|
| |
Thursday, January 18
On the contrary, the game will be exciting
By Joe Theismann
Special to ESPN.com
People should be excited about Super Bowl XXXV because every play will have significance.
|  | | Kerry Collins, who threw five TDs against Minnesota, has the arm to challenge the Ravens' defense. |
There won't be one wasted play. When there is a passing team in the Super Bowl and
someone throws an incomplete pass or drops the ball, so what? In Tampa, field position and the kicking games will be extremely important.
Because the game will lack offensive stars, people won't watch as much as they would
have normally. But if you love football and a great heavyweight fight,
you'll love this one.
Everyone knows both teams will play great defense. All the answers will have to come from the offenses.
Because both defenses are so good, it will be more important to score first in
Tampa than it was in the conference championship games. The Ravens' offense
will have to show up, even if it's for a cameo appearance. They have to do a
better job than they've been doing. Baltimore's offense has managed to make
one or two offensive plays a game.
The Giants had a productive offensive game against Minnesota, but they
won't be facing the Vikings' secondary in Tampa. They will be playing the
best defense in football. Because Tiki Barber won't be a factor running the
ball, the game will fall on the shoulders of Kerry Collins and the Giants'
receivers.
At the end of the AFC championship game, the Raiders gave a glimpse of what
a team can do if it spreads out the Ravens' defense and throws the ball. And
the Ravens will be facing Collins, not an inexperienced quarterback like
Bobby Hoying.
The Giants will show much more offensive diversification.
That, however, shouldn't alter Baltimore's defensive approach, and the
Ravens -- because of its defense -- deserve to be the favorites.
Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann works as a game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football.
| |
