| TAMPA, Fla. — There have been three
recurrent themes down here in Tampa, and they have been repeatedly rehashed by the
thousands of media members who find themselves covering this year’s Super Bowl. One
of the stories that refuses to go away is Ray Lewis. The NFL’s best player in 2000
continues to draw interest not for his play on the field but for his alleged connection to
last year’s post-Super Bowl murders.
Another story that has dominated press coverage ever since it was known the Giants and
Ravens would be this year’s title game combatants is defense. This game is all about
the defense, everybody says. Heck, the same headline has appeared on three national
football publications. "D-Day" was the cover head for Pro Football
Weekly’s Super Bowl preview, as it was for Sports Illustrated and Football
News.
The third storyline that has gone a little stale is the focus on the quarterbacks.
It’s fairly obvious that neither Trent Dilfer nor Kerry Collins is destined for the
Hall of Fame, but they are both capable quarterbacks who have played key roles in getting
their teams to the Super Bowl. Yet, they are disrespected day after day in media sessions
with questions about their shortcomings. Personally, I’m sick of hearing about Dilfer
and Collins overcoming adversity to reach the big game.
There is a Super Bowl story, though, that may deserve a bit more attention than
it’s getting. It involves a pair of players who, in my mind, will have as much to do
with the outcome of this game as the quarterbacks, both teams' defenses and Ray Lewis.
Those players are Matt Stover and Brad Daluiso — the kickers. If you ask me, one
of those guys is going to be the deciding factor in the game. With the stifling defenses
of the Ravens and Giants locking heads, you know that points are going to be at a premium.
That means that every time one team gets within the opponent’s 30-yard line —
and you’ve got to believe that will be rare — it will have to come away with at
least three points.
Both of these kickers went through very different seasons, but none of that should
matter come Sunday. They are veteran kickers with 21 years' combined NFL experience
between them. They know what is expected of them.
This isn’t the first Super Bowl for Daluiso. He appeared in Super Bowl XXVI as a
kickoff specialist for the Bills as a rookie. This time around, though, he will be
expected to do more than just kick off. In this game, he could wind up scoring the bulk of
his team’s points. While he’s fairly dependable, connecting on 17-of-23
field-goal attempts in the regular season, he was not called on to attempt a game-winner
this season. How will he fare if his first chance to be the hero comes this Sunday?
"If it comes to that situation, I am prepared for whatever may be needed,"
Daluiso said. "That’s part of our job."
Stover hasn’t been called on to kick a game-winner yet this season, either. But he
knows well the pressure of being his team’s lone offensive weapon for much of this
season. During a five-game stretch of the regular season, Stover accounted for all of his
team’s points.
Stover was very steady all season long, hitting on 35-of-39 field-goal attempts.
Having someone who is that consistent is a big relief for Ravens head coach Brian
Billick.
"You can count on those points on the board," Billick said of sending Stover
on to try a field goal.
This game is going to come down to just a few points separating the winner from the
loser. Those points very well could come from the leg of either Daluiso or Stover. And if
they are called on to kick the game-winner — something that has happened only twice
in Super Bowl history — both say they will be ready.
However, neither guy is hoping it comes down to that.
"I secretly harbor a hope that it’s 45-0," Daluiso said. "I
answered that question a lot, and I said that anyone who hopes it comes down to a kick is
lying because that means you also have a chance of losing. If there’s a chance that
we are not losing at the end of the game, that’s what I want. If it comes down to a
kick, I’ll be ready and I’m prepared for that. I’m just preparing myself
this week as I do every week to handle that situation."
When all is said and done on Sunday night, people may not be talking about Ray Lewis or
the defenses or the quarterbacks. My bet is they will be talking about the kickers.
For more on-the-scene Super Bowl coverage by Schleiden and other PFW staff members in
Tampa, click here |
