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Four years later, many changes for Patriots, Giants

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January 25, 2012|By Shalise Manza Young

Tom Brady and Eli Manning will face each other again in the Super Bowl. (Getty Images photos )

The idea that the Patriots want revenge on the Giants is one that will be a prominent story line as Super Bowl XLVI creeps closer, but for the majority of the players involved in the game, it won’t be much of a factor.

NFL coaches like to say that every year is different, and a look at the rosters for New England and New York bears that out: Just four years after they met in Arizona for Super Bowl XLII, they are vastly different.

Of the 106 players who were on the active rosters for the Giants and Patriots on Feb. 3, 2008, only 23 are still employed with the same team today.

The head coach for each side is the same, as is the quarterback, and those are the most important spots on almost any football team, so maybe all of the other changes don’t matter as much.

Maybe.

At any rate, let’s take a look at just how different these teams are from their date in the desert.

QUARTERBACK

Patriots - 2007: Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez; 2011: Brady, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett.

Giants - 2007: Eli Manning, Anthony Wright, Jared Lorenzen; 2011: Manning, David Carr.

As noted, there hasn’t been a change to the starters. Brady was the first unanimous league Most Valuable Player a year ago, and put up stellar numbers again this year, carrying a team whose defense struggled for much of the regular season. Manning, who threw a league-record 15 fourth-quarter touchdown passes in the regular season, has been at his best when his team has needed him most, with eight touchdowns and just one interception in three playoff games.

RUNNING BACK

Patriots - 2007: Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans, Kyle Eckel; 2011: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, Faulk, Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Lousaka Polite.

Giants - 2007: Brandon Jacobs, Ruben Droughns, Ahmad Bradshaw, D.J. Ware, Madison Hedgecock; 2011: Jacobs, Bradshaw, Ware, Da’Rel Scott, Harry Hynoski.

This is the first place you see major changes for the Patriots. Maroney, then in his second season, is out of the league, and Heath Evans has retired. Green-Ellis has been incredibly consistent, while Ridley had fumbles in back-to-back games. Bradshaw has supplanted Jacobs as the Giants’ lead back.

WIDE RECEIVER

Patriots - 2007: Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Jabar Gaffney, Kelley Washington, Donte Stallworth, Chad Jackson; 2011: Welker, Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco, Tiquan Underwood, Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater.

Giants - 2007: Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, David Tyree, Steve Smith, Dominik Hixon, Sinorice Moss; 2011: Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan, Devin Thomas (Hixon, Michael Clayton on injured reserve).