Super Bowl Match-Ups: Coaching & Intangibles
Saturday, February 04, 2012
With less than 48 hours until Super Bowl XLVI kicks off, it’s time for our final match-up breakdown. Today we look at coaching and intangibles.
For the last decade, no matter what team the Patriots played, New England was believed to have had the edge in coaching and for good reason. Bill Belichick has earned his reputation as a coaching genius.
His defensive game plan from Super Bowl XXV resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame because he devised a plan to slow down Buffalo’s high-powered K-Gun offense.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFast forward to Super Bowl XXXVI where Belichick devised a brilliant game plan to hit the Rams’ Marshall Faulk on every snap, and the legend grew.
Two more Super Bowl titles and many considered him to be one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.
But a couple of things happened in 2007 to change that perception for some of us. First, there was “Spygate” which many felt gave Belichick an unfair advantage and taints his legacy. And then there was Super Bowl XLII where Tom Coughlin’s Giants out-played and out-coached Belichick’s 18-0 New England Patriots.
Fast forward to this year where the Patriots and Tom Brady had a 31-game home winning streak. It was snapped by none other than Coughlin’s Giants.
So does Belichick really rate the edge over Coughlin in this one? Good question.
One thing’s for sure, Belichick has changed his approach this week showing a much more relaxed approach to Super Bowl week. He also did a first Thursday by having his team simulate halftime of the Super Bowl by taking a 31 minute break in the middle of practice where the team went into the locker room. Belichick addressed the team as he would at halftime of any game and the team went back out to complete practice. Many of his players considered it a stroke of genius and another example of his “no stone unturned” approach where he tries to prepare his team for every possible situation.
Whatever the case may be, Belichick’s reputation could get either a big boost or take another blow depending upon the outcome of Sunday’s game.
If New England wins, Belichick will join Pittsburgh’s Chuck Knoll as the only head coach with 4 Super Bowl rings. It will truly cement his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.
However, a loss to Coughlin and the Giants gives his naysayers more ammo against him.
Still, in all due respect to Tom Coughlin, Belichick gets the edge.
As far as intangibles are concerned, New England also may have the edge.
Some believe that the Patriots will “win one for Myra,” referring to the late Myra Kraft – wife of owner Bob Kraft.
Others say that Belichick and Brady are still stinging from their Super Bowl 42 loss to the Giants depriving them of history and that this will be motivation enough for New England.
Then there’s the fact that Brady vowed to play much better than he did against Baltimore in the AFC title game. Brady rarely has two poor games in a row.
And, finally, there’s Jason Pierre-Paul who said that Brady “isn’t God” and that the Giants pass rushers are in his head. Those types of remarks usually fire up Tom Brady and bring the best out of the Hall of Fame bound quarterback.
Edge: New England Patriots
