The Giants and Patriots have repeatedly said all week here that this is not 2008. These teams are different.
Still, Tom Brady noted Wednesday morning at his media session that not everything has changed. The Giants defensive line is still talking.
“It wouldn’t be the Super Bowl if they weren’t talking about coming to knock me down, knock me out,” Brady said.
He’s not kidding. I heard Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul all say they felt they could “rattle” Brady during their Media Day sessions.
“I think it starts with hitting him, even when you don’t actually get sacks, just keeping people around him so he can’t step up,” Tuck said. “I think he gets a little frustrated when he has to go to his second or third receivers.
“You can kind of confuse him sometimes with our coverage. I think there are a lot of things that can get him rattled, but it just seems like not too many people are able to do that.”
Even the Giants coaching staff is getting in on the act.
“We did some things that disrupted his timing. We caused him to stay jittery in the pocket. Hopefully we can do that again,” defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said.
Brady was off target in the first regular game, but that was more about his accuracy and New York’s coverage than their pass rush. His protection mostly held up.
Brady’s offensive line will need to play well again on Sunday, or it will really feel like 2008 again.