EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Giants and Patriots keep stressing so much has changed in the three years since they last met, in arguably the greatest Super Bowl ever played, that it won't have much resonance when they play again on Sunday.

But that's not totally true. There is one part of the equation that is not much different. Tom Brady is still considered one of the top two quarterbacks in the league. And the Giants' defense -- then and now -- still has the only counter that's ever reliably made Brady seem mortal.

The Giants still have the sort of pass-rushers who make even Bill Belichick, the Patriots' Sphinx-like coach, abandon his usual three-word answers and sing like a songbird when asked about the threat they pose.

Though the names have changed a little -- second-year man Jason Pierre-Paul is running alongside Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka now instead of Michael Strahan -- the formula for beating the Pats is the same as when the Giants upset an 18-0 New England team in Super Bowl XLII: Get to Brady. Rattle Brady. Hit him and hurry him and make his life miserable.

Bill Belichick's Patriots fell to Tom Coughlin's Giants in Super Bowl XLII -- the last non-exhibition meeting between the two teams. Matthew Emmons/US Presswire

Brady knows it. And Belichick does, too.

"They're a huge challenge -- a huge challenge," Belichick said Wednesday when asked about the Giants' defensive linemen in his conference call with New York reporters. "Most times you play a team and the team might have one player that's the caliber of rusher that you really have to game plan for, and really feel like the guy can ruin a game. I mean, the Giants got about, like, five of them. They're all very good. They've got great speed, athleticism, and pass-rush technique. They get off on the ball well. They're a hard group to block."

Given that this is Belichick talking, a sort of internal alarm clock goes off in your head right about here; after years of listening to him in these settings, you think: Surely he's done talking, right? But Wednesday? No. Belichick just kept talking about the Giants' defensive line in what was easily the most effusive answer he gave all day. It was as if Belichick's two warring natures were squaring off -- the defensive coordinator in him versus the hyperbole-hating head coach who throws around compliments like manhole lids -- and the defensive coordinator won.

The Patriots and Giants are both 5-2 and looking to stay on top of their respective divisions by winning this week. But while Belichick had to spend the last offseason trying to beef up his defensive line by bringing in Albert Haynesworth and ex-Jet Shaun Ellis, he's still answering questions about why his defense is giving up so many yards and points. Meanwhile, the Giants have just tweaked their defensive line since the Super Bowl. But look: This year's line, which also rotates in Chris Canty and Dave Tollefson, is deeper and potentially better than the 2007 edition was, if it can stay healthy.

"Perry [Fewell, the Giants defensive coordinator] does a good job with his scheme," Belichick continued, "and he puts them in different positions, so you don't know where Pierre-Paul is going to be. You don't know where Tuck's going to be. You don't know where Kiwanuka's going to be. Sometimes it's hard to find them. And then it's hard to block them.

"They're as good a group as I've seen in a long time."

And the Patriots' offensive line? It is not. The Patriots gave up only two sacks in their first four games this year, but in their last three games they've allowed Brady to be sacked 11 times and hurried another 17 times, according to stats compiled by Pro Football Focus.

But unlike, say, Pittsburgh, which defeated the Patriots on Sunday on the strength of some blitzes that led to big plays (two of them by linebacker LaMarr Woodley), the Giants are able to generate pressure on quarterbacks with just their four defensive linemen, which helps the other seven players in their pass defense, too.