Patriots vs. Giants: Super Bowl Trivia Showdown

Both teams have arrived in Indianapolis and the stage is set for Super Bowl XLVI. Make sure you know your team before kickoff with the important facts from the authors who wrote the books on Patriots and Giants trivia.

10 Things Patriots Fans Need to Know Before the Super Bowl selected by Donald Hubbard from 100 Things Patriots Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die The Patriots have never won a Super Bowl without Bob Kraft as owner, Bill Belichick as head coach and Tom Brady at their quarterback. The previous four times the Patriots have been to the Super Bowl, the games have all been decided by three points. The Patriots first went to the Super Bowl in early 1986, after the conclusion of the 1985 season only to lose badly to the Bears, 46-10. To add insult to injury, days later, it was revealed in the Globe that several Pats’ players had allegedly used illegal drugs. Two Patriots Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Steve Grogan and Drew Bledsoe, never suited up again for the team at the conclusion of their only Super Bowl games, though at least Grogan played in his last game. The Patriots nearly played in the first Super Bowl ever against Bart Starr and the Packers, but a late season loss to the upstart Jets (led by a young Joe Namath) helped to derail that dream. Though Patriots quarterback Babe Parilli was robbed by the Jets in his effort to play in the first Super Bowl, he did earn a ring, with the Jets backing Namath in the famous Super Bowl III win against the Colts. In the Patriots second trip to the Super Bowl, they lost to the Packers, as it became evident that Bill Parcells would never coach for the team again. The current Super Bowl matchup is being billed as a grudge match since the Pats’ nearly perfect 2007 season was marred by their Super Bowl loss to the Giants, but only about a handful of players on each team’s current roster were suited up for that game. For superstitious New England fans, Bill Belichick will not wear a red hoodie at the upcoming Super Bowl; for those less superstitious but still concerned, the Patriots did not have Gronkowski or Hernandez at the last Super Bowl matchup against the Giants. David Tyree no longer plays for the Giants.

10 Things Giants Fans Need to Know Before the Super Bowl selected by Dave Buscema from 100 Things Giants Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die The Duke and his Dad: The Mara Family Legacy How revered is Wellington Mara? The official NFL football is named "The Duke" in honor of his nickname. Lawrence Taylor vs. LT One of the greatest players in the game's history was an unstoppable force on the field, but often out of control off of it. SB XLII: The Perfect Upset "Can anyone get me a copy of that book '19-0?' I hear that's a nice addition to the fiction section." -- Giants OL Kareem McKenzie, after the Giants beat the 18-0 Patriots. The Greatest Play in Super Bowl History Eli … Tyree … history. "If he could put the ball, stick it to his head like that, come up, we're gonna win this game. There's nothing y'all could do." -- Giants RB Brandon Jacobs to Patriots DL Richard Seymour, after The Play. Bill Parcells Did you know the Giants' two-time Super Bowl winner left his dream job as an assistant with them to spend more time with his family, and worked in real estate? Find out what Bill the Realtor was like, from his old boss. SB XXV: Wide Right Ottis Anderson fulfilled his dream of becoming Super Bowl MVP by watching Scott Norwood live a football nightmare. SB XXI: Return to Glory Phil Simms: 22 of 25. Giants 39, Broncos 20. Eli Manning: Easy E, Easy Target Following the path of former Giants QB greats, by surviving fans' scorn before reaching storied status. Tom Coughlin: The Cuddlier Curmudgeon Created a bond so great that players from his first college coaching job, who hadn't spoken in three decades, gathered from all over the country for an impromptu reunion to root him on in Super Bowl XLII. David Tyree no longer plays for the Giants.