Super Bowl XLVI Preview

After a long hiatus from the blogging world, I have returned but Politics and Sport will no longer be so...Instead it will just be Sport...There will be blogs about local sports in the 570 but mostly major college and pro sports. Today I will preview the Super Bowl since we are only a mere 5 days from the biggest game.

Vegas has set the line at the Giants +3 meaning if anyone plans to take the Pats, they better win by 4 to win money. Numerous colleagues at work claim this as a slam dunk bet on the Pats because "the Pats are going to destroy them." First, anyone that thinks the Pats are a slam dunk obviously does not watch football week in and week out. Let's Examine a position by position breakdown.

QB Manning vs. Brady Edge Brady, but not much...Brady is Brady and passed for the second most yards in NFL history, but Eli was right there with 4933 yards this year. Brady's top end zone threat may be hurt and we won't know how bad until game time, but look at Ben's high ankle sprain and the difficulty he had just dropping back. The Pats NEED Gronkowski to run routes, cut, and break tackles. Thats tough to do on a bad ankle.

Pats Oline vs. Giants Dline-- Edge Giants...Just go back to 2007 and see what the Giants did to the OLine then when the Pats OLine was regarded as the best...Giants are now younger on the line with Canty and Pierre Paul and still have a mean streak to them that is unmatched in the NFL.

Giants Oline vs. Pats Dline--Push...If vince Wolfork plays like he did against the Ravens last week, it could be a long day for the Giants... The Giants have an outside threat and three running backs that could offset Wolfork. Look for them to keep him honest with screens and draws. Bradshaw will have to run outside for success.

Wide Receivers---Edge Giants. The Pats have Wes Welker but not much after that. Remember, Gronk is a tight end. The giants will roll out Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Mannigham..Good Luck Pats Secondary and Linebackers.

TE--- Huge Edge Pats---Gronk and Hernandez. Do I have to say anymore?

RB-- Edge Giants--- Bradshaw and Jacobs are the new thunder and lightening. They are an effective tandem. Look for Derrick Ward to receive screens out of the backfield to offset the interior dline pressure of the Pats. The Pats running backs can have a big game because the Giants will probably alot of Nickel and man D. It is hard to run against that front four.

Secondary--Push--Only a push because both QBs are so good. The secondary thaat creates the turnover will win the game.

Final...Look for the Giants to use Victor Cruz to stretch the field opening up the middle for Nicks. Giants may score 35-40 against that Pats Secondary. Giants upset by Vegas Standards--35-24. This is my opinion, and you can agree or disagree but play the matchups and the matchups say Giants will win. That's all, I'm done.