It’s a tale of two cities and, more aptly, a tale of two quarterbacks.

Earlier this week, the Patriots made a very Patriots-like move, re-signing Tom Brady to a deal that not only ensures the greatest quarterback of his generation will retire in New England, but a deal that also frees up cap space to keep a nucleus in place around him. Down in New York, reports surfaced out of the NFL Combine that Jets receiver Santonio Holmes would not consider restructuring his own long-term deal to help create cap space.

Inexplicably, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was given a contract extension last March, just a couple weeks prior to the team trading for Tim Tebow. The deal was given by then general manager Mike Tannenbaum even though Sanchez was coming off a season of regression and had two years left on his rookie deal.

Metro looks at the ugly details:

» Original salary (2013):
Brady: $21.8 million
Sanchez: $12.8 million

» Restructured salary (2013):
Brady: $13.8 million
Sanchez: $12.8 million

» TDs/INTs (2012):
Brady: 34/13
Sanchez: 18/8

» Wins (2012)
Brady: 12
Sanchez: 6

» AFC East titles (career)
Brady: 10
Sanchez: 0

» Super Bowl titles (career)
Brady: 3
Sanchez: 0

» Butt fumbles (2012):
Brady: 0
Sanchez: 1

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning earned the second Most Valuable Player award of his career as he went 30-of-40 for 296 yards and one touchdown and hit eight different receivers. And unlike his counterpart Tom Brady, he didn’t commit a turnover, raising his postseason ratio to nine touchdowns and just one interception.   

Manning showed his championship mettle as he took the Giants down the field on the game-winning drive. The biggest play was a Manning to Mario Manningham 38-yarder down the left sidelines that put the ball at midfield and gave the Giants a huge boost. The play was upheld by replay, which also took away a crucial timeout from the Patriots after the replay challenge didn’t go their way. The huge play led up to Ahmad Bradshaw’s six-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining for the eventual game-winning points.    

Bradshaw, who finished with a game-high 72 yards on 17 carries, was overcome with emotion when recalling his game-winning score immediately after the game.   

“Oh, man, it was the best feeling in the world,” Bradshaw said. “I’m just so happy to be here with my team and my family. … These were two of the greatest teams in the NFL and I’m happy to have won it.”    

Manning is about as polished, some say robotic, as they come so it was no surprise that he wanted to dole out kudos to everyone but himself.      

“It just feels great. It was a great game with two great teams,” he said. “I’m happy for the guys. I’m happy for everyone in this organization [especially] coach Coughlin. I feel great for the new guys [because] some of them are getting their first one.”   

What Manning’s greatness also managed to do was put to rest all those questions  about being elite as he’s now dethroned Brady in the Super Bowl twice in the last four seasons. He also gave the Giants their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy to match four other franchises (Steelers, 49ers, Packers and Cowboys) with at least as many.    

Manning got off to torrid start as he began the game 9-of-9, which was a Super Bowl record for the best start ever by a quarterback. His hot start helped the Giants get off to a fast 9-0 lead. And while Tom Brady erased that deficit to end the first half up 10-9, it was Manning’s second half that was phenomenal.  

His nine-play, 88-yard game-winning drive in just 2:49 was the stuff Brady was used to doing. Manning was judicial with the ball but his favorite target was Hakeem Nicks, who tallied a game-high 10 catches for 109 yards.
 
Brady finished 27-of-41 with 276 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and set a Super Bowl record for consecutive completions with 16, breaking his childhood idol Joe Montana’s mark of 13. He also erased an early 9-0 first-half deficit to rattle off 17 straight points to take the lead. The future Hall of Famer was just as giving as Manning as he targeted seven different receivers, led by tight end Aaron Hernandez (eight receptions, 67 yard and a touchdown) and wideout Wes Welker (seven catches for 60 yards).    

The Patriots’ other tight end, Rob Gronkowski, was severely limited by both a high-ankle sprain and the Giants’ aggressive defense, as he was held to two catches for 26 yards on only three targets. The man known as “Gronk” usually tallies three catches in one drive, so it was a testament to Big Blue’s defense in limiting his touches.   

One Giant in particular who had success was linebacker Chase Blackburn. The veteran wasn’t re-signed last summer and sat home until late in the season when the Giants called his number again. He rewarded them with an interception in his first game back, versus the Packers, and was the one guy who rallied all phases of the team, as he’s also a special teams maven.   

Blackburn was responsible for arguably the biggest play of the game when he boxed out the 6-foot-6 Gronkowski on a jumpball from Brady and intercepted the pass at the Giants’ 8-yard line in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. Had Gronkowski come up with the reception there’s no telling how the game would’ve turned out as the Patriots were up 17-15 and driving for more.   

“This game was everything I expected, as I’ve been here before. It was a physical game,” said Blackburn, adding he did everything he could to outmuscle the larger Gronkowski. “I just wanted to box him out and get to the high point of the ball. I felt like I had a bead on it and I just made the play on the ball. … It was a man-to-man check and I had the vertical [route] on him. And when Tom Brady got out of the sack I knew his receivers would go deep so fortunately I was able to make the play.”   

Manning was the biggest playmaker on the field when it mattered most as he was the one leading Big Blue to yet another fourth-quarter comeback this year. It was also the second time he was responsible for such a late-game drive to dispatch the Patriots this season.      

Ultimately it came down to execution. And while Manning earned his second Super Bowl, one more than older brother Peyton, he also beat Brady for a second time in four years in the Super Bowl and temporarily kept the future Hall of Famer from joining an elite Super Bowl-winning list of quarterbacks with four rings (Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw).   

The questions of whether Manning is elite died for good in Indianapolis.

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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“Everyone’s got money on the Giants, all the boys,” said Andy Hawlett, 29, who lives in the Financial District and works as a broker.

His plans are the same, if the Giants win or lose.

“If they lose, stay here, get drunk and have a hangover,” said Hawlett. “And if they win still stay here, get drunk and have a hangover.”

“They’re not going to lose, it’s impossible,” said Ivonne Smith, a 28-year-old healthcare worker from Jersey City. “I supported the Giants when they were in the Super Bowl in 2008. They won then and they are going to win in 2012. I can’t wait for the ticker tape parade.”

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Check out the “flames” from a burned-out car. Oh, and that car was destroyed by a Patriots bronco.

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High standards: CSNBC business reporter Darren Rovell was a hit on Twitter last night as he criticized the “talent” at the Playboy bunny party at the Bud Light hotel.

“Playboy not having gorgeous Playmates at its Super Bowl party does effect a brand that is already faltering #reality,” Rovell tweeted.

Tuna grilled: Bill Parcells will not be a part of the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012. While in New England, Parcells’ favorite player was “Boy Wonder” Curtis Martin. Martin got in last night, which the Big Tuna might actually have mixed feelings about.

When Martin had his first 100-yard game, Parcells had one of his typical snide remarks to the media: “Don’t go putting him in Canton yet.”

Follow Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkeMetroBOS and check in at www.metro.us/boston/sports following the game for “Live Feed” of Super Bowl XLVI

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Which franchise will win its fourth Super Bowl? The winner will join a select group with four or more titles (49ers, Steelers, Packers and Cowboys). If the Giants win, head coach Tom Coughlin will have the most road wins in the history of the league (eight). He’ll have broken a tie with legendary Cowboys coach Tom Landry. Also, will Eli win his second — in big brother Peyton’s place, no less? Or will Tom Brady tie Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana for the most rings (four) in the Super Bowl era?  

What to watch for …
 
1. Speed kills

The Giants’ “NASCAR” unit holds all the keys to this game. That group includes five bonafide pass rushers, usually on the field at the same time, including defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Dave Tollefson and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka. It’ll be a chess match throughout the game, as the Patriots often go to the five-wide receiver set to stretch the defense thin. If the rush can’t get to Tom Brady, it’ll leave the Giants’ sometimes suspect secondary vulnerable.
  
2. Is the Pats defense good?

Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs said the Patriots’ defense “is really good. … I don’t see what other people see.” If the playoffs are any indication he might be right, as New England has tightened up loose ends. No one will confuse them with the 49ers or Ravens, but the Patriots’ defense isn’t the sieve it was earlier in the season. The Giants are loaded on offense, specifically in the passing game (Eli Manning has eight touchdowns to just one interception), so it’s up to Pats’ head coach Bill Belichick to find a way to slow down Big Blue’s attack. Belichick’s creativity this year has been to use receivers in the secondary, like Julian Edelman. And while Giants’ receivers have said all the right things this week, it’s certain they all want their cracks at the convert.  

3. Born to run

The Giants’ rushing game has really picked it up since the playoffs began, following a 16-game regular-season slate that had them dead last in rushing yards and yards per game. Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have combined for 327 rushing yards in the playoffs and look to continue that hot streak. The Giants knocked off the Pats on Nov. 6 as they had a balanced attack (250 passing and 111 rushing). They didn’t have Bradshaw in that game, as Jacobs carried the load (72 yards on 18 carries), so Big Blue is confident they can do even better with their backfield arsenal fully-loaded. 

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams live from Lucas Oil Stadium on Twitter @TBone8.  

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“I don’t see what other people see [because] I think their defense is good,” running back Brandon Jacobs said of New England. “They’ve been playing great ever since they lost to us [Nov. 6]. I think their defense is playing well during this whole run [where] they’ve had 11 straight [wins] now. We’re looking forward to hard-hitting matchup.”    

The Patriots were among the league’s worst units in yards allowed, yet finished a respectable 15th in points allowed per game. They mostly exhibited a bend-but-don’t-break mentality because most of the time, teams were playing catch-up. That meant lots of fourth-quarter yards gained in vain.   

Even when New England employs offensive guys into the defensive game plan, they never really lost a beat. Giants’ wide receiver Mario Manningham made some headlines earlier this week when it sounded as if he was scoffing at the notion of the Patriots using wideout Julian Edelman in the secondary. Manningham later tried to put out that fire, but it was evident that the quirky Manningham was a little unnerved that the Patriots would dare use a receiver — and former college quarterback — on him.   

Victor Cruz took a more diplomatic route in addressing the Edelman situation and gave props to Edelman for his unselfishness and willingness to learn a new position mid-season.  

“I see he’s very raw at that position because it’s not his dominant position,” said Cruz. “But he’s quick, fast and he carries over a lot of the receiver stuff over to cornerback. We’ll see how it goes Sunday. Obviously seeing a receiver playing defensive back is a matchup you want to test. He’s in a position and an area where we’ll test him out early and see how he handles that game flow.”    

While Edelman will merely be a fly in the ointment, the Giants’ biggest problem — literally — will be game planning around massive nose tackle Vince Wilfork. The 6-foot-2, 350-pounder has been a wrecking ball to opposing offenses in not only stopping the run but collapsing the pocket as well.   

How well the Giants neutralize Wilfork will go a long way in determining their overall success.     

“He is an animal in the middle,” said running back Ahmad Bradshaw. “He clogs all the holes. He’s just a beast. All we can try to do is contain him and try to run around him.”   

Bradshaw and Jacobs both figure to have big roles in the Super Bowl, if only to give what head coach Tom Coughlin craves most — balance. While quarterback Eli Manning is more than capable at getting into a shootout with Tom Brady, the Giants would rather have a more evenly distributed game plan.   

Jacobs, for one, is sure hoping to get numerous touches and wear down a defense that he said is not as lame as many think.     

“Forget about the regular season [because] their defense has been playing great throughout the playoffs,” Jacobs insisted. “They did a great job against Baltimore and against that running attack. The numbers they posted [in the regular season], you just have to be out on the field to really realize that they’re good. They have a lot of heavy guys in there and it’s tough to move them. … It’s going to be a dogfight.”   

Ultimately, Jacobs said, he believes it’ll come down to what he and Bradshaw can contribute. He feels even with all those flashy receivers in the huddle, the backbone of the offense is still their running game.     

“If we can get going and stay patient with the run I think that’ll give the wide receivers an opportunity as well at having a great game,” Jacobs said, adding the confidence in the once-awful running game has picked up during this playoff run. “I feel like we have been doing a great job lately at running the ball. But whatever we have to do to win the game that’s what we have to do. … I feel like we’ll have an impact. Me and Ahmad are not that far off from being some of the best players in our offense.”  
 
Big Blue notes

» Jacobs has been peppered with some odd questions this week, but has handled each query with aplomb. Since this is his first visit back to Indianapolis since his infamous helmet-tossing moment in the Colts fans’ stands two seasons ago, that was naturally a question that continually popped up from the local media. Jacobs, though, was ready with the standard answers: “That was a mistake. It stuck to my glove as I looked to throw it against the bench. I never got it back, but I told them to keep it because they weren’t playing me anyway.”    

He joked that should the Giants win he won’t be tossing his helmet in celebration: “It would not be an appropriate way to celebrate. I’m definitely not willing to celebrate that way [because] it wouldn’t be cheap. It ain’t the helmet that you pay for, though. It’s the stupid decision you make to do it. The helmet ain’t but $100, but the fine would be like a 100K. Nah, I’m good.”  

Jacobs was then asked if he thinks he could pull off sneaking out of the team’s hotel and enjoy the Indy nightlife, as punter Steve Weatherford said he could do if he wanted. Weatherford pointed out in jest that as a “skinny white guy” he could sneak out of the hotel and enjoy Indianapolis a little bit. But countered that any “oversized black man had no chance of getting out of the hotel without being noticed and hounded for autographs.” When relayed that message by a local NBA affiliate reporter, Jacobs agreed, but added the citizens in Indianapolis have been great to him: “He’s absolutely right. But people don’t really bother you around here. I haven’t been distracted and neither has anyone on this team.”   

Jacobs’s relationship with his own fans, however, has been contentious at times. He said while they’ve had their run-ins he has nothing but love for them: “In those situations [getting booed] you’ve got a guy that is out there trying to work hard and win football games. I’m upset and they’re upset when we lose. But our fans have been great for us these last two months, even during our losing streak. We had a lot of people come out to San Francisco and to cold Green Bay. They have been as much a part of this as the players.”    

Jacobs is due a $500,000 roster bonus in March — a fee many feel the Giants won’t dole out, making him a free agent. He refused to speculate, but said if this is the last go-around in a Big Blue uniform, this will be a great way to end his tenure: “I’ve not thought about that [contract situation] and it doesn’t really bother me. I’m sure something is going to get worked out and things will be fine. It’ll just take care of itself. I’m playing in the Super Bowl for the New York Giants and if that’s the way it is [being his final game], there is nothing I can do about that. … But no question about it, it definitely motivates me to go out with a bang.”

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams live from Indianapolis on Twitter @TBone8.

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Whether they win or lose on Sunday, the Patriots’ hub during this run [quarterback Tom Brady, running back Kevin Faulk and offensive tackle Matt Light] have learned to truly appreciate this rare stretch of good fortune. Each know how turbulent the NFL life is and how much roster upheaval there is annually, so they take pride in knowing they’ve survived – and thrived – together.     

“This makes things extra special [because] you’ll have those memories forever,” Brady said when asked to describe his feelings this week. “It’s a bit surreal being here sharing this experience with this team; sharing this with the guys who have been here since the beginning. Overall, we’re a close team. That’s what puts things in perspective because of how hard it is to get here. You tend to appreciate it more.”   

Faulk, who has made a living off making clutch catches and big runs during his 13-year career, said the longevity of the trio comes down to always being prepared to step up when needed most. He said when a player like himself or Brady steps into the league and immediately starts making plays, it’s easier to build the trust of the coaching staff when asked to perform in pressure situations.    

“The QB and head coach have been consistent, that’s one thing. And they’ve trusted me when needed most,” Faulk said. “I’ve managed to be consistent. You need to make plays and be ready when your name is called. And when you do that you’ll be here for a while.”       

Faulk then added it also helps to have someone like head coach Bill Belichick in his corner, constantly trusting enough in him to give the running back opportunities to come through.      

“Two words, Bill Belichick,” Faulk said when asked how he’s managed to have such good fortune during their run. “There’s a consistency with him. We go into each year knowing that each team is different, regardless of what happened in previous seasons. But he always comes back to the guys he feels most comfortable with.”      

When asked why he thinks Brady has had such sustained excellence, Faulk shrugged matter-of-factly and said that the former sixth-round pick plays with an edge and passion that’s not matched by many.   

“It’s simple. He [Brady] just continues to want to get better, no matter what he’s already accomplished,” said Faulk.  

Follow Tony Williams live from Indy on Twitter: @Tbone8

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The problem with the extra week leading up to the big game is that players who are usually reserved and reticent to make waves have extra time to speak their minds.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, who never has anything controversial say, said he doesn’t feel as if his team is too cocky or overconfident. Safety Antrel Rolle’s proclamation that Big Blue will win the game and defensive end Chris Canty’s boast that Giants fans should get ready for a victory parade didn’t even faze Coughlin.

In fact, Coughlin likes the way his team is brimming with confidence and feels they’ve done a great job at balancing that fine line.       

“There’s been one or two quotes out there,” Coughlin said. “But to be honest with you, I don’t think either one of them are any different than Tom Brady’s.”      

Coughlin was referring to Brady’s proclamation that “Hopefully we’ll have a lot more people at our party next weekend” when he addressed approximately 25,000 Patriots fans at last Sunday’s send-off pep rally.     

Coughlin insists his motto this week (“Humble enough to prepare, confident enough to perform”) hasn’t been breached this week. He added he’s confident because every one of the 53-man roster practiced at least once this week and he expects full-attendance on Sunday.    

“Everyone wants to be a part of it,” Coughlin said. “No one wants to be someone who is not able to participate or be a part of this wonderful experience. We’ve had everyone on the practice field, and hopefully, thank God, it will be that way Sunday.”  

Coughlin also said running back Ahmad Bradshaw is expected to practice for a third straight day, on Friday, despite a broken bone in his right foot.    

“Ahmad has practiced two days in a row,” he said, “which is very unusual and tells you the excitement that’s built up there.”    

The chirping began as soon as Rolle proclaimed victory, but peaked when Jason Pierre-Paul boasted about what they did to Brady when the Giants beat them Nov. 6 in New England.

“Yeah, he was reacting to pressure that didn’t exist,” Pierre-Paul said of the Giants’ 24-20 victory. “He was just throwing the ball places where there wasn’t a receiver. So imagine us getting there even faster and we’re actually doing our jobs and getting there and getting hits on him.”
  
This wasn’t the first time Pierre-Paul made waves by verbally going after one of the league’s giants. Earlier in the playoffs he guaranteed victory over Aaron Rodgers and his 15-1 Packers. So, imagine the waves the second-year defensive end caused when he took shots at the man known as “The Golden Boy,” when he flippantly remarked the Giants aren’t in awe of Brady (“It’s not like he is God.”).    

Big Blue may need the help of a higher power should they fail to match their bravado with a win on Sunday. Public sentiments — for now — are seemingly with the Giants, but the masses aren’t kind to Super Bowl losers. And should the Giants falter, no one will remember the team that courageously fought back from a 7-7 record to an appearance in the ultimate game.
   
The man responsible for putting together the outfit that hopes to get that ring is general manager Jerry Reese. According to the architect, he doesn’t have any problems with the brashness either. He feels the team is just “speaking confidently and not disrespectfully by any stretch of the imagination.”      

Reese said winning breeds confidence, and no team has had to endure more do-or-die wins than his team.  

“They’re not going to have a hangdog look and say, ‘Well, we might win,’” Reese said. “Guys are confident we’re going to win.”
    
Canty was still confident when asked about his quote, but he didn’t want to delve into it anymore. He was back to his usually gentlemanly self by Friday and even evoked Coughlin’s famous slogan of “talk is cheap, play the game.”   

“Let’s face it, confidence comes from demonstrated performances and we’ve demonstrated to one another we can perform at a very high level,” Canty said. “We can beat some really good football teams.”   

Canty added he agreed with Coughlin that guys have properly straddled swagger with overconfidence.  

“I think there’s a touch of laziness in overconfidence. That’s when guys have lapses in focus and preparation, and I definitely don’t get that feel from this football team. Words are not going to win this football game on Sunday. And it’s not going to be won in the media, the court of public opinion or anything like that,” Canty said, adding Coughlin would simply shut the chirping down if he found it to be excessive. “I think he knows when to step in and say, ‘Enough is enough.’ I don’t think guys have crossed those boundaries.”   

Big Blue notes

» Coughlin held his final presser on Friday morning and had some good one-liners. Perhaps his best was directed at the newfound Giants’ fans that are now aboard the bandwagon and specifically for those that jumped ship during their midseason losing streak: “Five weeks ago there wasn’t even a bus. Now there are no seats.”    

» Mathias Kiwanuka was asked about finishing strong and if starting strong is overrated: “It’s not about how good you are coming into the season. The Cowboys prove that every year.”    

» Umenyiora had jokes too, when he wasn’t avoiding the media. When asked to expound on Pierre-Paul’s Brady/God topic, he flashed a broad smile and said: “Brady isn’t God but [he] might be Jesus.”
   
» The men looking to get at Brady are a five-man pass rushing rotation that features Pierre-Paul, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck and Dave Tollefson. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, a racecar enthusiast, even gave them the nickname NASCAR: “I gave them the choice of being the NASCAR unit or something named after, like, five thoroughbred race horses. And they all picked the NASCAR nickname,” said Fewell, who added he’ll even use all five on the field simultaneously. “I’m from North Carolina and I am familiar with auto racing. I think it fits just right.”  
  
» Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s attention to detail is legendary. During a recent session Belichick made the strategic move of taking a 30-minute break during the middle of practice to mimic the extended halftime coming for Sunday’s matchup against the Giants. Belichick said he’s left no stone unturned: “We were trying to simulate the best we can. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we could do. Practice, take a break, come back out and re-start.”

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams live from Indianapolis on Twitter @TBone8.

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These festive fan-themed libations borrowed from the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City will have you rooting for your team in style. Even the most ‘spirited’ fans of both the New York Giants and the New England Patriots can find common ground with these creative mixes. Cheers!

For the Giants fans

Big Blue

A variation on the classic Manhattan, this drink epitomizes the tradition and valor of one of the most successful franchises in football history.

– 2 oz rye whiskey
– 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
– 2-3 dashes bitters
– fresh blueberries for garnish

Preparation:

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with blueberries.

Manning Special

Cool and calm under pressure – this is a drink befitting a field-general
Ingredients:

– 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
– 1 small lime wedge
– 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
– 1 1/2 ounces gin
– 1/2 oz grenadine
– Ice
– 2 oz chilled club soda

Preparation:

Muddle 15 blueberries with the lime wedge and sugar. Add the gin and ice and shake well. Strain into a highball glass half-filled with ice, top with the club soda and garnish with the remaining blueberries.

For the Patriots fans

Brady Bomb

One of the greatest players of all-time begets a drink fitting his explosive and game-changing ability.

Ingredients:

– 1 oz cherry vodka
– 3 oz Red Bull energy drink
– 1 splash grenadine syrup

Preparation:

Pour vodka and Red Bull energy drink into a small glass. Add grenadine slowly so it sinks to the bottom without mixing for a layered effect.

The Gronk

Named for one of the most prolific pass catching tight ends in the league, this drink is perfect for celebrating your love for everything Pats.

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 oz tequila
– 1/2 oz white crème de cacao
– 1/2 oz blue curaçao
– 1/2 oz cream
– Maraschino cherry for garnish

Preparation:

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or in an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

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Stark gave his insight into what makes guys like Eli Manning and Tom Brady so clutch in big spots. Here’s some highlights from the interview:

Doctor, what makes some players perform better in high-pressure situations?

Well, some people, when they get down to the, you know, you saw what happened in the playoffs … the Ravens missed an easy field goal and the 49ers, the kickoff guy, had two — a fumble and another one hit his leg — for a turnover. It cost them. Some people get anxious, nervous. Some people just want the ball. The bigger the playing field, the more relaxed they get and the happier they are. They just kind of go in that zone and it all depends on the personality.

What makes Eli Manning and Tom Brady so good in those tight situations?

Both of them are great, cerebral guys. Smart guys, calm, collected. They have to be in the pocket and have guys come moving by you and wanting to take your head off half the time, but I think they are both very gifted in that sense — neither one of them seems to get rattled and neither one of them is injured at this point, so I think it’s going to be on their shoulders. They are going to shine and either  one of them is going to make it or break it. It’s going to come down, I think, to a couple of plays.

Who do you think is better in the clutch: Eli or Brady?

I think Brady’s slightly better in the clutch because he’s been there so many times, but you know Eli is not that far behind. He’s not a guy that gets too high or too low; that’s what you like about him. He’s a lot like his brother. He’s been taught that you don’t get too excited … you score a touchdown and you’re not jumping up and down going crazy, screaming and yelling.

Is the players’ preparation different during the Super Bowl than in a regular-season game?

In society, in the way we look at things, the regular season counts but the playoffs count even more because that’s what determines the championship. If Eli gets two championships, is that better than the 10 great years and one championship by Peyton? That’s how we measure things, with rings.  LeBron [James] doesn’t have one and Michael Jordan has six.

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Redskins-Cowboys hasn’t been good since Joe Gibbs and Tom Landry were matching wits. Eagles-Giants has provided some classic moments, but Philadelphia has dominated (winning eight of last nine in the series). Patriots-Colts was way up there — until Peyton Manning’s neck injury. And Ravens-Steelers is perennially good, if you like defense.

However, Giants-Patriots has evolved into one of the most intriguing in all of football. While the frequency isn’t there — the teams have met just three times since 2008 — the animosity certainly is. Those three games have been decided by an average margin of victory of 3.3 points, with the Giants taking two of them, including a Super Bowl.

Yes, this rivalry is still in its infancy stages, but don’t discredit it. New Yorkers hate New Englanders, and vice versa. With that in mind, we take a look inside the rivalry.

The Players
Osi Umenyiora vs. Matt Light: Umenyiora called Light out for dirty play prior to Super Bowl XLII. Now, he’s up to his old tricks after claiming Light shoved him late when the The two teams met back in Week 9, a 24-20 Giants win. “I’ve actually fought him twice, actual real fight on the football field, twice,” Umenyiora told The Star-Ledger. “Me and him, we have history. We’re going to rekindle it on Sunday.”

The Cities
New York and Boston can’t even agree on what constitutes real clam chowder. Is it cream-based or tomato-based? Whatever your choice of soup, the cities are connected, mainly due to Yankees vs. Red Sox. Empire State Building vs. The Hancock … OK, maybe that’s not fair but you get the idea. But one local New York City bar — Foley’s Pub — has banned the sale of Boston-based Sam Adams beer during this weekend’s big game.

The Coaches
Like wrinkles, how about this: Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick won a Super Bowl together 21 years ago as assistants under the legendary Bill Parcells. Belichick as defensive coordinator, Coughlin as receivers coach. “I would say that as an assistant coach it was the best relationship that I have ever had with another counterpart in that way,” Belichick said recently.

The QBs
Tom Brady has those lead-actor looks and the arm candy to prove it, in supermodel wife, Gisele. However, a recent poll conducted by cheater’s website AshleyMadison.com revealed that 54 percent of married women would rather have an affair with “aww shucks”-looking Eli Manning. Brady, of course, has two more Lombardis than Manning.

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So maybe we should stop trying to analyze the matchups, injuries, home-field advantage and who is hot. Perhaps a more effective strategy would be to simply figure out what the bookies want to happen, and then bet on their side.

The folks at SportsInsights.com do that, tracking the number of bets that come in on each side at six independent major offshore books. Using that info, they decipher who is pushing the line and thus what those books are rooting for.

“You want to follow the sharp money, you want to follow the Warren Buffetts of our industry,” said Dan Fabrizio, the president of SportsInsights. “Not the other way around.”

Sunday’s game between the Patriots and Giants sticks out to Fabrizio, and not just because it’s the Super Bowl. As of Thursday, 61 percent of bets were coming in on the underdogs from New York.

“That’s very rare. Typically, you’ll see the favorite getting the majority of public bets,” said Fabrizio. “I would say nine times out of 10 it’s going to be on the favorite.”

Everyone and their grandmother wagers the Super Bowl, so the line appears to be getting pushed by unsophisticated, or “square” bettors. After opening at Patriots minus-3.5 in most spots, the line has gone to minus-3 and minus-2.5 in some shops.

SportsInsights is recommending a play on the Patriots at minus-2.5. No one knows if that will hit, but we do know that they will be cheering when the bookies cheer.

Prop bets

1. Will Kelly Clarkson’s bare belly be showing during the national anthem? You’ll get 3-1 odds, but that’s a bad bet. After Janet’s malfunction, no way we’ll get a peek.

2. How many times will Peyton Manning be shown on TV during? The over/under is 3.5, making the over a strong play. Between Eli, the neck and Peyton’s impending release, this is like free money.

3. Who will the Super Bowl MVP thank first? The favorite is “teammates” at 5/4, but the value play is “Does not thank anyone” at 5/2. These guys have to look out for No. 1.

4. Who will have more points: Paul Pierce or the Patriots? The Pats are getting 3.5 and the smart money is on them. Pierce is up against defensive stopper Tony Allen.
*Courtesy of Bovada.lv and Sportsbook.ag

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Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is a second-year phenom who has terrorized quarterbacks all season long and is looking forward to adding one more big-game prize to his mantel, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.    

The pass rusher said he figures to have quite the competition amongst his teammates in bagging the future Hall of Famer.

“We compete amongst each other and if Justin [Tuck] gets a sack, I want two. If I want two, then Osi [Umenyiora] wants three,” Pierre-Paul said. “Basically, you can say that we are greedy but in a good way [because] it helps our team out. We try to get there quick enough to help our secondary cover better and try to get to the quarterback as fast as we can.”

If not for Umenyiora, Pierre-Paul would probably be known as the quickest defensive lineman off the snap, as he possesses speed and agility that’s unmatched in the league. Pierre-Paul, who took over the starting slot ahead of his mentor as the elder vet battled numerous injuries all season, said despite being the official starter he holds Umenyiora in such high regards.

The phenom allowed that it’s Umenyiora who has been his biggest teacher and supporter.  

But while he said Umenyiora has taught him a lot, Pierre-Paul said there’s one thing the veteran can’t teach because it’s become a move synonymous with Umenyiora.    

“I leave that to Osi, that is Osi’s thing,” Pierre-Paul said when asked if he’s tried to borrow Umenyiora’s patented strip-sack move. “He is very good at it and we just try to get after the quarterback and have fun. That is the most important thing. Have fun on the field while you are trying to get after the passer. It’s just a great group of guys having fun out there.”
   
Having fun is perhaps the best advice Pierre-Paul said Tuck has been telling his teammates. Regardless of all the hoopla, Tuck said he just wants Pierre-Paul — and the rest of the Super Bowl neophytes — to try to make this game as normal as possible.    

“The only thing that I tell the younger guys is to make football, football,” said Tuck. “Don’t make this game bigger than it has to be. Everybody around you is going to make it bigger, but we have to concentrate on why we’re going out there.”   

Tuck said he thinks Pierre-Paul and the rest will heed his advice because he’s a leader by example and has already been through the wild week that leads up to the big game. 
 
“Listen, if you go out there and you handle your business and you win this game, you can party all you want to after that,” Tuck said when asked what he told the younger guys specifically Pierre-Paul. “For me personally, the first time I went to a Super Bowl [XLII] I approached it as a once in a lifetime thing. I’m blessed to have an opportunity to go to a second and hopefully will get the opportunity to go to more. You just have to approach it that way because you never know.”    

Pierre-Paul said he’ll definitely heed Tuck’s cautionary words, but added he’ll be enjoying every moment of this experience.   

“We clown around and stuff, especially in the D-line room,” Pierre-Paul said, adding the closer it gets to kickoff the more serious the mood will get. “Yes, we clown around but when it is time to work, we work. That is a good thing, we know when to shut it off and turn it on. They’re a great football team, a great offensive line, [but] when it’s time, we are just going to get after them.”

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8 all week from Indianapolis.

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The salsa-dancing breakout star of the 2011-12 season has had a meteoric rise to fame, which says a lot considering Cruz was merely an afterthought at this time last season. Cruz, undrafted from UMass and a former Big Blue scout-teamer, wasn’t the run-away candidate to fill the void at the slot receiver position following Steve Smith’s departure to Philadelphia last summer.    

But once he finally got his chance during the truncated 2011 preseason, Cruz ran away from the other candidates as soon as the regular season commenced, en route to 82 catches for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns. Such perseverance is what allowed Cruz to have such a standout season. He didn’t want to end up right back where he came from as yet another talented athlete from the rugged city of Paterson, N.J. who did nothing with his opportunities.   

“Coming from Paterson, New Jersey, a small town, and being able to climb through all the adversity that I had to face has been an amazing journey,” Cruz said. “It was huge [growing up in a rough area]. It gave me some really tough skin. A lot of guys don’t make it out of there or get an opportunity. But once that window of opportunity opens for you, you have to jump through it and take advantage of it. I think I’m a testament of that and hopefully I can be a story or a catalyst for kids in my city to do the same things I did. … I wouldn’t trade it in for anything in the world, though.”   

Following a record-setting season in which Cruz dominated teams from all over the field — whether it was in the red zone or 99 yards away — the Giants now have a bonafide star in their midst.  

“[Being undrafted] ended up being good for me. I wasn’t really shocked because I understood the process and understood I wasn’t a guy that had blazing statistics or was 6-foot-6, 230 pounds,” Cruz said. “I understood I probably wasn’t going to get drafted and would have to make the best of my opportunities and make the best of coming in as a practice squad guy and a free agent. … I just wanted to do the best job I could to break through on the team.”     

Before Cruz could be that breakthrough player, he had to scratch and claw just to make it to UMass. Following his career at Paterson Catholic High School, Cruz decided he needed more seasoning and went the prep school route, completing a post-graduate semester at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine.   

It was a much-needed respite, according to Cruz.   

“It gave me an idea of what college life was going to be like. It gave me a jump start and allowed me to be on my own a little bit instead of being home and having my mother around,” acknowledged Cruz. “It also kind of gave me time for some soul-searching and to better understand what I really wanted out of life.”   

His career at UMass should’ve been a marker for NFL scouts everywhere, yet there he sat in vain waiting to hear his name called during the draft. Cruz finished his college career with 131 catches (fourth-most in school history) even though he wasn’t a regular starter during his first two seasons.   

And while he now has every reason to puff out his chest and walk into Lucas Oil Stadium with a ton of swagger, Cruz likes the little guy tag he and Big Blue have carried all season.

“Every time we step on the field we feel we’re the underdog and it’s us against the world,” Cruz said. “Even when favored we like to come out and prove everybody wrong and keep playing with that same [underdog] mentality at all times.”   

One of Cruz’s biggest fans has been quarterback Eli Manning. It’s no secret that Manning is enjoying the greatest statistical season of his eight-year career and a big reason for that was the emergence of Cruz.   

Manning said that while he didn’t foresee Cruz being this good, this fast, he acknowledged Cruz had something special.   

“I’m not trying to say that was the reason we’ve reached the Super Bowl and why he’s reached these heights,” Manning said of his impromptu workouts at Hoboken High School during the lockout. “But I definitely think we got some good work done. Victor was one of the guys who was probably at every one of those throwing sessions and a guy who did a lot of spot work and making decisions and reads and just talking through things with me.    

“Obviously he’s had a great season [and] I’d like to think that that work paid off and we got better together. … We got to talk over some things and talk about adjustments and decisions. I’d like to think all that extra work helped him have a better understanding of our offense.”    

Cruz was more than happy to show up at the local New Jersey high school when he first got the call.  

“It was good for me to come in a build a rapport with Eli and a relationship with him on the field,” Cruz said. “It was good to come in and get used to catching footballs the way he throws them and get that early bead on how he likes to throw; get some terminology down and hearing his [cadence]. … It was just good to get some work in with him, especially coming off a [rookie] year [2010] where I didn’t play again after Week 3. I just wanted to get some of the rust off.”
    
Come Sunday, Cruz hopes to leave a suspect Patriots secondary in the dust.

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams live from Indianapolis on Twitter @TBone8.

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We gave the keys to the Super Bowl debate machine to Metro’s two rival sport editors and let the sparks fly and venom spew.

We just wanted to know two things: Who will win the big game, and why?

There wasn’t much of a consensus. But both men did pause to wonder which side Ines Sainz was on.

And, of course, they agreed that Super Bowl XLVI should be one heck of a football game.

Matt Burke
Metro Boston Sports Editor,
matt.burke@metro.us

We understand if this means everything to you New York. I mean, it’s rare that one of your nine pro teams (New Jersey counts, right?) makes it to the title game.

With seven pro titles in the past decade, this whole Super Bowl deal has become just another event for us in Boston. So we say, enjoy it guys. Welcome to the big time.

At the same time, it should still sting a tad to know that two of the three Super Bowl titles in Giants history were directly won by our head coach, Bill Belichick. His game plan for Super Bowl XXV, not Parcells’, is in Canton — and it’s a well-known fact that Belichick schemed Lawrence Taylor to the top and that the Fat Tuna never won jack without the hooded prince.

As for Sunday, it will be next to impossible to duplicate the luckiest play in the history of sports (Tyree’s helmet catch). So, good luck with that.

And your favorite hick son Eli? One solid season does not make a Hall of Famer. As of today, he’s Trent Dilfer with a goofy haircut and a Southern twang.

Mark Osborne
Metro New York Sports Editor
mark.osborne@metro.us

The Patriots are favorites in this game for one reason — 2002 to 2005.

Sorry, New England, but this isn’t the same team. Tom Brady is still great, no question. And yes, you’ve added two tremendous tight ends. (Well, maybe one and a half for this game.) But that is, quite literally, all you have going for you.

The Giants, meanwhile, are living in the present. Eli Manning is in the prime of his career, he has two dynamite young receivers in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, and the defensive line is the best in football.

We know both teams have bad secondaries, so throw them out. But you can make a legitimate case that the Giants have two better running backs, two better receivers and three better defensive ends than anyone on the Pats.

It’s quite simple — over the past 10 games, the best QB the Patriots beat was Mark Sanchez. Who’s the worst quarterback the Giants have faced the last 10 games? Mark Sanchez.

The Patriots are stepping up in class, and it shouldn’t be as close as Super Bowl XLII or Week 9 this year.

The post Patriots vs. Giants: Anything you can do, I can do better appeared first on Metro.us.

San Fran 20, Cincinnati 16
Joe Montana, orchestrated a 92-yard drive in 11 plays with his late TD strike to John Taylor proving to be the difference.

9. SUPER BOWL XLIV

New Orleans 31, Indy 17
The  Saints shocked the Colts with an onside kick to start the second half and Tracy Porter’s interception clinched it for New Orleans.

8. SUPER BOWL XIII

Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31
The Cowboys’ Jackie Smith dropped a sure touchdown in the third quarter as Dallas’ comeback attempt fell short against the Steel Curtain.

7. SUPER BOWL III

NY Jets 16, Baltimore 7
In perhaps the most meaningful Super Bowl of all-time, Joe Namath’s “guarantee” came to fruition as the AFL was forever legitimized.

6. SUPER BOWL XXXVIII

New England 32, Carolina 29
Janet Jackson’s halftime “slip,” set the tone for a thrilling second half between the Patriots and Panthers. Tom Brady set a Super Bowl record for most pass completions with 32.

5. SUPER BOWL XXV

NY Giants 20, Buffalo 19
Ottis Anderson was the standout performer for the Giants but this game is best remembered for the “wide right” miss with eight seconds left by Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood.

4. SUPER BOWL XXXIV

St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
Tennessee nearly erased a 16-0 deficit but St. Louis’ Mike Jones tackled receiver Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired in the most remarkable final play in Super Bowl history.

Rams QB Kurt Warner became a folk hero as he passed for 414 yards and two touchdowns to win game MVP.

3. SUPER BOWL XXXVI

New England 20, St. Louis 17
The Patriots were 14-point underdogs against the “Greatest Show on Turf,” but a brilliant game plan against Marshall Faulk and the budding brilliance of Tom Brady proved too great for the Rams. Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal sparked the Pats dynasty as time expired in New Orleans.

2. SUPER BOWL XLIII

Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23
Steelers linebacker James Harrison accounted for what is arguably the most exciting play in Super Bowl history as he picked off Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and returned it a record 100 yards for a touchdown right before halftime to give the Steelers a 17-7 lead.

Warner provided big plays of his own, however, as he hit Larry Fitzgerald on a post pattern for a riveting 64-yard touchdown which gave Arizona a 23-20 lead with 2:37 remaining.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would not be denied, however, as he found Santonio Holmes in the back corner of the end zone.

1. SUPER?BOWL XLII

Giants 17, New England, 14
The storyline heading into this game will forever be difficult to beat. It featured an undefeated Patriots team that was an NFL record 16-0 in the 2007 regular season against the No. 6-seeded Giants. Throw in the whole New York-Boston thing and you had a mountain of hype leading up to the game. Then they played … and the game surpassed the wildest of expectations. David Tyree’s helmet catch, arguably the most famous play in Super Bowl history, led to Eli Manning’s touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the corner of the end zone. Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the vaunted Patriots offense ran out of time in Arizona and New York hoisted its third Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

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The last time these two teams met, Nov. 6 in New England, the Giants’ pass rush harassed Brady into uncharacteristic mistakes, including two interceptions.

“We have to get after him; that’s what we have to do,” defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul said. “If not, he can pick our defense [apart]. He can throw the ball even if our coverage is very good. That’s scary. But as defensive linemen we just have to get to him fast enough. We need to get to him fast. … It all starts up front.”

Pierre-Paul led the Giants with 16.5 sacks and has arguably the quickest on-the-snap first step of all the Giants linemen. Despite the other well-known veterans on the team, like defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, the veterans still marvel at Pierre-Paul’s natural ability to disrupt the passing game.  

“He’s a huge part of our defense,” linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said of Pierre-Paul. “When you look at the kinds of things he does, not just speed and power, but his understanding of our defense and what offenses are trying to do to him, is amazing. It makes them account for him on every single play, regardless of what they are trying to do.”

Pierre-Paul is the arguably the most famous Big Blue defensive lineman and unquestionably had the best statistical season, but the easiest way to Brady will be a direct line — and that duty lies on the defensive tackles.   

Both interior starters, Chris Canty and Linval Joseph, hold those keys and each acknowledged that getting to Brady is a high priority. But they both said they must stop the run first, so they can eventually try and meet their teammates in the backfield.     

“You have to focus on run first because you can’t fight the war on two fronts. In order to get to pass-rush situations you have to get them into down-and-distances where they have to throw the ball,” said Canty. “You can’t pass rush on second-and-five or third-and-two. You want those second-and-seven and third-and-sixes. … Our defensive line is very cognizant of that.”   

Joseph added that despite the fact New England seems like a pass-happy offense, they are very effective at gashing defenses with the run if they focus solely on attacking Brady.

“You have to stop the run first,” Joseph said. “They’re a very sneaky run team and I want to stop the run first, personally. I always think run before I think pass.”      

But once the run game is under control and the Patriots are forced to pass, that’s when the fun begins

“You have to get pressure on him but everyone has to work together. But if we do that and force him into bad decisions it’ll be a good game for us. Pressure and hits on him are most important,” Joseph said. “Because we can make him flinch or move to spots and do things he doesn’t want to do.”

The Giants have the deepest and most talented pass rush in the league and it’s no secret why they’ve been able to tame Brady and Co. in the last two meetings that have mattered (Nov. 6 this season and Super Bowl XLII).

They had a whopping 48-28 sacks-to-sacks-allowed ratio, which was amongst the leaders in the NFL.  

Head coach Tom Coughlin said while it looks like a fluky luxury it was done by design.    

“It’s not just a luxury,” Coughlin said. “It’s a style and a way in which we prefer to play. It’s a position that we place a whole lot of stock in.”

Big Blue notes

» Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) missed practice Wednesday, but it’s of no alarm, said Coughlin. That’s been Bradshaw’s ritual during the season, as he usually sits out Wednesday and Thursday and practices Fridays so he stays fresh for Sundays.
  
» Pierre-Paul said he’s about ready to play right now and their defensive meetings, specifically the defensive line, are oozing swagger: “Our confidence is very high. We know what we have to do and what’s at stake. This is our last game, so we have to give it our all. We have to be the most physical [unit] of the defense.”  

» Wideout Mario Manningham said he meant no disrespect towards Patriots utility man Julian Edelman when he was asked his thoughts about the wideout also moonlighting as a defensive back. Manningham initially said he “hoped” to be lined up over the converted receiver but backtracked the next day: “It’s not like that. I respect him as a player. I understand that he’s a good player. I don’t take anything from him but he plays offense.” 
  
» Safety Antrel Rolle didn’t do much backtracking when asked to clarify his bravado. Earlier this week Rolle said the Giants were going to “win this thing. … We’re going to win this thing for a lot of good reasons. We’re going to take care of business, man.”   

Rolle, though, wouldn’t go the Joe Namath route when asked to expand on his thoughts: “I didn’t guarantee anything. I said we’re going to go out there and do whatever it takes. [The Patriots] are exceptional at what they do, and we understand that, but so are we. … When we go out there and have that mentality that we have, and we fight, I don’t think we can be denied,” he added. “I’m not saying we can’t be beaten. Any team in the NFL can be beaten. But we are not going to be denied at this point.”

» Former Bergen (N.J.) Catholic High School star and northern New Jersey native Justin Trattou is living out his dream, just like his more famous teammate Victor Cruz. Trattou, a lightly-used reserve defensive end, said while he’s been in awe of the Super Bowl spectacle he’s all about business this trip: “I grew up a Giants fan and now I’m a Giant and in the Super Bowl. You can’t get any more picture-perfect than that. … It’s definitely a great experience, but at the end of the day it’s all business because we’re here to win it and to us we have to make this just a regular day.”   

» Rookie cornerback Prince Amukamara said he’s not in awe of the atmosphere, but admitted he’s sometimes in awe of his own defensive line: “I’m sure they’re going to get that done [pressure Brady] and when they do it’ll make [the secondary’s] jobs easier. … It all goes hand in hand but our defensive coaches and the defensive line take pride in getting hits on the passer, legally. It’s fun to watch.”

Giants beat writer Tony Williams is in Indianapolis all week. Follow him on Twitter @TBone8 for breaking news and updates on everything happening at Super Bowl XLVI.

The post It all starts up front for Giants appeared first on Metro.us.

When they go back to full-bore practices on Wednesday they should have their full roster intact, a change from when they faced New England on Nov. 6.

“It’s always nice to have all of your weapons anytime you play a game,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “Last time, we were missing Hakeem [Nicks] and Ahmad [Bradshaw] and [center David] Baas. Obviously, we’ve had a few guys out, but I think our game plan will be pretty similar.”

Bradshaw was the Giants’ leading rusher this season (659 yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 11 total in just 12 games) and Nicks was just as valuable (76 receptions for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns). Their values have increased during their three-game postseason run as Bradshaw leads the team with 200 rushing yards and Nicks tops all the major receiving categories with 18 catches for 335 yards (an 18.4 yards per catch average) and four touchdowns.    

Bradshaw said his foot is as good as it’ll ever be and he has “no doubt” he’ll be ready come Sunday. He practiced Friday, which followed the usual routine of him sitting out practices earlier in the week, so he can be fresh by week’s end.

Bradshaw is looking forward to being a bigger part of the game plan, especially since he thinks the Patriots might do everything they can to shut down Manning’s aerial assault.

“Of course we want our running game to be spectacular every game [because] it makes it an easier game when our running game is clicking,” Bradshaw said. “It’ll be nice to have a couple weapons that we didn’t have the first game. We expect [the Patriots to stack the box], so we are going to run the ball and set the physical nature early. We play New York Giant football and that’s what we plan to do every game because it give us confidence. … It’ll be nice to have a couple weapons that we didn’t have the first game. If we can go out and play our game, I think we’ll be fine.”     

Nicks did not practice on Friday and is listed as questionable on the Giants’ injury report with a sore shoulder, but he left little doubt he will be on the field Sunday.
       
“I expect to be full-go by [Wednesday’s practice],” Nicks said. “I just want to give myself a couple extra days to try and get it back right and rehab it a little bit.”   

Nicks, who called the injury an AC joint sprain, hurt his shoulder early in the Giants’ NFC Championship Game victory last week in San Francisco. He had it treated in the locker room at halftime and managed to finish the game with five catches for 55 yards. 
   
He said as painful as it was, he had to finish the game because of its importance, which means participating in something as pivotal as the Super Bowl will be a no-brainer.   

“It was painful,” Nicks said. “I landed right on the AC joint that I injured a few times this season. I got it taken care of and by halftime I was cool. … The shoulder is doing better, getting better day to day. It’s still a little sore, [but] once I start working it out throughout the day it loosens up a little bit.”    

Victor Cruz, the Giants’ leading receiver in the regular season and right behind Nicks with 17 postseason catches, might’ve gotten more publicity this season — and rightfully so — but he said he’s anxious to get his running mate back on the field for the Patriots rematch.   
 
“I think it will make a big difference. His assets and his ability were definitely missed in that [first] game,” Cruz said. “Just having him out there is big. His presence alone is going to call away some attention by the defense. We’ll see how they play us. It’s going to be an interesting ordeal. … We’ll see how it goes.”    
  
Big Blue notes
 
» Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was asked how he keeps practices fresh in the two-week period leading up to the Super Bowl: “Keep your eye on the prize [and have] steely-eyed focus. There are an awful lot of things to prepare for, believe me. We’re fortunate to have this extra practice time because now we can break things out accordingly, present it logically, whether it be by the number of times it occurs or however we choose to do that, but we’ll use the time very well. There will be very little that’s repeated, believe me.”  

» In addition to the 15 players on the roster who faced the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago (running back D.J. Ware wasn’t active and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka was injured), the Giants have four players who have played in Super Bowls with other teams — and all of them lost. The group includes safety Deon Grant (2003 Carolina Panthers), defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (2005 Seattle Seahawks), offensive lineman Tony Ugoh (2009 Indianapolis Colts) and safety Antrel Rolle (2008 Arizona Cardinals).

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8 leading up to the Super Bowl and from Indianapolis all this week.
     

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The last time these two faced in the Super Bowl, following the 2007 season, the Patriots were a record-setting group and trying to cap a first-ever 19-0 campaign but were fended off, mostly due to the Giants’ pass rush. Defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora were on that team.

And while Michael Strahan is no longer there, he’s been replaced admirably by second-year phenom Jason Pierre-Paul.   

Tuck said he’s rarely seen clips of Super Bowl XLII and what little he has seen of the tape has been a blur. What he does remember, however, is how the Giants’ defensive line played a huge role in determining the outcome. 

When asked why his team, specifically the defensive line, has had so much success in stifling Tom Brady, Tuck shrugged and gave all praise to the entire defense.  

“It comes down to 11 guys playing as one. [Brady] thrives on mismatches and I think we match up well with them,” Tuck said. “Those tight ends and receivers can pretty much go with any route that they want to go with to create mismatches, [but] the people that we have in our secondary, we have safeties that play like corners and we match up pretty well with those guys.”

Tuck then added it’ll be about how well they adjust once the Patriots figure out some things.    

“They are going to do some things that we may not be ready for at the beginning of that football game and it is going to come down to adjustments,” he said. “Hopefully we will be able to make those adjustments to whatever they have shown that we haven’t seen and making it to a close game and keeping them kind of stopped on offense. … Eventually, it is going to come down to the team that executes this day.”         

Antrel Rolle isn’t one of Tuck’s brethren on the line, but agreed with his assertions.

“I think we match up extremely well. We have a great group of guys on our defensive side of the ball, especially on that line,” Rolle said. “It’s all going to boil down to who makes the least amount of mistakes, who’s more focused on what they have to get done and most of all, who has that dog mentality, who wants it the most. That’s what every ballgame comes down to.” 

Big Blue notes

» Coughlin said his first words to his team during Thursday morning meetings were, “And then there were two.”

Coughlin seemed in a light-hearted mood during his media session, especially when asked he’s in superstitions. The usually straight-laced Coughlin added this gem: “I haven’t changed my so-and-so’s [underwear] in three or four weeks but other than that, no.”   

Coughlin again doing stand-up: “Get a ladder, probably,” when asked how they will deal with the Patriots’ 6-foot-6 tight end Rob Gronkowski.      

When asked about New England’s other great tight end, Aaron Hernandez, Coughlin acknowledged the tough matchup and said due to Hernandez’s speed they’ll treat him more like a wide receiver this time. When asked if he’s seen anything different from the Patriots’ usage of Hernandez, Coughlin shrugged: “Nothing’s changed, except for the fact he’s a running back now too.”     

» Pierre-Paul said he’s ready right now to play the game today and all this down time is dragging on: “It does [drag on]. I’m ready to play. … Just see who’s going to be Super Bowl champions.”       

The second-year defensive end has youth on his side and young legs, but the layoff was certainly needed for some of the older veterans. He allowed that for some guys the rest will pay dividends: “It’s kind of a time for everybody in here to get right, give everybody in here time to get healthy and do what they have to do to get healthy. We have to be ready man. Monday we get out there and then media day, three days and other than that the last three days we have to practice hard.”    

» Among the players who missed practice were center David Baas (abdomen/neck), wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (shoulder), cornerback Corey Webster (hamstring), linebacker Jacquian Williams (foot), linebacker Chase Blackburn (calf), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) and cornerback/returner Will Blackmon (knee).

Coughlin said the seven who missed practice on Thursday were just a formality: “Trying to be smart. It’s precautionary to ensure they don’t aggravate their injuries unnecessarily.
  
» Linebacker Michael Boley said it’s been a long time since he watched a Super Bowl and is relishing the fact he’s actually playing in one: “I actually don’t watch the Super Bowl if I am not in it. I just have been like that since I have been in the league. If I am not playing in it, then I won’t watch it.”  

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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That’s what happens when a team is riding a five-game winning streak with each game basically being do-or-die. The mental stress is comparable to the physical beating these men take, particularly in last Sunday’s NFC Championship game, so Tuesday’s non-workout day was a nice offering from head coach Tom Coughlin.    

Safety Antrel Rolle, who’s been as active as any Giant during this playoff stretch, said he’s actually grateful for the respite. He feels the two-week pause in action will benefit him.       

“I have to be honest and say I’m not too antsy [to play right away]. This trip has been an exhausting one and a lot of hard work, putting everything into these five games. This is very much needed,” Rolle said. “This took a lot of mental space and physical pounding to do whatever it takes to get to this point. Once we’re here we’re not going to stop but we’re going to enjoy this little time off. But once we come back to work on Thursday I’ll be ready and it’ll be full speed again.”   

Defensive end Justin Tuck was contrary to Rolle, saying he preferred to play this Sunday, going back to the not-too-distant past when the conference championship game was only a week before the Super Bowl. Tuck, who’s dealt with a plethora of physical maladies this season, said the overwhelming adrenaline rush trumps his physical exhaustion.      

“I don’t think it’ll be that challenging [taking a break]. It’s the Super Bowl and we expect to see everybody’s best in this game. But would I like to play on Sunday? Absolutely. The roll we’ve been on lately you almost don’t want to have this break,” Tuck admitted. “But you take [breaks] for what they are and you make the best out of it. Your body needs some healing and you take the opportunity to do that and it also gives you more time to study your football team.”     

Tuck then said as a veteran he’s seen it all and he’s confident the extra week of preparation won’t hinder the Giants. Emotions carry a player a long way in the NFL and it’ll only be multiplied come Super Sunday, he said.        

“It’s good and bad, but by next Sunday I think everybody’s emotions will be as high as ever been,” Tuck said. “Regardless if you’ve played in the Super Bowl before or haven’t guys will be happy to play. This game is the cream of the crop.”     

Quarterback Eli Manning didn’t have a preference either way concerning the extra week. He said he was more concerned with preparation and how the guys who’ve never gotten this far use their free time.     

Whether he wants to admit it or not, Manning has a lot riding on this game, particularly for his legacy. But for him it’s more about the team maximizing their opportunities to be as sharp as they can when they face the Patriots. Manning said during Tuesday’s team meeting he briefed the team on what to expect, and more importantly, how to handle the circus that is the Super Bowl.         

“How to prepare for this and to handle your business before [they leave],” Manning said when asked what he told his teammates. “The mindset this week is that we need great preparation and to prepare this week like you’re preparing for a game because once you get out to Indianapolis the whole schedule gets thrown off, like taking a bus to practice. … We’re trying to keep the same routine and get the mindset to do everything we normally do here and try to get it mostly done this week.”     

Linebacker Michael Boley is one of those first timers and said while he’s cherishing the experience of his first extended playoff run, he’s taking this week as all business. Boley has had an injury-riddled season, but sounded as if he was all too anxious to get on the practice field.   

The former Falcon noted being a seven-year veteran and playing in only one playoff game until this season has ripened his focus and made him hungry to not let this opportunity slip away.         

“We won the [49ers] game and we’ll fondly look back at that game and enjoy it, but once work starts again it’ll be back to work,” Boley said. “It’s business time and we’ll put the past in the past and leave it there.”         

Big Blue notes

» Manning said by the time the team leaves for Indianapolis on Monday, a vast majority of the gameplan will have already been installed: “Everything is in [by the time they leave]. I’d say it will be about 95 percent complete. Maybe a few wrinkles here and there when we’re down there, but most of the preparation is done here.”   

Manning also warned his teammates to prepare for an atmosphere like none other. He said to coordinate routines now while still in their comfy confines and try to keep them as customary as possible in Indianapolis. He told his team whether it’s “getting a massage” at a certain time, “putting in the usual extra film study” or “getting treatment,” every player should already have that mapped out beforehand, because the Super Bowl atmosphere can swallow you up if they’re not careful: “It’s important to get the extra preparation this week. Once you get to Indianapolis your routine gets thrown off. You want to keep your normal week routines as much as possible and try to continue that over there. It’s important to stay in your rhythm and continue your routines and work around [the craziness].”

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8 for all your coverage leading up to the Super Bowl.

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So close to an epic Super Bowl, one pitting a legend’s last hurrah (Ray Lewis) up against a kid that was pretty close to bagging groceries last year (Alex Smith). And a battle between two of the nastiest defenses ever assembled, one that would have evoked images of the backyard brawls of our youth, where the first team to score won the game.

Instead, we get Patriots vs. Giants on Feb. 5 in — of all places — Peyton’s Palace, in Indianapolis.

Wait, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. We’re only one day into the script (and isn’t that what this feels like? … we saw this movie already, the ship hits an iceberg and sinks, end scene) and it’s already hard to watch. Get ready, two weeks of four-year-old highlights.

But this got us thinking here at Remember the Vet, however. What else can we watch on Super Sunday? There are no other real sporting events. The NBA and NHL games end in the early afternoon, so not an option. Don’t despair, friends. There are some alternative choices.

FOX is sticking with its usual Sunday lineup (The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, American Dad). ABC has back-to-back epsidoes of Funniest Home Videos. It’s not as good as the Bob Saget days, but it has potential.

Movies? We got Big Fish on CINEMAX. Solid. AMC has a double bill of Sleepless in Seattle followed by ET. Not bad. COMEDY CENTRAL is offering Joe Dirt (5-7 p.m.). That might get you through the first half. Or, if you want to keep it sports-related, head over to the GOLF CHANNEL and check out Tin Cup.

If you want real sports, well, the closest prime-time event is the World’s Strongest Man Competition on ESPN or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team is on marathon over on CMT.

If you want to learn something, we suggest starting with Nature on PBS from 6-7 p.m. The show profiles a wolverine, the largest animal in the weasel family. It is billed as a fearsome predator that can take down a moose. After that, switch over to ANIMAL PLANET and catch the Puppy Bowl.

We think we’ve outlined a pretty good selection up above. Still, we need something more. That’s why we’re going with Bring It On: All or Nothing (5-7 p.m.) on ABC FAMILY to start. It’s not as good as the original Bring It On, but it does star Hayden Panettiere, Rihanna and Beyonce’s less attractive (read: supremely inferior) sister. Once that ends, we’ll click on FUSE for their wildly entertaining Sexiest video series. From 8:30-10 p.m. it’ll be all Rihanna.

Wow, that actually wasn’t that hard. So go ahead, NFL, try and crush our Super Bowl dreams. We’ll be just fine — with some cold PBRs and cheap whiskey, of course.

The post Boycotting the Super Bowl? Here’s what to watch instead appeared first on Metro.us.

What went wrong for the Pats …
 
Bad
Third Down defense
The Pats defense certainly didn’t do itself
any favors yesterday, allowing the Ravens to convert 9-of-17 third down
plays and extend drives throughout the game. The Ravens converted on
three third downs, one of which was a 3rd-and-11, during their third
quarter touchdown drive that gave them a 17-16 lead.
 
Woodhead’s
fumble
Just when you were saying, “Now it’s up to Brady to
re-take the lead,” Danny Woodhead fumbles a kick return. That put the
Patriots in a bad position, with the chance that the Ravens could go up
by eight points. The defense held strong though and allowed just a field
goal. Woodhead and the Pats would recover on the next drive.
 
Where’s
the offense?
Tom Brady was held to 22-of-36 passing for 239
yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. Um, earth to Tom . . .
wake up! Brady showed flashes of his usual self, but throwing a deep
pick into double coverage after the Patriots defense had just
intercepted a ball was not his best moment. They’ll need much more from
him in the Super Bowl.

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The game looked headed for overtime after Baltimore marched down the field in the closing minute, but Cundiff failed to deliver and the Patriots advanced to their fifth Super Bowl since 2002.

Baltimore took a 20-16 lead late in the third quarter on a 39-yard field goal by Cundiff, but the Patriots stormed back to seize the advantage on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Tom Brady for the winning margin.

New England, who won three of four trips to Super Bowl last decade, will face the winner of the National Football Conference championship between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants.

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To add some context, many Baltimore fans that were in elementary school when the Ravens won their first and only Lombardi Trophy are now graduating college or are firmly part of the greater D.C. work force.

It’s been seven years for 34-year-old Tom Brady.

To add some context, no one had yet heard of the term SpyGate and Gisele Bundchen was just some unattainable supermodel that most football followers had never heard of.

Ed Reed, 33, will go down as one of, if not the, finest safety to ever play in the league. But he is ringless.

Lewis, Brady and Reed are three of the greatest players to ever play their respective positions but a win this Sunday and another one in two weeks would end a lot of debates.

The three players will also be competing against the ghosts of playoffs past and the elite in NFL history this Sunday (3 p.m., CBS). All three are certainly aware of the stakes and that this opportunity won’t be there in, say, 2015 or ’16.

“It’s kind of hard to think about Father Time,” Lewis said. “I don’t have time to think about when it’s over to do this or when it’s time to do that. When it’s over, it’s over. Everybody here has to appreciate that great warriors fight until the end. Those are the ones you remember.”

Brady, in his Belichickian podiumspeak, had this to say:

“This is nothing about last week or last season or last month or 10 years ago,” Brady told WEEI sports radio. “It’s about this week. The clock’s ticking. And every second that goes by, we’re one second closer to getting to that game.”

Perhaps Reed said it most succinct:

“I’m getting old,” Reed told Sports Illustrated this week. “I understand it. One day it won’t be me up here. It’ll be another safety in Baltimore.”

Still kickin’

Despite being in their mid-30s, Ray Lewis, Tom Brady and Ed Reed each had superb 2011 seasons:
   
Ray Lewis still managed to post 95 tackles in 2011 despite missing four games due to a toe injury.
   
Tom Brady was the NFL MVP in 2010 but put up even better numbers in 2011. Brady passed for 5,235 yards and 39 TDs this past year.
   
Ed Reed set the tone for the Ravens’ 2011 season with two interceptions against Pittsburgh on opening day.

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Those are the names the TV broadcast teams will be drooling over and shoving down the public’s throats this weekend — and rightfully so. They are four of the best players in the entire NFL.

However, the NFC and AFC championship games are going to come down to the play of the less heralded stars. Guys that are bouncing back from injuries and offseason issues, and some rising stars who are coming off breakout regular seasons.

We take a look at eight players that could make a huge impact in Sunday’s games and maybe even decide who ultimately advances to the Super Bowl.

Donte Whitner
Deal:
Whitner, the 49ers’ starting strong safety , likes to talk some trash. His tweet Tuesday, after beating New Orleans, simply said, “Out here in San Fran we let our Shoulder Pads do all the talking….haha.”

Analysis:
With so many Pro Bowl selections on San Fran’s defense (four of them to be exact), Whitner sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. However, that hit he put on Pierre Thomas last week — the one where Thomas went limp and fumbled the ball — might have Giants receivers thinking twice about crossing paths with him.

Victor Cruz
Wide receiver, Giants
The undrafted free agent out of UMass had his coming-out party in a Week 3 win over Philadelphia, catching two long touchdowns and making Nnamdi Asomugha trip over himself. Cruz’s 1,536 receiving yards is a single-season Giants franchise record — and his salsa dance (used as a scoring celebration) brings all the girls to the yard.

Corey Webster
Cornerback, Giants
New York’s secondary was supposed to be vulnerable, a weakness even on an otherwise stout defense.

But Webster has defied that logic. He finished the regular season with a career-high six interceptions and has been even better in the postseason, shutting down Falcons stud Roddy White and then Packers burner Greg Jennings.

This week, he is expected to guard Michael Crabtree, who was held to just one catch for 21 yards when the two teams met on Nov. 13.

Mark Anderson
Defensive End, Patriots
Call him Tebow Kryptonite. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder racked up 10 sacks in 14 games for the Pats, and smothered Broncos QB Tim Tebow in two wins. Anderson sacked him twice in Week 15 and forced a fumble in last week’s playoff win. With Andre Carter (quad) out, Anderson is the Pats’ most prolific pass-rusher. Alex Smith beware.

Aldon Smith
Linebacker, 49ers
The seventh overall pick in the NFL draft has lived up to the hype. Drawing comparisons to Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware, Smith set the 49ers record for most sacks in a season (14) and fell half a sack short of the all-time rookie record.

Smith is viewed by many as a situational pass-rusher. He was on the field for less than 50 percent of the 49ers’ defensive plays and notched 13 of his 14 sacks against (think Giants here) three wide-receiver sets.

Bryant McKinnie
Left Tackle, Ravens
He was left for dead after a weight problem and a penchant for skipping practices — McKinnie was kicked off the 2010 Pro Bowl team for missing meetings — forced him out of Minnesota.

But McKinnie has slimmed down (officially listed at a svelte 360 pounds) and looks like the Pro Bowl tackle he once was, now protecting Ravens QB Joe Flacco’s blind side.

Ironic since McKinnie’s success helped move “The Blind Side” star Michael Oher to right tackle.

Aaron Hernandez
Tight End, Patriots
While fellow stud tight end Rob Gronkowski gets all the headlines (and records), Hernandez might be the bigger threat overall.

The 6-foot-1, 245-pounder is fleet (4.6 40 time) and can line up at four different positions, including tight end, blocking fullback, slot receiver and wide receiver.

Lardarius Webb
Cornerback, Ravens
We all know how disruptive safety Ed Reed (he had one pick last week and dropped two more) can be, but Webb has developed into one of the better corners.

“Sometimes I’m mad and I want to curse him out. But it all pays off during the week,” Webb said of Reed.

He recorded five interceptions in the regular season and has two already this postseason, both while blanketing Houston stud receiver Andre Johnson last week.

The post NFL playoffs: Difference makers appeared first on Metro.us.

Even Joe Flacco.

The Ravens held on to beat the Houston Texans 20-13 yesterday in the AFC divisional round.

Baltimore will head to New England Sunday to face the No. 1-seeded Patriots. Flacco, who joked with reporters earlier this week about not getting enough credit, did just enough to get the W. He finished 14-of-27 for 176 yards and two touchdowns for the Ravens. Houston coughed the ball up four times and Baltimore played error-free football — no turnovers, no penalties.

“The four turnovers were huge,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “That’s the difference in football games, especially at this time of year. The fact that we capitalized on turnovers was probably the key to the game.”

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed led a defensive unit that held to the potent Texans offense to just one touchdown. Lewis recorded a team-high seven tackles and Reed sealed it with an interception near the goal line in the final minutes.

“Turnovers killed our opportunity to win, and that’s what hurts now,” said Texans quarterback T.J. Yates.

 Championship weekend

We are down to the NFL’s Final Four after the Ravens and Giants punched the final two    tickets. Here’s a look at next weekend’s AFC and NFC  championship games:
   
Baltimore (13-4) at New England (14-3), Sunday, 3 p.m. (CBS)
Scoop: Contrasting styles go head-to-head, as the Pats’ second-ranked offense (428 yards per game) meets the Ravens’ third-ranked defense (288.9 yards).
History lesson: Baltimore upset New England 33-14 in the 2009 wild-card round when Tom Brady posted the worst passer rating of his prolific playoff career (49.1).  
Prediction: Ravens 23, Patriots 17. We’re predicting Joe Flacco makes just enough plays to get it done.

NY Giants (10-7) at San Francisco (14-3), Sunday, 6:30 p.m. (FOX)
Scoop: Eli Manning is playing arguably the best football of his career, but this is one is all about the pass-rush. The Giants ranked third in sacks (48), with the 49ers close behind them in seventh (42).
History lesson: Giants faced the 49ers back on Nov. 13 and narrowly lost, 27-20, on a fourth-down stop in the closing seconds.
Prediction: 49ers 20, Giants 17. In the end, the Niners are just a little deeper — and more talented — on defense. The X-factor? Alex Smith.

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In the early morning hours Monday, Ryan apologized for his team’s poor performance. Monday afternoon, Ryan was apologizing again for his own actions.

Ryan, no stranger to putting his own foot in his mouth, appears to have found a way to put another in there.

As he walked off the field at halftime, a fan taunted Ryan, screaming that “Belichick is better than you.” Ryan yelled back, “Shut the f— up.”

“It was right after halftime, [we] obviously made the mistake with the timeout, gave up the touchdown. I was just full of emotion, and I just popped off,” Ryan said.

It was a rough final two minutes of the second quarter for the Jets.

Mark Sanchez’s timeout stopped the clock with 1:24 to play and after the Jets scored for a 9-6 lead, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady used the remaining time on the clock to march 80 yards on six plays in 1:11 to give New England a 13-9 lead at halftime. But even more than the unfortunate timeout, Ryan may have done something more stupid than his third-year quarterback calling an inopportune timeout.

The video was posted on YouTube and the NFL said they’re looking into it.

“I know I represent the National Football League and I represent the Jets and I know it was a mistake,” Ryan said. “I apologize for it.”

While Ryan apologized for the moment, he didn’t back off from the emotion that got him there. Ryan has had a similar incident two years ago in Miami, when he gave a heckler the finger during a UFC event in Miami. Shortly after the flap, Ryan apologized for that incident as well.

“It’s who I am, I made a mistake. I’m about as big of a competitive as there is. At that time I was in no mood to hear anything, but I also understand I have to handle that better,” Ryan said. “I make mistakes all the time. I’m not perfect by any stretch. I try to get better. Sometimes I let my emotions get the best of me.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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What went right …

1. Pouha’s Penetration
 
In their Week 5 win, New England benefitted from the hard running of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who had 27 rushes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Last night, Green-Ellis had difficulty as the defensive line plugged up running lanes.

2. For your safety

Down 6-0 late in the second quarter, the Jets needed a momentum shifter. The once raucous crowd had gotten quiet and the offense was sputtering. But with the Patriots forced into third-and-13 from their own 5-yard line, Jamaal Westerman broke past former Jet Danny Woodhead to get a grip on Tom Brady, forcing an intentional grounding in the end zone and a safety.

3. Limiting Welker

Wes Welker had consistently plagued the Jets. The shifty wide receiver had always proved tough to handle. He had five catches for 124 yards in Week 5. But as elusive as Welker had been in previous meetings, he was held quiet all night long. The secondary, keyed by Darrelle Revis, held Welker to just six catches and 46 receiving yards in one of his lowest outputs of the season.

What went wrong …

1. Folk’d up

It was the dream start for the Jets — a Joe McKnight 38-yard return on the game’s opening kickoff was followed by a strong drive, featuring Sanchez finding Holmes for catches of 16 and 27 yards. The drive sputtered and Nick Folk hooked his 24-yard effort well wide.

2. Tarnished armor

Down 13-9 early in the third quarter, the Jets had just forced the Patriots into a three-and-out and still were in the game. Zoltan Mesko sent a 53-yard punt towards Joe McKnight. McKnight muffed the punt and Donald Strickland failed to corral the ball, leading to a turnover.

3. Tight end domination

The Patriots predicate their offense on matchups, and love to utilize their pass-catching tight end down the field. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez repeatedly ate up the Jets’ secondary.­

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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