The Patriots and Giants have not clinched playoff berths together since 2011 -- the same year of their epic Super Bowl rematch.
Should they be destined to meet again, Giants wideout Victor Cruz doesn't think the Patriots want to see them.
"They don't want to see us," Cruz said, via the New York Daily News. "I'm sure if you ask them (they'd say) they'd play anybody, they don't care. I'm sure they don't want to see us. That's for sure."
While that might be true in some sort of subconscious way for Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, I think those in charge of the Patriots would welcome the chance to play against a first-year head coach on the biggest night of the NFL season. Tom Coughlin, the architect of those two Super Bowl teams, is gone and not coming back.
In fact, I'm not sure the Giants rank in the top three of teams the Patriots would rather not face should they reach the Super Bowl.
The NFC is loaded with quarterback talent and could hurl any number of potential roadblocks in the Patriots' direction. The Seahawks are absolutely a team the Patriots don't want to see again in the Super Bowl. I can also imagine a smart coach not signing up to play Aaron Rodgers that late in the year with everything on the line. Dallas' running game is also pretty terrifying.
Kudos to Cruz for expressing some confidence, though. The Giants are "back" and it's fun to have one of the league's premiere franchises in the playoffs again. Alongside Odell Beckham Jr., Eli Manning and that $200 million defense, there is enough star power to keep us entertained all January.
