GUEST BLOG: Super Bowl

“The Super Bowl, the most epic day in America.” Visa could not have described it better. This is the day when players’ dreams come true. It’s when fans’ dreams come true. As a Giants fan, I have been waiting for this day for four years, and I know some fans wait all their lives for their team to play in the Super Bowl. I have been watching Super Bowls for awhile, and even if my team is not playing, the excitement is huge. It is a thrilling day for even non-hard-core fans. It’s what fans live for. It’s what players work for.

I have been asked to write this article because I was thought to have football insight. That’s up to you. I will try to break down this year’s Super Bowl as best I can for you:

The Giants and the Patriots met before in Super Bowl XLII and both teams looked very similar to the way they do now. The Giants D-line is on fire, and Eli Manning and his wide receivers are hot. Star quarterback Tom Brady has had another one of his many great years and he has a slew of targets to hit. Now, here are a couple of things you have to know about both teams:

The Patriots’ defense is weak. Their defensive line is playing pretty well, and their defensive backs are, well, let’s just say they aren’t great. The Giants’ defense is solid. Their defensive line is great, and their DB’s just aren’t that much better than the Patriots’ (which is ironic, since both QB’s are having good seasons.) The Patriots’ offense is playing with their usual greatness and as I said before, Tom Brady is playing spectacularly, but this year Tom has a little bit different style of receivers, other than wide receiver Wes Welker. This year it’s the Patriot tight ends that have played the biggest role. Aaron Hernandez is a very good tight end, and Rob Gronkowski is one of the best in the league, giving Tom Brady someone to throw to and also a little bit more protection.  Eli Manning and the Giants have specialized in late comebacks and they have proven it in the playoffs. The Giants receiving corps is, according to me, the best in the league. Even their tight end, Bear Pascoe, has been putting up consistent numbers for the Giants. Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks have made it almost impossible for defensive coordinators to figure out a coverage scheme. If you double team one, Manning can throw to another. Both run-games have not been amazing, but decent. The Giants’ struggled with consistence and then bounced back in the playoffs to put up better numbers. Meanwhile, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and the Patriots’ run-game have been running well consistently.

The keys to a Giant win are HIT TOM BRADY, just like they did in Super Bowl XLII,  and put pressure on this high powered QB. They need to cover the Patriot Tight Ends with defensive backs, and Eli Manning needs to take advantage of the weak Patriot secondary and take shots downfield.

The keys to a Patriot win are almost identical. They need to get to Eli Manning. But different from the G-men, Tom Brady needs to march down the field and score, getting first down after first down to his high-octane tight ends.

A few injuries dent these two teams, such as New England TE Rob Gronkowski. He finally practiced Thursday, but was limited; he is listed as questionable. Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw (probable) was held out of practice Friday.

So, as the excitement grows and the game draws near I say one thing to you. The Giants will win Super Bowl XLVI by outscoring the Patriots in a game that comes down to the fourth quarter. Actually, I’m going to say two things: With my humble apologies to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other historical figures who have probably witnessed significantly more epic days in America, I say: Cherish “the most epic day in America.’

-Cullen Holt