History Vs. Destiny: Giants Will Beat Patriots in SuperBowl XLII

Lawrence Tynes overtime field goal in the 2008 NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers marked the 17th anniversary of former Giant Kicker Matt Bahr's heroic boot that sent the 1990 San Francisco 49ers home and the NY Football Giants to Superbowl XXV. It was Tynes fifth field goal attempt. He missed two fourth quarter attempts (36 and 43 yards). Bahr also kicked five field goals against the 49ers, in what remains the only NFC Championship game without a touchdown. The similarities don't end there.

Bahr and Tynes NFC Championship game winning kicks were both 47 yards. It is worth mentioning that the Giants had lost to the 49ers during the regular season. The Giants also lost to their eventual Superbowl XXV opponents, the Buffalo Bills. See where I am going with this?

In 1990, having beaten Joe Montana and the 49ers, the Giants were preparing for their second Superbowl in five seasons. They had a great defense and a regular season record of 13-3. However, set to face the powerful Buffalo Bills offense led by QB Jim Kelly and RB Thurman Thomas the Giants were a 7-point underdog. Giants fans, myself included, thought the point sped was too much, but one could hardly argue. The Buffalo Bills had score 95 points in two playoff games including a 51-3 slaughter of the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship.

In 1990 many also questioned how effective the Giants' offense, led by Jeff Hostetler (Phil Simms went down to injury in week 15), would be after failing to score a single touchdown in the NFC Championship Game. Most experts predicted the Giants' defense would not be able to contain the Bills' turbo-charged, no-huddle offense. Jim Kelly and the Bills had scored a league leading 428 points during the regular season.

The 2008 NY Giants defense have similar challenges. The Patriots don't run a no-huddle. They don't have to. The NY Giants young patchwork secondary will have to handle a plethora of New England Patriot receiving threats including Randy Moss who caught a regular season record 23 TDs. The Giants offense? Quarterback Eli Manning has come of age and has been impressively in three road playoff games. He has not thrown a single interception. He has been crisp, decisive and in control of the offense. However, you can almost hear sportscasters, analysts and Patriot fans waiting for the other shoe to drop.

NY Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin and New England Head Coach Bill Belichick are no sttrangers. Both worked for the Head coach Bill Parcells in 1990. Coughlin was wide receivers coach working with starting wide receivers Mark Ingram and Steven Baker. Belichick was defensive coordinator. His defense featured linebackers Carl Banks, Pepper Johnson, Steve DeOssie and Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor. Tom Coughlin won't be the only current Giants coach with superbowl memories. Tight Ends Coach Mike Pope also won with the Giants. Pope is the only coach from the 2000 team and has been with the Giants for all three superbowl appearances coaching Mark Bavaro, Jeremey Shockey and now Kevin Boss an impressive rookie out of Western Oregon.

So is history on the NY Giants side? It could be. On paper the New England Patriots are far and away the better team, but as I said about the Green Bay Packers (NY Giants Can't Beat GreenBay on Paper). We don't play football on paper. See you in Arizona.