This story originally ran in The Standard-Times on Feb. 3, 2008.

By Nick Tavares
Standard-Times correspondent

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — New England's high-flying offense was able to rack up a record number of points and touchdowns this season, as you've probably heard by now.

But if ever there were a group of players ready to stop them in their tracks, it is this New York Giants secondary.

"It's a very good secondary that we're playing," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. "They've got a lot of guys who play, a lot of guys who've been in and out of the lineup the last six weeks. We're not really sure how it's going to play out this week. We're preparing for everybody."

In the first half of their Week 17 matchup, the secondary did an excellent job of stifling Brady and the Patriots' receivers. It took the halftime break, and some key long passing plays — including Brady's record-setting touchdown to Randy Moss — for the Pats to be able to prevail.

"The one thing about that is we did struggle in the red zone early," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "We moved the ball fairly effectively against them, and then we got into the red area in the first half and were 1-of-3 in the red zone.

"We did move the ball and we did score some points on them, but we want to be as perfect as we can in the red area. That's where they really did a good job of stopping us in that first game."

And sure enough, the Giants' secondary has been on fire in the postseason. R. W. McQuarters has three interceptions in three playoff games. Corey Webster has picked off another two passes.

Add to that the fact McQuarters, Webster, Aaron Ross, Sam Madison and Kevin Dockery have combined for 30 tackles, stifling the likes of Brett Favre and Tony Romo thus far in the postseason, and you have a legitimately hot secondary waiting for Brady's many weapons.

The Patriots are preparing for all of that, and more.

"I do think their secondary did a great job against us in the first game, and they were probably a little ticked off that they gave up a couple of plays there at the end that help us win the game," Troy Brown said. "We couldn't score, which is the biggest thing to do against us is to keep us from scoring. So they should be pretty confident against us."

"I think we have to make sure we're physical with them," wide receiver Wes Welker added. "They're very physical defensive backs, and we have to make sure we're ready to go, using our hands as well and making sure we're mixing it up in there."

The key, as it has been most of the season, could be New England's one-two punch of Welker and Randy Moss. Even if one of them is taken out of the game by the Giants' defense, the results could still be positive.

In Week 17, excluding the 65-yard touchdown, Moss was held to five catches for 35 yards. Welker, on the other hand, had 11 catches for 122 yards, the centerpiece of a 346-yard passing day.

"Well, I stretch the field, and it's just what I'm supposed to do," Moss said. "I go deep and in the intermediate range, so I'm more of a 20-yards and beyond guy. Wes Welker is more of the intermediate and the short range. By me stretching the field, that opens up the intermediate and the short up for Wes, and that's how football is supposed to be played."

And the support the two have created for each other has paid off, and they're hoping for more of the same today.

"Without me, Wes could make plays and have a good year, and without Wes I could make plays and have a good year," Moss said. "But with us being on the same team and complementing each other, we had great years."

They'll have to be great again, because Brady and the crew are expecting nothing less than a revved-up New York secondary.

"They've got a lot of depth," Brady said, "and I know they have a lot of confidence."

Contact Nick Tavares at nick@staticandfeedback.com