When the New York Giants take on the Baltimore Ravens Sunday in Super Bowl XXXV, will the game be a bore? Not if you like smash-mouth, in-your-face football. But if high-scoring, big-passing games are your thing, skip this one.
The Ravens take the field in Tampa Bay, Fla., as the NFL’s top-rated defensive team; the Giants are rated sixth. Leading the Ravens defense will be linebacker Ray Lewis, the league’s defensive player of the year. Backing Lewis are lineman Tony Siragusa and backs Duane Starks and Jamie Sharper.
Leading the Giants’ defense are Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead and defensive end Michael Strahan. Cornerbacks Emmanuel McDaniel and Jason Sehorn will challenge Ravens receivers downfield.
For offense, two journeymen quarterbacks will face off. Giants quarterback Kerry Collins has overcome alcohol abuse to lead the team. For the Ravens, quarterback Trent Dilfer returns in triumph to Florida. (He played six seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.)
Both cities, Baltimore and New York, may find Florida a good-luck charm: The Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV in Tampa for one of their two championships, and the Colts (Baltimore’s team at the time) beat Dallas at Miami’s Orange Bowl in Super Bowl V.
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Catch the game at 5 p.m.
Central Time on CBS. The Backstreet Boys will sing the national anthem; ‘N Sync and Aerosmith perform at halftime.