The Patriots are back at practice today, their first in preparation for Super Bowl XLII.
One of the most intriguing man-to-man match-ups in the big game will undoubtedly be between Giants sack artist Osi Umenyiora (13 QB take-downs in the regular season) and Pats All-Pro left tackle Matt Light.
When the two teams met in the regular season finale, Light got the upper hand, keeping Umenyiora away from QB Tom Brady all night.
"It was a good match up the last time," Umenyiora said on this week's edition of HBO's 'Inside the NFL,' as re-told by the New York Post. "I mean, I think I got him a couple of times, he also got me a couple of times. It was a war out there and to be honest with you, I'm not quite sure that he thought that he was going to see me again because of some of the things he did and said during that game. But unfortunately, he does have to see me again."
If Light and his Patriots teammates are lucky enough to survive their rematch with the Giants, that would give Brady four Super Bowl rings as a starting quarterback. Only the Steelers' Terry Bradshaw and San Francisco's Joe Montana have ever accomplished that feat.
And while many football observers consider Montana the greatest signal caller of all time, he could be in for a historic battle with Brady (who idolized Montana as a kid).
Some in the Bay area are already getting excited about the potential comparisons, as a feature in today's San Francisco Chronicle indicates.
So, what are the odds that New England will finish the job and go 19-0 this season? Oddsmakers in Las Vegas are eagerly watching the situation surrounding Brady's bum foot at the moment.
"[Brady] would probably affect the line more than anybody in the NFL; maybe Peyton Manning could rival him," said Tony Sinisi, odds director at Las Vegas Sports Consultants, in a Boston Globe story.
"But it might be a 10-point drop if it went from Tom Brady to Matt Cassel. It would probably go down to New England 3. But there's not any feeling out there that Brady won't play."
And what about the Giants' chances in this game? Here's what Chuck Esposito, director of the race and sports book at Caesars Palace, had to say in the article.
"They have covered nine out of 10 road games and have won 10 straight road games and covered all three playoff games."
QUICK HITS
The Giants are now America's Team? That's what a FOXSports.com columnist is claiming this week.
ESPN.com offers some burning questions about the Super Bowl and Randy Moss.
And according to the Hartford Courant, this New York-New England Super Bowl is a dream match-up for football fans in Connecticut.
