2008 Woodie Awards
Patriots' loss goes down in history
NY Giants' win proves pundits wrong, shows NE can blow it
Bryce Evans
Issue date: 2/5/08 Section: Sports
Before kick-off in Sunday night's Super Bowl, many people expected history to be made. The New England Patriots, fresh off an undefeated regular season and two relatively easy playoff-wins, looked prime to be the first team in NFL history to finish the year 19-0.
Perfection seemed only hours away. The chance to make history was at their fingertips.
All they had to do was beat the fifth-seeded New York Giants, and they would go down in history as undefeated. All they had to do was beat a team that lost six of its 16 games during the regular season, and they would be considered the best team to have ever played. The team with the best quarterback in the NFL, and arguably ever, had to simply outscore a team whose quarterback was only the third best in his own family, and they would make history.
It was a lock. The Patriots had already invited some Giants' players to their "celebration" parties after the game, according to Giants wide-out Amani.
But, once the game started, the only history that was in the making was of one of the most colossal defeats in NFL history.
With an undefeated season and the fourth Super Bowl championship in the past seven years at stake, and the fact that there was a 12-point spread given to the Patriots, this game will be remembered as the most significant loss in the history of pro football.
Other remembered upsets in past Super Bowls, could be put up there with this one, but all of those games are more remembered for a "win" by the underdog rather than the collapse of the juggernaut.
The only game that comes close is Super Bowl III, where Joe Namath propelled the New York Jets to a 17-7 upset win over the powerhouse Baltimore Colts and Johnny Unitas. Despite the 14-point spread and the fact that hardly anyone gave the Jets a chance, Namath guaranteed the win to the media before the game.
This game was as big of an upset as any, but didn't have the stakes that the Patriots-Giants game had. Super Bowl III is remembered by most to be an amazing win by the Jets, not a loss by the Colts.
Perfection seemed only hours away. The chance to make history was at their fingertips.
All they had to do was beat the fifth-seeded New York Giants, and they would go down in history as undefeated. All they had to do was beat a team that lost six of its 16 games during the regular season, and they would be considered the best team to have ever played. The team with the best quarterback in the NFL, and arguably ever, had to simply outscore a team whose quarterback was only the third best in his own family, and they would make history.
It was a lock. The Patriots had already invited some Giants' players to their "celebration" parties after the game, according to Giants wide-out Amani.
But, once the game started, the only history that was in the making was of one of the most colossal defeats in NFL history.
With an undefeated season and the fourth Super Bowl championship in the past seven years at stake, and the fact that there was a 12-point spread given to the Patriots, this game will be remembered as the most significant loss in the history of pro football.
Other remembered upsets in past Super Bowls, could be put up there with this one, but all of those games are more remembered for a "win" by the underdog rather than the collapse of the juggernaut.
The only game that comes close is Super Bowl III, where Joe Namath propelled the New York Jets to a 17-7 upset win over the powerhouse Baltimore Colts and Johnny Unitas. Despite the 14-point spread and the fact that hardly anyone gave the Jets a chance, Namath guaranteed the win to the media before the game.
This game was as big of an upset as any, but didn't have the stakes that the Patriots-Giants game had. Super Bowl III is remembered by most to be an amazing win by the Jets, not a loss by the Colts.
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