It’s the Revenge of the Hoodie.
It’s the Game That Must Not Be Named.
It’s the ’04 Red Sox getting another shot at the Yankees after Grady Little forgot to lift Pedro Martinez in 2003.
It’s the matchup that’s in the back of your mind, even if you are too superstitious to admit it.
Such thinking is folly, of course. In sports, especially in the NFL playoffs, it’s a mistake to look past the opponent standing in front of you. Here in New England, we’re well aware that the Baltimore Ravens are formidable. They have Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. They have the guy from “The Blind Side’’ (Michael Oher) and the guy from ESPN’s 30 for 30 (Ricky Williams). They used to be the Cleveland Browns, which means they once fired Bill Belichick. They run the ball, and they pressure your quarterback. They went 12-4 during the regular season, which means the Patriots finally have a chance to beat a team with a winning record.
The Giants are no lock to advance, either. They are underdogs playing on the road. The 49ers are ferocious. San Francisco withstood a couple of furious rallies by the New Orleans Saints and prevailed in one of the great divisional playoff games in NFL history.
I don’t care. The Patriots have to beat the Ravens. The Giants have to beat the 49ers. It’s destiny. Four years after history was derailed in the Arizona desert, the Patriots are going to get another shot. Belichick and Tom Brady finally will have a chance for that elusive fourth ring and they get to do it against the same coach and quarterback who broke New England’s heart in February of 2008.
There aren’t that many coaches or players still on board from 2007-08, but the top dogs are still in place. Brady and Eli Manning are still the respective quarterbacks. Belichick and Tom Coughlin are still calling shots on the sideline. The Krafts and Maras are still in the owner’s boxes. Vince Wilfork, Wes Welker, Stephen Gostkowski, Matt Light, Brandon Jacobs, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora are among those who can tell stories of Super Bowl XLII. The logos on the sides of the helmets are the same. And fans in Boston and New York haven’t switched allegiances.
