Would the New York Giants be the worst Super Bowl winners ever? Beating the New England Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI might bring a little tarnish to the silver Lombardi trophy. The Giants were a measly 9-7 during the regular season. No champion ever has finished with seven losses. None has had a four-game losing streak like New York. None was outscored like the Giants (394-400).
The NFL is all about parity, but the Giants are really pushing it.
A Super Bowl champion usually is a dominant regular-season team that continues to roll through the postseason: the undefeated Miami Dolphins, the 1985 Chicago Bears at 15-1, the Washington Redskins at 8-1 in the strike-shortened season of 1982.
Since the NFL increased to a 16-game schedule, 25 of 33 champions were at least 12-4, including 12 straight from Super Bowls XXIV to XXXV. Nine victors were 14-2 or better.
In the first 12 title games, only Super Bowl II champion Green Bay (9-4-1) lost four games. Eight teams were at least 12-2.
The Super Bowl is supposed to be about greatness. Instead, the Giants are a great example of late momentum.
Naturally, New York resembles the team that finished 10-6 and went on to win Super Bowl XLII over New England. Green Bay also won last season at 10-6.
But the Giants lost four straight this season before winning their final two to emerge from the woeful NFC East. Green Bay went 1-3 twice last season before regrouping late, but New York’s slide to 6-6 is unprecedented among champions.
New York lost twice to Washington, which was 3-11 otherwise. The second loss left New York at 7-7 and meant it lost more games than any other NFC East champion.
Super Bowl winners are supposed to have dominant running backs: Pittsburgh’s Jerome Bettis, Washington’s John Riggins, Dallas’ Emmitt Smith. New York has Ahmad Bradshaw, whose 659 yards were 29th overall this season.
Champions should possess a great defense even though the NFL thinks high scores increase interest. Four of the last six winners allowed 17 points or less. New York’s defense ranked 27th.
Surely, Green Bay (15-1) and San Francisco (13-3) wonder how New York beat them during the playoffs, especially since the Giants were the visiting team both times.
New England (13-3) is only a three-point favorite over New York, a nod from Las Vegas that the Giants aren’t outclassed. Maybe the gamblers simply remember that underdog New York shocked undefeated New England four years ago for the title. Maybe New York will be the worst Super Bowl winner ever, though Green Bay was nothing special until January last season. The Packers’ Super Bowl II squad was the weakest of their five champions under Vince Lombardi. Indeed, Green Bay was 6-7-1 the following year after he left.
Whatever — if New York wins, no one will remember 9-7.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
