Boston-New York rivalry not fired up yet COLUMN

"I sucked pretty bad," he told a national television audience during the trophy presentation while promising jubilant owner Robert Kraft that he would use the next two cheap burberry outlet 2012 weeks of preparation to raise his play. Sunday's rematch of Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants is almost at hand, promising to test Brady's ability to turn the page on one of the poorest in a number of dismal performances in recent big games. MORE: Super duo: Patriots' Belichick and Brady MORE: Boston-New York rivalry not fired up yet COLUMN: Brady eyes a fourth Super Bowl ring "How will Tom Brady perform? That is the No. 1 question about the Patriots, and I think the No. 1 question about the Super Bowl," said former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann, an NFL Network analyst. USA TODAY Sports on Twitter! To get the latest sports news from USA TODAY, including game results, columns and features, follow us on Twitter at @USATODAYSports. "You scratch your head and say, 'How can you ask that about Brady?' But you have to." Even after tying boyhood idol Joe Montana for the all-time lead with his 16th playoff win, Brady understood his erratic effort vs. a staunch Ravens defense was nowhere near the standard he has set for himself. He did not complete a throw beyond 23 yards in converting 22 of 36 attempts for 239 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. His passer rating was 57.5 after a regular season in which he fashioned a 105.6 rating and threw for 5,235 yards, second-highest total in league history. Since Brady threw only three interceptions in sweeping his first 10 postseason starts — with Super Bowl triumphs in the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons — he is 6-5 with 16 picks.Burberry belt, burberry leather belts cheap sale for men and women. The two-time Super Bowl MVP believes success against a New York team renowned for its fierce pass rush will start with his having a turnover-free performance. "They force you into a lot of mistakes, but we can't go out there and make mistakes and expect to win," he said. "We have to go out there and play a very clean game." Brady, 34, has not been his rhythmic, dominant self in a number of big settings: •He avoided interceptions but was significantly outplayed by counterpart Eli Manning when the Giants relied on an overwhelming pass rush to jolt the Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. Manning outgained his heralded counterpart in passing yards 355-266 and closed with an 87.3 passer rating to Brady's 82.5. •When New England made a quick exit from the 2009 moncler jackets cheap playoffs with a 33-14 loss to Baltimore, Brady was limited to 154 passing yards, threw for more interceptions (three) than TDs (two) and had a 49.1 rating after trying to overcome an early deficit. •When the Giants dealt the 15-3 Patriots their last defeat with a 24-20 decision on Nov. 6 that ended a 20-game regular-season home winning streak, Brady threw as many interceptions as scores (two) to go with a 75.4 rating. According to offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, Brady's self-directed anger after the AFC title game soon abated. "We turned the page pretty quickly after we reviewed the game the next day," he said. Although Brady can equal Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl wins (four), it has been trying from the start. He doesn't have a dynamic wide receiver to stretch the field consistently, a huge void in this let-it-fly era. When in doubt, Brady falls back on his work ethic. That is what he is doing this time. "I think it all comes down to preparation, then obviously going out there and playing with confidence," he said. Theismann say fans will know early which Brady has shown up Sunday, the one who was once unstoppable in postseason or the one capable of clunkers. "I want to see how comfortably he stands moncler jackets in the pocket," Theismann said. "If he starts out uncomfortable, I'm going to have some concerns."