In the 1983 Super Bowl, when the Redskins played the Raiders, Washington had the highest-scoring team in league history. They'd gone 14-2 in the regular season, losing those two games by one point each. Otherwise, they' d more or less creamed everybody. Here are their game-by-game results: [www.pro-football-reference.com]

The Redskins that year had the league's MVP, quarterback Joe Theismann, and a running back (John Riggins) who'd set the NFL record for rushing touchdowns with 24. Not only that, but they'd played the Raiders in the regular season...and beat them 37-35 -- all of which strikes a familiar chord when considering Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Week 17 game versus the Giants.

So what happened to those near-perfect Redskins in the 1983 Super Bowl? The underdog Raiders waxed them 38-9, because Washington imploded in almost every facet of the game. Not only did Raiders running back Marcus Allen run wild on the league's #1 ranked rushing defense, but the Skins surrendered touchdowns on a blocked punt and a pick-six...by Raiders linebacker Jack Squirek. Jack Who? Exactly. (Squirek, btw, landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated the next week. He's not been seen since.)

So, how bad were things for the Skins in that game? Well, after their lone touchdown, kicker Mark Moseley's extra point was blocked. In short, the Redskins -- who were just 4 points away from being 18-0 heading into the Super Bowl -- didn't show up to play. Think that could never happen to a Bill Belichick-coached team? Well, that loss to the Raiders was Joe Gibbs' s lone Super Bowl defeat. Otherwise, he was 3-0 in the big game -- which is where Bill Belichick stands right now.

Hmmm.

Anyway, I'm giving the Pats the benefit of the doubt in this one, because Stephen Gostkowski is pretty good at XPs. So, 38-10, Giants