- Eli Manning or Tom Brady?”
Jared: Sure, Eli doesn’t date supermodels like Tom Brady and he doesn’t hang out with Gisele’s hipster friends. But, maybe that makes him less soft than Brady. Now, I’m not even sure if Eli has a girlfriend, or if Archie lets him date yet, but that’s beside the point. The point is that Eli has not been pampered by the celebrity lifestyle, nor does he have the massive amounts of distractions that a certain very Brady quarterback does. Besides, Eli’s too dumb to feel pressure. And, he has a sweet pompadour. If Jonathan Moxon isn’t available to start this game, Eli’s my man. Let Three Dog Night prove to be prophetic: Eli’s Coming . . . home with a Super Bowl ring.
Running Game
Marc: These are not the Patriots of September and October. The last two games have shown the Patriots can be a resourceful unit and protect a lead by going to the ground. Laurence Maroney has had a monster post-season. Maroney’s not dancing at the line and he’s hitting holes faster than he has all season. With his power, it takes two or three guys to bring him down. With Kevin Faulk coming up big on third down situations out of the back-field, the Pats have proven that they can win any type of game.
Jared: Looking back over the last two years, some fine runners have suited up in the Giants backfield. Tiki Barber is an all-time great Giant; and, even in his wake the Giants have been left with backs who have had huge games this season. Despite the injury to Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs remains, as does Ahmad Bradshaw and their underrated fullback, Madison Hedgecock (who sounds like he’s an investment banker, despite the fact that he is 6’3” and 266 pounds). Jacobs and Bradshaw are good change of pace backs, who play well off of each other; and, Bradshaw and Hedgecoock are hungry to prove themselves on the big stage. The Patriots will focus on Jacobs, whom they can shut down, a la Jerome Bettis. But, at what cost? After Jacobs wears down the Pats’ defenders, the Giants will start using Bradshaw against the softened defense. Although the Patriots’ defense stuffs bruising backs, they have trouble with quick backs, like Bradshaw, who will have a big game, if he gets the ball in space. Darren Sproles, and not Michael Turner, was the weapon for San Diego in the AFC title game. Of course, one can only hope that Tom Coughlin removed the corned beef he was sporting on his cheeks in the NFC title game long enough to watch the tape of that game, so that he can correct Norv Turner’s mistakes.
Line Matchups
Marc: You know the football cliché: control the line of scrimmage and you control the game. Two key matchups that may determine the outcome of this game are Matt Light against the speedy Osi Umenyiora and Logan Mankins against Justin Tuck. Contrary to what most Patriot critics think, Matt Light is quick enough to contain Umenyiora. Although Light has had problems with monster over-powering types, I don’t think Osi poses much of a problem. Mankins/Tuck is the match-up of the day. Mankins may be the best O-Linemen in the league and he’ll confirm this on Sunday by taking Tuck out of the game. We heard the same match-up concerns with the Jags and Chargers defensive front, and we all know how that worked out. On the Defensive side? Wilfork, Seymour, Ty Warren, Adalius Thomas…need I say more? The Pats D seems to have gone into “bend don’t break” mode lately. Opposing offenses have been able to move the ball between the 20’s, but the difference is what they do in the red-zone. One question for the Giants- if and when you do get in the red zone- you gonna score touchdowns, or are you gonna kick field goals?
Jared: The Giants front four will go a long way to determining the result of this game. If the Giants front four can get pressure on Brady, the Giants won’t have to blitz and can play seven in the defensive backfield. This will prevent the Pats from getting the big play, and will allow the Giants’ corners and safeties to take some chances and do some ballhawking. They could get some picks just like the Chargers did. And, the Giants have the personnel to get up a rush, despite only rushing four. Strahan and Osi are relentless and Justin Tuck may be my favorite player in the NFL, after Manny Wright. It’ll help the Giants in pressuring Brady that Matt Light is an overrated stiff, and couldn’t block Dakota Fanning. Light will be sure to provide the Giant rushers with holes larger than the gap in Michael Strahan’s teeth. Maybe if he spent as much time on blocking technique as he does styling his hair, it might be a different story; unfortunately, it’s not. As to the Giants offensive line . . . well, to be honest with you, I have absolutely no idea who plays on the Giants offensive line; Sam Huff may still play both ways for all I know. I suppose I could look it up, but my Internet is down. In that case, we’ll call the Pats D-Line versus the Giants O-Line a push, Nick Bakay-style.
Defensive Backfield
Marc: If the Giants can get Plaxico Burress matched against Ellis Hobbs, the Pats secondary could be in for a very long day. That’s why I would expect Asante Samuel to get that assignment and not shy away from the challenge or the trash talking that Burress is never shy to dish out (this clown had the stones to predict a 23-17 Giant win). Asante is not a shut-down corner (although his hold-out this year would indicate otherwise), but his aggressiveness, ability to read quarterback and anticipation make him a good candidate for at least one key pick. James Sanders is solid and with the veteran leadership of Rodney Harrison, I’d say the Pats stand a good chance of containing the Giants passing game.
Jared: Although the effectiveness of the Giants defensive backfield will be, in large part, contingent on the work of their defensive front, the Giants defensive backs, like their running backs, have survived injuries and benefited from unexpected performances to emerge as a battle-tested group. They’re aggressive, and will try to jump routes when the defensive front pressures Brady into throws. Taking one to the house would go a long way to changing the tenor of the game. And, they’ll smack Randy Moss around, effectively taking him out of the game. Randy will run for his blanket the moment he takes some licks, as he has always done. On the Pats side, Samuel is a good corner, but takes too many chances, and can get toasted, especially by a veteran wideout like Amani Toomer. If the Pats continue to play their corners on sides of the field rather than on receivers, Plax will abuse Ellis Hobbs so badly that he’ll have the gum disease that causes gingivitis by the end of the game. In the safety slots, Eugene Wilson is more often quiet than not, and Rodney Harrison is a walking penalty flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. I expect Rodney to shoot up some horse tranquilizer before the game, and then kick Kevin Boss in the groin without provocation and for no good reason, after the Pats stop the Giants on a key 3rd and short. Manning and Toomer and Burress could make noise against the Pats in much the same way that Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith and Mushin Muhammad did against the Pats in Super Bowl XXXVIII, a game that the Pats came close to losing.
Special Teams
Marc: Still cursing the Kraft’s for not resigning #4? Stephen Gostkowski has been very consistent when given opportunities. He’s best from 40 and in, but if he’s asked to win the game from beyond that, I think I’d rather have #4 in there.
Unsung hero - Special Teams Captain Larry Izzo. This guy is a veteran and leads a Pats coverage team that consistently wins the field position battle.
Jared: Yeah, right. What makes you think I know anyone who plays on special teams for the Giants if I don’t know anyone who plays on their offensive line? Please. I usually clean my apartment during football games. This subtleties of the game are lost on me. Push.
Coaches’ Corner
Marc: I commend Tom Coughlin for softening his approach with his players. He’s created a real team environment and his convincing of Strahan to stay is indicative that this guy has turned it around…….HOWEVER, does anyone really believe that with two weeks of preparation, Bill Belichik doesn’t have at least a slight advantage? Still not convinced? Then ponder this stat: the Patriots are 26-7 in same-season rematches under Belichick.
Jared: Tom Coughlin is a better coach than Bill Belichik.
I’m sorry. That even looks stupid.
(ahem)
Tom Coughlin can’t hold Bill Belichik’s sleeveless sweatshirt.
At least it will be warm in Arizona, so Coughlin won’t have to suffer the further ignominy of having Rocky Balboa come up to him to punch his cheeks.
The “It” Factor/Team of Destiny
Marc: I hate this heading- Team of Destiny??? Please! With the public and the media fixated on Perfection, the Patriots have shown an inordinate amount of selflessness and focus, and that resonates throughout the organization. This team refuses to succumb to distractions, and never looks past any opponent. Veteran Linebacker Junior Seau summarized the Patriot mantra best, saying, “Coach tells us to concentrate on winning the next play and know that the other 10 guys will be there doing their job so you can concentrate on doing yours.”
Jared: The Giants are obviously the “it” team (you’d want to buy them on Ebay), the team of destiny, America’s team, what have you. Everybody hates the Patriots, so they’re the alternative, if nothing else. The Giants have won 10 straight road games, including three straight playoff road games. They were left for dead near the end of the season . . . until they played the Patriots and got their mojo back. They outplayed the Patriots for three quarters in New York in Week 17. Now, it’s time to finish the job. The Giants are also working the Ewing Theory into a serious lather; with the retirement of Tiki Barber, everything has come together. The Giants are a huge underdog, led by a where-did-he-come-from quarterback, going up against an offensive juggernaut with an egotistical coach. Sound familiar?
The Giants are like the United States’ drive to the Pacific: irrefutable, unstoppable, undeniable. James K. Polk would have been a Giants fan. The karmic wheel is just spinning their way. Mercury Morris has his champagne chilling right now. It’s over, Pats fans, the perfect season going down in flames like the Hindenburg.
Wild Cards
Marc: The Giants would have been better off playing this game last Sunday. The momentum should slow down with all the hype and demands surrounding the players this week. Also, there’s a difference between a good team and a hot team. The Giants appear to be the latter. The Pats can hit you so many ways offensively, that I think at the end of the day, they will prove to be too much to handle.
Jared: Some additional factors for your consideration:
Jeremy Shockey is not playing in this game. He was a drain on Eli, his whiny, greasy, angry training wheels. Now, the training wheels are off. And, Eli’s riding his bike all by himself.
Phil Simms has placed a voodoo curse on Tom Brady for Brady’s breaking of his playoff single-game completion percentage record.
Kerry Collins has already used up all of the Giants Super Bowl interceptions for this decade.
Prediction:
Marc: Patriots 40, Giants 17
Jared: Patriots 38, Giants 24
(Hey, I said I was a Giants fan, and that I hope they win, not that I’m stupid.)
Marc A. D'Antonio, Esq., is the senior programs manager for the Massachusetts Bar Association. Let the record show that Mr. D’Antonio is the idea man behind Sports in the Courts. It would appear from the hilarity of his writing Mr. Correia is the creative one. Not so.
Jared D. Correia, Esq., is publications attorney with the Massachusetts Bar Association. Prior to joining the MBA, he was a private practice attorney, working in the areas of general practice and disability law. His Giants fanhood is the only chink in his otherwise solid New England sports fan armor. (Oh, check that, the Bruins suck and I hate hockey. If I was pressed, I would have to say that I am a Canucks guy: simple, understated uniforms, featuring a whale for no apparent reason. Now that’s good stuff.) Jared is indebted, in the writing of this article, to the assistance of two Patriots fans, who waste entirely too much of their lives watching football: Marc Moccia, MBA Section Council Coordinator, and Ethan Hayes.