Ah, the Super Bowl. That time of year when everyone is a football fan, or at least pretends to be until all the snacks and beer disappear and the neighborhood party’s wrapped up. It’s as much a national holiday as it is a sporting event, and even if your favorite team didn’t make it to the big game, the spectacle is (usually) worth checking out. If history is any indication, the 47th edition of the Super Bowl has all the makings of being worth the hype.
When the New England Patriots face off against the New York Giants on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, it will be the second time the two teams have met to decide the NFL’s championship since 2008. Super Bowl 42 is most remembered for Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s last-minute drive and a scintillating one-handed catch by David Tyree with just more than a minute remaining to keep the Giants’ hopes alive. The G-Men ended up pulling out a 17-14 win, on a touchdown pass from Manning to receiver and gun enthusiast Plaxico Burress in the game’s waning seconds.
In the rematch, we can only hope to see such memorable moments, and given the previous nail-biters, there’s a good chance viewers won’t be disappointed. Though many faces on both rosters have changed, once again all the attention centers on Manning and his counterpart, golden boy Tom Brady, who will be taking time out from his male modeling career to go for his fourth Super Bowl ring.
In the regular season matchup between the two teams in week nine, Manning once again led a fourth-quarter comeback, finding tight end Jake Ballard in the back of the end-zone with 20 seconds left to give the Giants a 24-20 victory. In that game, the Pats put little pressure on Manning, allowing him plenty of time to find his receivers. The Giants’ defense blitzed Brady early and often, forcing him to throw an uncharacteristic (for him) 21 incompletions and two interceptions, though he did finish with 342 yards passing in the loss.
This time around, the Patriots will need to find a way to shut down the Giants’ trio of stud wide receivers: Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham. With one of the NFL’s top passing offenses, the Giants also have the ability to wear down their opponents on the ground, with bruising running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, though the team’s rushing yardage ranked dead last in the league in 2011.
Patriots’ running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis doesn’t exactly strike fear into opposing teams either, but the Pats do have a few explosive offensive weapons of their own in Brady’s two favorite targets, receiver Wes Welker and tight end Rob Gronkowski. Welker was the league’s second best wideout in 2011, while Gronkowski had one of the best years ever for a player at his position, hauling in 17 touchdowns and finishing fifth in the league in receptions with 90. Bad news for the Pats though: After suffering a serious ankle sprain in the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens, he’s listed as questionable for the Super Bowl.
Odds are “Gronk” will play, but he won’t be 100 percent, meaning New England will likely have to rely more heavily on backup Aaron Hernandez, as well as No. 2 wide receiver Deion Branch, the MVP of the 2005 Super Bowl. The Patriots have been on a roll offensively, scoring more than 40 points in three of their last four games, and it remains to be seen if the machine can roll on with some wrenches thrown in the gears.
The game has a few local ties. Giants reserve wideout and former Cal Poly, SLO, star Ramses Barden still holds a spot on the roster. However, playing behind the Big Three, Barden probably won’t get much playing time. His teammate, Giants backup quarterback David Carr, hails from Bakersfield, where he played high school ball. He’ll have to line up behind center if Manning gets knocked out for any reason. Also, if you look closely on the sidelines, you might spot Santa Maria native and Cabrillo High School graduate Mike Sullivan, who is now the Giants’ quarterbacks coach. Sullivan won a Super Bowl ring as the team’s wide receivers coach in 2008.
As for predictions, I believe we’ll see some animals doing hilarious things for Doritos®; something about a guy meeting a girl, then losing the girl, and winning her back with the right light beer; and more than a few talking babies.
Oh, you mean the game? Well, look for the Giants’ defense to be relentless in blitzing Brady, trying to force him into mental errors, and throwing, throwing, throwing. Also, watch for the Patriots to run a lot of quick routes to keep the chains moving, and for Brady to come out firing right out of the gate.
Given the RCA Dome is Eli’s brother Peyton’s home field, and the Giants are more familiar with playing on artificial turf, there’s a slight advantage for New York in the intangibles department. However, despite Gronkowski’s injury, I predict the Pats will get their revenge on the boys in blue with a 34-30 win in a game that once again comes down to the wire. Patriots’ coach Bill Bilicheck gets Gatoraded, billionaire supermodel Gisele joins husband Brady on the podium, all smiles, and America wins.
But what do I know? I’m just a bum. And that’s my view from the bleachers.
The Bleacher Bum can be contacted at jthomas@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 2-9, 2012.