Fans Enjoy Super Bowl Rematch

On Feb. 5, more than 100 million people will tune in to watch the Super Bowl. 

While some people will watch only for the commercials, most people actually enjoy the game. And this year, locals have even more of a rooting interest, as New England Patriots take on the New York Giants.

This is a rematch of the 2007 Super Bowl, in which the Giants (as heavy underdogs) put an end to the Patriots' bid to become the secondteam in history to go undefeated. 

Now the Patriots will try to win their fourth Super Bowl in 11 years versus a Giants team that has been on a roll as of late, winning five straight.

Why the Giants will win?

The G-Men are on a roll and healthy. They beat the Patriots earlier this season (week 9), and were without many key starters for that game, including: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, WR Hakeem Nicks and OL David Baas, while Patriots were relatively healthy (they did lose Patrick Chung and Brandon Spikes to injuries in that game). Eli Manning has been playing at elite level this year, passing for nearly 5000 yards and throwing 29 TDs to only 16 INTS. In week 9 versus the Pats, Manning was efficient but not spectacular, going 20/39 for 250 yards, throwing 2 TD and 1 INT without the injured Nicks. The Patriots defense, while playing better, still lets up a ton of yards through the air and the Giants have three good wide receivers in Nicks, Mario Manningham and UMass alum Victor Cruz.  Those three could present matchup problems, especially down the field versus a secondary that is susceptible to the big play. Toss in the fact that Bradshaw is finally healthy, and the two-headed running back tandem of Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs could gash the Pats' defense.

The Giants defense still relies heavily on their pass rush. Still around from the 2007 Superbowl are sack machines Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora.  Coming into his own this season is second-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who has 16 ½ sacks this year, and almost single-headedly won their game versus the Cowboys in week 14 with 2 sacks (one for a safety), a forced fumble and blocked FG. Their linebacker corps and secondary are average at best and rely on the pressure from the front four to cause mistakes. The key will be to give Tom Brady time to read the defense and make accurate throws.

Why the Patriots will win?

The Patriots first and foremost will need to stay healthy to win. The core of their team is essentially healthy and playing well. FS Patrick Chung and LB Brandon Spikes have been paying the last few weeks and Spikes even had a huge INT in the AFC Championship versus the Ravens.  An injury late in the Ravens game to superstar TE Rob Gronkowski bears keeping an eye on, but I don't think there is any way that he doesn't play.

Offensively I look for the Patriots to use the "hurry-up" offense to keep the Giants off guard and wear down their defensive linemen. Brady should have no trouble picking apart the Giants secondary with weapons like Gronkowski, TE Aaron Hernandez and WR Wes Welker.  I also wouldn't be shocked to see former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch having a big game catching balls from Brady. Running back Benjarvus Green-Ellis (also known as "The Law Firm") should see plenty of action as fellow RBs Danny Woodhead and Stevan Ridley have developed a case of the fumbles the past few weeks (Green-Ellis has yet to fumble in his four-year NFL career).

The defense is much improved from week 9. Mainly Vince Wilfork is playing like he a rookie again and getting a big push up the middle, helping to stop a run or disrupting the timing of the passing attack. After Patrick Chung got injured in the week 9 matchup between these teams, Sergio Brown stepped in and on the Giants winning drive, got flagged for a 20-yard pass interference penalty and set the Giants up with first-and-goal at the 1yard line. Three plays later, Manning hit TE Jake Ballard for the game winning touchdown. Chung is back and healthy and Rookie Sterling Moore has been playing well as of late it shouldn’t be a cake walk for the NYG receivers. Look for the Pats to bring the blitz more than usual and try and get to Manning (and hopefully bring him down this time around).

Prediction?

The Patriots have been playing this season in honor of Myra Kraft and it would be a shame to lose it now. Bill Belichick and the Patriots are hungry for another title and solidify their place as a dynasty.  Look for the Patriots to come out of the gates firing on all cylinders and close out the season with a victory.

Patriots 27 Giants 21.