America is set for Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. Only one question remains unanswered: Who will hoist the Lombardi trophy on Sunday? The New York Football Giants and the New England Patriots enter Lucas Oil Stadium for a rematch of Super Bowl XLII. It will be a high powered collision of two of the league’s best offenses, as both teams look for their fourth title. He says the Giants will loom large, she says the Patriots will reign supreme.
He Said…
By Marcus Shawcroft
It is time for America to witness round two between two great football teams. Not only is this the second time the New York Giants will play the New England Patriots this year, but it is also the second time that they will play in the Super Bowl. With the Giants coming into Super Bowl XLVI on a five game win streak, behind a strong offensive group, and with the memories of Super Bowl XLII and Week 9 fresh in their minds, they will have no problem sending Tom Brady and the Patriots home with tears in their eyes once again.
With Eli Manning at the reigns and Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham out receiving, expect to see a strong passing attack against a weak Patriot defense. Manning is coming into the game with 4,933 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns. Fifteen of those touchdowns were thrown in a fourth quarter, setting an NFL record. Cruz, Nicks, and Manningham account for 20 of those 29 touchdowns as well. When these four get in sync with each other, they are virtually unstoppable. If they can do that on Sunday, the Patriots will be blown out of the water.
Also, keep an eye out for the Giants rushing plays, especially during opportunities late in the game. The Giants will rally behind Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs when on the ground. These two have a combined 16 touchdowns on the year. The Giants ran the ball a total of 84 times in their three playoff games. You can expect to see Bradshaw and Jacobs run the ball quite a bit in this game, hoping to keep the Patriots’ offense on the sideline.
Not only will the Giants perform on offense, but they will provide a great show on defense. In the regular season, the Giants were great at putting pressure on the quarterback. They ended the season with 48 sacks: 41.5 of those came directly from the defensive line. They need to continue to do that on Sunday. Tom Brady has proved that if any defense gives him time in the pocket, he will dominate them. The Giants will need Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora to step up and keep pressure on Brady. These three combined for 30.5 sacks this year. Pierre-Paul, Tuck, and Umenyiora need to constantly disrupt Brady. If they can get to him, they will be able to break down the Pat’s offense and keep them off the board.
On Sunday, the Giants will humiliate the Pats in yet another Super Bowl. When the final whistle blows, the Patriots will hang their heads as they walk to the locker room. Manning and the Giants will then lift the Lombardi trophy in victory, yet again, before taking it home to New York for the fourth time. Go Giants!!
She Said…
By Rachel Heaton
In order to win football games, a team has to put points on the board. With arguably one of the best offensive units in the National Football League, the New England Patriots should have no problem facing the Giants. Under the direction of football genius, Bill Belichick, and with one of the most dominate quarterbacks under center, this game belongs to the Patriots.
At six feet four inches and 225 pounds, Tom Brady is a football machine. During the regular season, he racked up 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns, and had a QB passer rating of 105.6. Brady plays fast, employing a no-huddle offense that puts pressure on defenses. Simply stated, Tom Brady has the edge in this match-up. Sunday will be Brady’s fifth Super Bowl appearance, and he already has three championship rings. Brady is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time NFL MVP, and two-time Super Bowl MVP. Brady’s post-season record is 16-5, and will have no trouble adding yet another win.
The Patriots also enter this game with an impressive arsenal of receivers for Brady to choose from. Four-time Pro Bowl selection Wes Welker, Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch, and tight end Aaron Hernandez totaled 21 touchdowns during the regular season. As long as Brady’s offensive line can keep him protected in the pocket, he will be able to connect with any one of his options in order to make a big play.
Probably the most important player aside from Tom Brady is tight end Rob Gronkowski. Standing six feet six inches and weighing in at 265 pounds, Gronkowski is a hard man to cover. He accumulated 18 touchdowns and 1,327 yards in the regular season. Come Super Bowl Sunday, much of Gronk’s performance will be impacted by the high ankle sprain he suffered in the AFC Championship against the Ravens. If he can play through his injury, Gronkowski will be a major threat to the Giant’s defense.
This season the Patriots dominated the offensive side of the ball. In 12 of the 17 regular season games, the Pats put up 30 or more points against their opponents. This fast-paced, high scoring offense will ensure that the Patriots claim the Lombardi trophy on Sunday.
Super Bowl XLVI promises to be an exciting, high-scoring contest, and the Patriots appear to have the edge. If Tom Brady and his receiving corps can perform the way they did all season, the Patriots will be headed to Disney World. When the clock winds down in Indy, the only numbers that matter will show a Pats victory. Go Patriots!
What’s Been Said…