He had finally rung himself dry after spending nearly four hours out in the rain and as the great triumph in San Francisco became part of very-recent history, Justin Tuck was immediately asked to look back, to Super Bowl XLII, and to look ahead, to Super Bowl XLVI, to the Patriots, again.
Four years later, Tuck understands — as the player who savaged Tom Brady back then — he is not the same player hoping to throw Brady on the turf Feb. 5 inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
“I think I was a no-name at that time,’’ Tuck said. “They didn’t know anything about me, they didn’t take into account of who I was.’’
In so many ways, Tuck symbolized the Giants then and he represents what they are now. His transformation is the Giants’ transformation and they had better realize that before they get to Indianapolis. This trip will not be taken by a little team that could, despite the 9-7 regular season and the high-wire act required simply to squeeze into the playoffs. Four years ago, the Giants were a 12-point underdog to the perfect Patriots and anyone who picked them did so for reasons outside of football logic.
On Feb. 3, 2008, the Patriots did not overlook the Giants because that’s not Bill Belichick’s way but they weren’t viewed as seriously then as they are today. Remember when Brady caught wind of Plaxico Burress’ prediction in The Post that the Giants would win the game 23-17? Brady couldn’t hold back a wide smile. “We’re only going to score 17 points?’’ Brady asked before a hearty chuckle. “OK. Is Plax playing defense?’’
Presumably, Brady knew Justin Tuck was playing defense. If he did not know it before the stunning 17-14 upset to ruin the Patriots’ undefeated season, he knew it after Tuck brutalized the pristine New England quarterback with two sacks, two quarterback hits and one forced fumble.
It is worth recalling that Tuck introduced himself to the national stage with that game. After all, he started only twice the entire 2007 season, playing behind Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. Sure, Tuck had 10 sacks, but it was not until that night in Glendale, Ariz., that he burst onto the scene.
In some ways, Tuck would like to recreate that scenario but neither he nor his team can hide in the weeds this time around.
“A lot of people haven’t given us a shot and I think we kinda like it that way,’’ Tuck said this week, “so all you oddsmakers out there keep rooting against us.’’
Sounds good, but it won’t work. No one foresaw this playoff run, but knocking out the 15-1 Packers at Lambeau Field gave these Giants legitimacy and the way they escaped Candlestick Park stamped them as tough enough for anything. The Patriots this time are favored, but only by three points.
It has been a brutally difficult year for Tuck, hit with deaths to close family members, never healthy ever since he banged his shoulder in the Aug. 27 preseason game against the Jets. He looked and sounded far more like a sad-sack than he did a sack-master when, prior to heading to New Orleans already riding a two-game losing streak, Tuck predicted it could be a “historic collapse’’ if the Giants didn’t turn their season around, pronto. Well, they were bludgeoned by the Saints and beaten at the wire by the Packers. What followed was historic, all right, but not the way Tuck envisioned it might go.
Tuck was down and taking his team with him, bemoaning the fact that “sometimes it’s just not your year.’’ A pep-talk from Coughlin and his own resolve to snap out of it triggered an individual and team-wide resurgence. Tuck rose, and the Giants followed. Soon enough they head to another Super Bowl very much a different player and team than the first time they hit the big time.
Rolle with the punches
There are players who unquestionably are “podium guys’’ during Super Bowl week and Antrel Rolle’s riser in Indy is going to be a must-stop destination. If you haven’t noticed, he has a way with words and his evolution from Angry Guy to All In Guy in his two years with the Giants has been interesting and impressive. Upon arrival last season, he seemed to rail and roil at almost everything, pushing when Tom Coughlin was pulling. Arrive five minutes early for meetings? Rolle didn’t see the need.
Now he does.
“Guys like myself, I like being the last one to everything so it probably affected me more than anyone else,’’ Rolle said. “I got used to it, that’s the way it’s done around here. The penalty is severe. Have a lot of those taken out of my paychecks. It’s all for the better of this team. I think we all buy into it, we all understand it, all jokes aside, it’s what this team needs, it’s a form of discipline and each team should have it.’’
More to follow, for sure, in Indianapolis.
Big Blue going back with a pack
The Giants have 15 players who played in Super Bowl XLII and a 16th player, D.J. Ware, who was inactive for the game four years ago. That might seem like a hefty turnover, but it’s actually reflective of roster stability, as many key core players remain. There’s David Diehl, Kareem McKenzie, Chris Snee and Kevin Boothe on the offensive line and Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Dave Tollefson on the defensive line. There’s Eli Manning and two running backs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. There are cornerbacks Corey Webster and Aaron Ross, kicker Lawrence Tynes, long-snapper Zak DeOssie and linebacker Chase Blackburn.
The Patriots don’t have nearly as many holdovers. There are only seven of them left from the 2007 season, starters Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Matt Light, Logan Mankins and Vince Wilfork, plus Kevin Faulk and Mark Anderson