A is for Arizona, the state hosting Super Bowl XLII, where star linebackers Tedy Bruschi (Patriots) and Antonio Pierce (Giants) played their college football.
B is for Bledsoe. Yes, Drew Bledsoe. There were lots of possibilities for this spot | Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, the boot | but love him for his old gun-slinging ways, or hate him for his slow feet and inability to make the big play, Bledsoe helped bring a winning attitude to New England. Remember, from 1990 to 1992 the Patriots accumulated a 9-39 record. Although the Patriots only played .500 ball (64-64) in the eight full regular seasons Bledsoe started, he led them to the playoffs four times and got them to Super Bowl XXXI. He also said the right things and smiled politely after losing his job to Brady due to injury in 2001.
C is for Cappelletti, as in Gino Cappelletti. The analyst for Patriots radio broadcasts, Cappelletti also used his leg and hands to become a Patriots legend. A wide receiver/kicker, Cappelletti registered the top two highest scoring seasons in AFL history with 155 points in 1964 and 147 in 1961. He also ranks second on the Patriots' all-time scoring list with 1,130 points (42 TDs, 176 field goals, 342 PATs, 4 2-point conversions). Cappelletti recorded the first points scored at the old Schaefer Stadium when he booted a 36-yard field goal in a 20-14 victory over ... get this ... the New York Giants.
D is for dominating defense, something the Patriots ran into in Super Bowl XX, losing to the Chicago Bears (46-10) by a then-record 36 points.
E is for Eli Manning, the often-criticized Giants quarterback, who has played the best football of his young career in recent weeks.
F is for Faulk. Backup running back Kevin Faulk, who has spent all nine of his professional football years with New England, accepted his role as a receiving threat out of the backfield instead of bolting for the opportunity to start elsewhere. He has already piled up 13 catches for 118 yards in two playoff games this year.
G is for genius, and this word could very easily apply to two men in the Patriots organization | head coach Bill Belichick and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli. Anyone who saw the old footage of Brady working out at the scouting combine had to wonder not why the NFL MVP was picked so late (sixth round) in the 2000 draft, but why he was selected at all. In addition to finding, in Brady, a diamond in the rough, Belichick and Pioli have continued to build talented, deep teams despite injuries and the salary cap.
H is for Hill, Marquise Hill, the Patriots defensive end who died in a Jet-Ski accident last spring. The Patriots wear Hill's "91" in a black circle on their helmets.
I is for interceptions. Pats defensive back Asante Samuel has an NFL high 18 of them in the last two years.
J is for Junior, as in Junior Seau, the man who has become one of the Patriots' inspirational leaders. Seau, in his 18th year, will likely go down as one of the best linebackers of all time, but a Super Bowl title | something that has eluded him | would solidify his legacy.
K is for kicking game, an area that isn't as certain as it used to be for the Patriots. Former Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri beat the St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers with last-second field goals in Super Bowl XXXVI and XXXVIII, respectively.
L is for Lonie Paxton, the long snapper who made more news for his snow angels than his play during the Patriots' run to their first Super Bowl win.
M is for Mo Lewis, the former New York Jets linebacker who knocked Drew Bledsoe out of the game with a vicious hit in the second week of the 2001 season. That opened the door for a young Tom Brady to take over. Brady has since led New England to four Super Bowls in seven years.
N is for November, as in Nov. 23, 1988, the day that K-Korp, a company co-owned by Robert Kraft, purchased what was then called Sullivan Stadium. Six years later he bought the team.
O is for offensive line. Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Bill Belichick get the headlines, but none of those records would have fallen without the dominating play of Matt Light, Stephen Neal, Dan Koppen, Logan Mankins and Nick Kaczur.
P is for pass rush, the biggest reason the Giants may be able to pull off the upset. If you get to Brady, you can disrupt the passing game. See above for why it's unlikely to happen, however.
Q is for quarterback, the position where the Patriots have arguably the greatest of all-time.
R is for running game, something that was a weakness for the Patriots during the regular season. Laurence Maroney has proven that it's just another strength, however, rushing for 244 yards in two postseason games.
S is for sacks, which have happened to Brady only 26 times in 16 career playoff games. The Giants, however, led the NFL this year with 53 in the regular season. (The Patriots were second with 47.)
T is for tuck rule. No, we still haven't forgotten. Neither have the Raiders! T is also for Justin Tuck, a star Giants lineman who grew up in Alabama's Coosa County with Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas, who is a distant relative.
U is for undefeated. One more victory and the Patriots will join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only NFL teams to run the table from the regular season through the playoffs.
V is for Vrabel, as in Mike Vrabel, the linebacker who has caught touchdown passes in New England's last two Super Bowl appearances.
W is for Wes Welker, the perfect slot receiver. Welker hauled in a Patriots record 112 passes for 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season. He has added 16 catches for 110 yards and two scores in the postseason.
X is for X Factor. Tom Coughlin may be an excellent football coach, but can anybody match Bill Belichick?
Y is for yesterday, a day the Patriots never think about or talk about.
And finally
Z is for zero, the number of times the New York Giants have turned the ball over this postseason.
