PRETTY IN PINK: Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes walks on the tarmac with teammate Alex Silvestro after the team charter touched down in Indy. (AP)
INDIANAPOLIS — Tom Brady knows full well the Giants will be coming for him again. And again. And again.
And if bulletin board material means anything in these Super Bowls, the Giants will have more fuel for their fire, thanks to Brady himself.
Brady last night tried to shrug off his invitation to 25,000 delirous Patriots fans at Gillette Stadium to join him in a Super Bowl XLVI victory after-party. After the Patriots landed, Brady met the national media and attempted to explain.
VIDEO: GIANTS CHAMPIONSHIP MEMORIES
“It was a pep rally,” Brady said with a smile, as laughter filled the room. “Certainly the players were excited, I know that 25,000 fans who were there were excited as well so … We had great support home and away. Hopefully we’ll have some Patriots jerseys in the stands next Sunday night.”
Brady to Patriots fans: “We’re going down there, and we’re going down there for one reason. We’re going to give it our best and hopefully we’ll have a lot more people at our party next weekend.”
Tom Coughlin just might be inclined to mention Tom’s Terrific invite to, say, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty and Dave Tollefson, for starters.
Just a hunch, but I don’t think Eli Manning will be inviting Giants fans to a victory after-party. Under any circumstances.
If Brady scoffing at Plaxico Burress’ pre-Super Bowl XLII prediction of Giants 23, Patriots 17 was able to get Big Blue’s dander up, there’s every reason to believe that the Talk Is Cheap Play the Game boys with the NY on their helmets just might consider this a Super Diss.
Brady, though, did show the Giants a little respect, especially the Big Blue pass rush.
“It’s been a strength of their team for as long as I can remember — Michael Strahan, as great a player as he was … and I think we played them in ’03 and they were still harassing the quarterback so … it seems like they always have guys that can rush the quarterback,” Brady said. “Justin Tuck is as good as they come. Osi, week in and week out, he’s a player that can ruin a game for an offense.
“You look at the group they have now, and they have a ton of depth at the defensive line position. There were times this year where they weren’t all out there as a group but … they’re out there now, and they’re playing extremely hard.
“I think as a quarterback you just understand that you can’t sit there and hold the ball all day. You better find someone and get rid of it, because they’re comin’. You just don’t want to sit back there and sort things out and … I’m certain I’m not gonna be able to run away from ’em so … I gotta be able to throw the ball quickly and try to find an open guy, and get it really into the hands of someone who can actually do something good with it, which my skill players have really done all season.”
Brady doesn’t seem overly concerned that the Giants can replicate the beating they put on him in Super Bowl XLII.
“I have certainly a lot of trust in my offensive line,” Brady said. “These guys … great group of players that have really played together for a while …. Matt Light over there at my left tackle, there’s nobody that I love having over there more than him. And Logan [Mankins] and Dan Connelly’s done a great job, we’ve had a few centers this year … Brian Waters came to our team this year and has done a remarkable job, and then Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer at the right tackle position have played great so. . .”
Brady and the Patriots hardly return here as conquering heroes. Brady and Bill Belichick were Peyton Manning’s nemeses all those years and the last thing Colts fans want to see is Brady tie his idol, Joe Montana, and Terry Bradshaw, by winning a fourth Super Bowl ring.
“We drove by Lucas Oil Stadium on the way in, and you see Dwight Freeney’s picture up there,” Brady said. “And to come to Indy and not play him is definitely a relief for me. He’s terrorized me for a long time and. . .
“I’ll be terrorized by some other players this week.”
You better believe he will.