Patriots have more to lose than Giants It’s not just about one game. It never is. The Super Bowl creates legacies, inviting debate about who’s the greatest this … or that. Players who weren’t known before the game become household legends for years afterward (See: Tyree, David; Smith, Timmy).
Yes, a lot more is at stake than just one win or loss. So here are five things at stake Sunday when New England plays the New York Giants.
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With two Super Bowl wins, would Eli Manning be considered better than older brother Peyton? » Super Bowl wins aren’t the only measure of a quarterback. Where would that put players like Dan Marino or even Sonny Jurgensen, who never even won a playoff game? So no, Eli Manning would not supplant his brother in terms of where they stand among quarterbacks. But another Super Bowl definitely takes Eli Manning to another level. Eight retired quarterbacks have won multiple Super Bowls, and only one (Jim Plunkett) is not in the Hall of Fame.
Tom Coughlin’s standing » The Giants coach is on that supposed hot seat every other year. Such is life as a New York coach — one whose last losing season was 2004. In Washington, a monument would be built for such a coach. Coughlin has won four NFC East titles and is 6-3 in the postseason with the Giants. All he has done in his career is guide an expansion franchise to two AFC Championship games and then won one Super Bowl with another team. Based on the injuries New York had this season, a second title run was unexpected.
“He’s underrated,” former NFL coach Tony Dungy said. “Anytime you win multiple Super Bowls, it puts you in a very elite class.”
It sure does. Here’s the list of coaches who have done so: Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Joe Gibbs, Bill Walsh, Mike Shanahan, Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson, Tom Flores, George Seifert and Bill Belichick. Not all are Hall of Famers, but Coughlin’s case certainly improves — if, you know, the Giants don’t fire him first.
Belichick can tie Noll for most wins in Super Bowl history » Noll has the most Super Bowl wins in history, yet he’s rarely if ever mentioned as the greatest coach of all time. But a fourth Super Bowl for Belichick would give him one more than Gibbs and Walsh. Would Belichick deservedly be hailed as the greatest of all time? Tough to say considering he has a quarterback many consider to be the best ever in Tom Brady. An argument could be made that Gibbs or Walsh or Lombardi or Paul Brown is the best ever. But Belichick can strengthen his case.
The Patriots’ aura » It had faded the past three seasons, one of which Brady missed because of an injury. But there were two one-and-done playoff appearances as well. Now if they lose a second Super Bowl — to a team with a far worse record again — will they be viewed differently? It would then be seven seasons without a Lombardi Trophy for the Patriots. No crime in that, but it is a long time if you have one of the best quarterback/coach combinations in history.
Tom Brady’s place in history » If Brady wins another Super Bowl, it would tie him with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most by a starting quarterback with four. Of course, neither one of those quarterbacks ever lost a Super Bowl. But would it really change Brady’s standing in history? He’s already considered better than Bradshaw and is in the discussion with Montana for best of all time. With the defensive struggles New England had this season, it’s hard to imagine a Super Bowl run without a great season from a great quarterback.
