New York Giants News And Notes: Sunday Before Super Bowl Sunday Edition

Good morning, New York Giants fans! One week to go before the New York Giants and New England Patriots meet in the 2012 Super Bowl. The Patriots touch down in Indianapolis later Sunday, while the Giants will arrive on Monday.

Here are some news and notes to keep you occupied this morning.

Giants chasing history instead of imploding - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
While this factoid about the New York Giants seems more trivial than important, people within the game understand its relevance.

The Giants can become the first team ever to endure a four-game losing streak and rebound to win a title with a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. In fact, they are only the second such team to make it this far, joining the 2002 Oakland Raiders.

While four consecutive losses may not seem so ominous, put it in this perspective: What do you think it’s like in any sport to go a month without winning?

"Good teams don’t lose three in a row," said Rich Gannon, the quarterback on that Raiders team. "Even two in a row, that’s a pretty good stumble. You lose two and it’s like, ‘Hey, we gotta get this together.’ But four, that can become a real problem, something you don’t recover from. For us, it took good leadership and a good coach. Even though Bill [Callahan] was a rookie coach, he really kept it together.

Umenyiora overcomes injuries, contract dispute - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
He lay on an examination table as a New York Giants trainer manipulated his throbbing ankle, wincing at the sharp pain and grimacing at the harsh implications. He couldn’t see the field, but the raucous commotion above told him the game was getting away from his team. The 2011 season – and his financial leverage – also seemed to have been sucked into a downward spiral.

As Osi Umenyiora pondered all of this from the bowels of the Louisiana Superdome during a 49-24 defeat to the New Orleans Saints last November, the veteran defensive end figured he and the Giants were headed for an unspectacular, unsatisfying divorce.

Tom Brady's protection from Giants is vital as Patriots' offensive line enters Super Bowl rematch | NJ.com
"We’re going to try to take advantage of every opportunity they give us," Branch said. "If we have to sit in and max protect, that’s what we are going to do. If our front line can handle the guys without max protecting them, then I’m pretty sure we’ll do that as well.

"It’s all about taking advantage and making adjustments on the sideline."

Below is a tremendous Super Bowl infographic that was sent to me by the folks at CheapSally.com.

Finally, a few more links to keep you busy.

NFL.com - 2011 Play of the Year

Super Bowl hot topic: What's your favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time? | NJ.com

Forcing fumbles an art, not luck - Chris Harry - SI.com

Manning Face