Chris Mangan

The game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants on Dec. 29 might not have meant anything, but the rematch certainly will.

The Patriots and Giants will meet on Feb. 3 in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz., with the Patriots trying to complete a perfect season, what most people thought would not be repeated after the 1972 Miami Dolphins went undefeated.

The Giants went on the road in all three of their playoff games and knocked off the one and two seeds in the NFC, the Cowboys and the Packers. After having lost to the Cowboys twice already, the Giants were able to pull through when it mattered and knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs. The game between the Packers and Giants in the NFC Championship game was a rematch of week two, which the Packers had won. The Giants picked off a Brett Favre pass on the second play of overtime, and Lawrence Tynes kicked a game winning 47-yard field goal to lift the Giants into the Super Bowl.

The Patriots got to stay at home in Foxboro, Mass., for their two playoff games. Their first game was against, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Patriots avoided a potential rematch against the Indianapolis Colts when they were upset by the San Diego Chargers. The game between the Chargers and the Patriots was also a rematch of week two with the Patriots winning both games. The Chargers were without the NFL rushing leader LaDainian Tomlinson after their first possession, and quarterback Philip Rivers was playing with a bad knee.

The match-up will be a very interesting one with several questions. Will Eli Manning be able to continue his hot play in the playoffs? Will the Patriots be able to go 19-0? Will the Giants be able to put pressure on the Patriots quarterback Tom Brady? Will the Patriots get back to their record-setting offense that they used in the first half of the season?

It will be tough for the Giants to win this one, especially with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick able to dissect the game film from a month ago.