The Giants aren't lacking confidence heading into Sunday's Super Bowl. "We wouldn't have boarded the plane if we didn't expect to win," safety Antrel Rolle said.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady listens to a question during a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. INDIANAPOLIS – Even the New York Giants think that the New York tabloids acted inappropriately by attempting turn Tom Brady’s comments during Sunday’s Super Bowl sendoff into something they weren’t.
The New England Patriots quarterback told the gathered masses that he hoped to see even more fans at the team’s victory celebration next week and the media interpreted his comments as a guarantee that the Patriots would win.
To the Giants, the reaction was foolish.
“It was a pep rally,” New York defensive end Justin Tuck said. “What was he supposed to say? I don’t think it’s Tom doing anything but getting fans riled up.”
Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said that he wouldn’t want one of his teammates to say anything less.
“I read his exact words and the way he phrased it,” he said. “You get to this level and you get to this game because you’re confident in yourself. Now, if somebody wants to come out and throw some legitimate trash talk, we’ll talk about that. But it’s just, you guys need something to do for the week, I guess.”
Confidence isn’t something that is lacking in the Giants locker room this week. Nearly every player that spoke Monday expressed sentiments similar to what Brady said over the weekend.
“We wouldn’t have boarded the plane if we didn’t expect to win,” safety Antrel Rolle said. “I think that’s the bottom line. We have come here for one thing and one thing only which is to win. We are expecting to win this game come Sunday.”
Offensive lineman Chris Snee added to that statement, saying the team is entering with a similar mindset as they had in Super Bowl XLII.
“We were very confident then, we’re very confident now,” Snee said. “If that rubs people the wrong way, then so be it. I don’t think guys are crossing the line – we’re a confident bunch and you need that going into this game.”