The Cold, Hard Football Facts called New York’s 38-35 loss to undefeated New England in Week 17 the greatest moral victory in history, for it proved to have tangible results on the football field.

 

The confidence the Giants built in that loss seems to have propelled the team to win three straight playoff games on the road.

 

And the narrow margin of defeat may also prove to be a good omen for the Giants – at least if the history of Super Bowl rematches is any indication.

 

The Giants-Patriots showdown marks the 12th time that a Super Bowl pitted teams that faced each other in the regular season.

 

In seven instances, the regular-season game was decided by 7 points or less. The regular-season losers in those games are 6-1 in the Super Bowl rematches. That’s great news for the Giants, who lost by just three points to the Patriots.

 

Conversely, the four teams that won in the regular season by 8 points or more also won the Super Bowl rematch.

 

There’s more good news for the Giants, at least if you put any faith in these portents of pigskin: The only team to win the regular-season battle by fewer than seven points and hold serve in the Super Bowl was the 1986 Giants. They edged out the Broncos, 19-16, in the regular season and then crushed the Broncos, 39-20, in Super Bowl XXI.

 

The chart below shows the 12 Super Bowls that have pitted familiar foes. The regular-season matchups that stayed within seven points are listed in italics. Super Bowls in which the regular-season loser gained revenge are in bold.