Just when you came to grips with the fact that the St. Louis Rams were Super Bowl champions; just when it sunk in that no division winner from 1999 defended its crown in 2000; just when you thought you had seen it all in the last two seasons, the NFL gives us a New York Giants-Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl.
And you thought "Show Me Something" was just a catch phrase. Apparently, the league has taken its postseason marketing words to heart.
What the NFL will be showing us on Sunday evening is a battle between one team that almost nobody thought could get to the Super Bowl and another team that absolutely nobody thought would get to Tampa. The NFC's mighty preseason triumvirate (St. Louis, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Washington Redskins) is long gone, and in its place marches the Giants, who hadn't won so much as a playoff game in seven years. Joining them in Super Bowl XXXV is a Ravens team that was viewed by many as a cute sleeper pick entering the season. But instead, they've been downright nasty to opponents since going five games without a touchdown in October.
In all, it sets the stage for the most unlikely Super Bowl matchup since, well, last year. Two teams that went through most of the regular season unnoticed will need some introducing before stepping onto the country's biggest sports stage. So instead of watching CBS for six-plus hours, here's your chance to know what to expect (and without five dozen promos for Survivor II bombarding you in the process):
Storylines:
Who are these guys? Of the more than 100 players and coaches that comprise these two teams, the most famous made his reputation at last year's Super Bowl, and he wasn't even playing. Ray Lewis, the Ravens' star middle linebacker, was picked up on murder charges outside of an Atlanta nightclub, and while he eventually cut a deal to have the charges dropped, Lewis became a household name for football fans and faithful Court TV viewers alike.
Outside of Lewis, the game is devoid of superstars. The Giants have some defensive stalwarts in Jessie Armstead, Michael Strahan, and Micheal Barrow, and a gifted athlete at cornerback in Jason Sehorn, but nobody who seems destined for Canton, home of football's hall of fame. Baltimore's defense allowed fewer points than any other team in NFL history during the season, but lacks star power if Lewis is subtracted.
Defense, defense, and more defense. Both teams have gotten to this point by riding world-class defenses and shoddy offenses. The Giants are the more balanced team of the two, as they scorched the Minnesota Vikings for 41 points in the NFC Championship Game. But their offense has been inconsistent throughout the season; it's the ability to keep its opponents off the board that makes New York formidable. The defense has been the Giants' strength all year, and it seems to be hitting its stride as the postseason progresses. After shutting down Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional round, the Big Blue defense somehow shut out one of the league's most potent offensive machines in Minnesota.
The Ravens' defense needs no introduction, having already drawn comparisons to some of the best of all time. The Ravens use their stellar defensive linemen to freeLewis from potential blockers, allowing him to strike the fear of God into opposing players. For anyone who doubted how potent the this unit is, its postseason run has provided proof that it is among the best ever. First, Baltimore held the Denver Broncos, with the second-ranked offense in the league, to three points. Then, after allowing their only touchdown of the postseason to the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional playoffs, the Ravens held the top rushing attack in the league, that of the Oakland Raiders, to just 24 yards in the AFC Championship game. Against the Giants' mediocre offense, a shutout is a very real possibility.
Two cities with a history. The Giants and Ravens have never met in a Super Bowl, but New York and Baltimore certainly have had their share of big NFL games. There was the 1958 NFL championship game, the so-called greatest game ever played, which launched the NFL to prominence. In front of a live television audience, the Baltimore Colts defeated the Giants in overtime, 23-17, marking the beginning of a long and profitable relationship between football and television. Then there was the most significant game in AFL history, when the New York Jets shocked the same Colts (and the rest of the world) by winning Super Bowl III 16-7 and making good on the victory guarantee made by their quarterback, Joe Namath.
Why to root for the Giants:
New York has the chance to prove that nice guys can finish first. Coach Jim Fassel has had many ups and downs in his four seasons as coach of the Big Blue, but his players love him. In addition to Fassel, the
Giants boast personable good guys in Tiki Barber, Lomas Brown, and Michael Strahan, all of whom have never had a taste of the Super Bowl.
If that's not reason enough to root for the Giants, then there's always the Art Modell factor. Modell ripped the heart out of the city of Cleveland when he moved the Browns to Baltimore without any real advance warning, chasing more money the way Lewis pursues an opposing quarterback. The move was so traumatic for the city of Cleveland - and the league itself - that the Browns were brought back in their current form in 1999.
Why to root for the Ravens:
Baltimore has been underestimated, disrespected, and unappreciated for much of the season. The "no respect" theme was a major factor in getting the team this far. Perhaps nothing represents this better than the feel-good story of Trent Dilfer's triumphant return to his old home. Dilfer has made this return with no trace of bitterness or anger about his lost years in Florida, where he toiled for the Bucs.
Other than that, it can be argued that this group represents much of what is wrong with sports. So unless you're from Baltimore, there is little to like about the Ravens, who stand for franchise free agency at its worst, incessant trash-talking, and the off the field problems that have plagued the NFL in recent years.
Keys to the game:
Turnovers. In a defensive battle, turnovers may be the most surefire way for either offense to get on the board. This is especially true for the Ravens, whose defensive ball-hawking was key in their last
two upset wins. The pressure will be on Dilfer and Giants quarterback Kerry Collins to avoid interceptions and be disciplined enough to realize that, in this game, punters Brad Maynard and Kyle Richardson could be the primary offensive weapons for each team.
Controlling the ball. Any offense in this game is more likely to come in flashes and big plays. A steady running game will be virtually impossible for the Giants to establish and very difficult for the Ravens to get going. But if either team can put together multiple extended drives and get a legitimate ground attack going, the game will be theirs for the taking.
Coaching. Having had two weeks to prepare for the game the pressure is on Fassel and Baltimore coach Brian Billick to have come up with a sound game plan. History has shown that when there is a bye week preceding the Super Bowl, a blowout often ensues. If either one comes up with a sound battle plan to generate points early, whoever falls behind will be put in the uncomfortable position of having to mount a comeback with a spotty offense.
From the crystal ball:
The Ravens will make at least one big play on offense. This one almost goes without saying, as one backbreaking pass from Dilfer to tight end Shannon Sharpe has arguably been the turning point in each playoff game. In each case, that play led to seven points, which was all that Baltimore needed. The key for the Ravens is not so much to make sure a big play happens, but to make sure that when it does, they can convert it into seven points, and not three or a turnover. Doing so could be the difference between winning a championship and going home disappointed.
The Giants will air it out. Offensive coordinator Sean Payton had one of the finest games a coordinator has had in recent years against Minnesota. It's unlikely that he'll fall into the same trap that has finished off so many of Baltimore's opponents - an obsession with establishing the run. Baltimore's run defense is practically impenetrable, having shut down three running backs in the past three weeks that are better than anyone the Giants can bring to the table. Payton will be smart enough to follow the lead of the only team that has done any real damage against the Ravens' defense in the last few months. The Jets used a no-huddle, quick-strike passing attack to score 14 points in their first two possessions when they met the Ravens in December. The Giants will follow suit.
This one will go down to the wire. Last year may have provided the most thrilling finish in Super Bowl history, but it's possible that Super Bowl XXXV could come close. The reason is simple: neither team has enough offense to put the other away. Points will be hard enough to come by that each team should stay within striking distance. If ever there was a chance for a Super Bowl to go to overtime, just about the most exciting scenario imaginable in professional sports, this could be the year it happens.
Expect the unexpected. It almost goes without saying that in today's NFL, you never know what you'll get. The way the past two seasons have gone, we just may get a 35-31 shootout. Crazier things have happened. A Giants-Ravens Super Bowl, for one.
