Super Bowl XLVI primer

BY MICHEL GONZALEZ - FAN FUEL BLOGGER

This is it. After a 17-week regular season and three rounds of playoffs, it comes down to this. Two teams. One game. One champion! Super Bowl XLVI.

Come to think of it, I can't help but feel a sense of irony here. I suppose this game could be called the "Manning Bowl." After all, one Manning (Eli) will step on the field while the other (Peyton) has hogged most, if not all, the headlines with his uncertain health and even more uncertain employment status. That, and the game is played in the "House That Peyton Built."

But I digress...

While some have dubbed this game "The Revenge Bowl," I fail to agree. Most of the players who were there four years ago are gone but the two main characters are still there. Eli has grown and become more mature and patient as a passer while Brady is still, well, Brady!

On paper, the Giants have the advantage on several fronts. The quarterback spot is dead even. In my view, there isn't a team that has a clean advantage at the pivot position. Running backs and wide receivers are a different story. If I were a defensive coordinator, I'd be far more worried about Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs than I would be about BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead. Same goes for the wideouts. Covering Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham will be quite the challenge.

The Patriots offensive line will have its work cut out. The pressure applied by Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and, on occasion, tackle Chris Canty will be a load. Tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski will not only have to provide the caches, but also some protection to give Brady some time. The Patriots don't have such an embarrassment of riches. They mostly use two situational pass rushers, Mark Anderson and Rob Ninkovich.

One guy who will be key on the Patriots defensive line is Vince Wilfork. The eight-year veteran is kindly listed at 325 pounds, but if you placed him on a scale right now, the scale would scream "One person at a time, please!" Wilfork's size, athleticism and surprising stamina will cause some matchup problems because he will have to be double-teamed. If not, he will practically live in the Giants' backfield and cause havoc in the running game.

I do believe the Patriots will have an edge due to two people who, oddly enough, will not set foot on the field. The first is obviously Bill Belichick. Like him or not, surly personality or not, the man always figures out a way to counter whatever the opposition throws at him. Taking into account that he had two weeks to prepare, I'm pretty sure he will devise a game plan that will counter the Giants most potent and dangerous weapons, their receivers.

The other person is Myra Kraft. The owner's wife passed away last July and the Patriots dedicated its season to her. Say what you will, but this could very well an extra motivation for New England.

Somehow, I can see a higher scoring game than the last time these two squads met four years ago, yet it's going to be close again.

My fearless prediction (drum roll please):

New England 30, NY Giants 28

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