Super Bowl XLVI Prediction

The time has finally come. Only two teams are still standing after a most amazing, dramatic, heart-rending...exciting, thrilling season in recent memory. And now, we have a Super Bowl rematch between two teams that played one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory four years ago. Of course, many differences exist between Super Bowl XLVI and Super Bowl XLII, but the main storylines of each game will undoubtedly be at the position that has remained the same in both games. Eli Manning is leading a hot road-warriors Giants team (again), and trying to solidify his claim of being an elite quarterback in the process. The fact that Eli has already made it to 2 big games is quite astounding. In the meantime, Tom Brady is trying to reach a higher level of greatness that only few quarterbacks share: the winner of four Super Bowls. Brady can surely thrust himself into the likes of Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, and John Elway. Either way, both teams will be striving for that goal of being the best of the best and crushing their newly formed rival. This ain't Yankees-Red Sox, but it sure is starting to feel that bitter.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Pats come into this game with a quarterback on the pedestal of NFL greatness. Tom Brady leads his motley crew once again into the Super Bowl. It's stunning that Brady has managed to lead this team year after year into the playoffs, despite a constantly rotating roster (says something about those other AFC East teams...). Belichick-Brady may be a coach-quarterback duo that will live on for years to come in New England after they are done. A Super Bowl victory now could cement their legacy and prove that Super Bowl XLII was a flop; a minor hiccup in a historic decade of dominance. But enough gushing about Brady. What does he have to work with? Well, the running game has been off and on throughout the season, at best. Backs like Danny Woodhead, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and Stevan Ridley can certainly carry the load, but their efficiency is mostly in the redzone, close to the goal line. In the air is where the magic happens. The Patriots have an unassuming combo of tight ends that are really just versatile receivers. Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski can snatch the ball out of the air as well as anyone, and provide good exploitations for the Pats' passing game between the hashmarks. Wideouts Deion Branch and Wes Welker are also threats on the outside, while contributors like Julian Edelman and Matthew Slater can provide more mix-and-match combinations both short and deep. The O-line for the Pats have been shaky at times, but the return of Sebastian Vollmer should certainly help. Key "injuries" on the offensive front include Matt Light and Rob Gronkowski, who both serve vital roles in this offense. Light's health will be extremely valuable considering the pass rush by the Giants' D-line.

On defense, this team has managed to find meaning in their line, led by the athletic, gut-busting Vince Wilfork. The linebackers have also stepped up as of late, led by former Gator Brandon Spikes in the middle. Overall, this defense is solid. The only question about it is the secondary. The corners for the Patriots have been up and down throughout the season, but have come on late to form a respectable bunch. Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and company can all be playmakers, while players like James Ihedigbo and (snicker) Julian Edelman can be counted on for support. What should be particularly intriguing is the play of Devin McCourty, who can roam the field as good as anyone and catch up to the play. For this team to stay in the game, they must rely on their defensive unit to stop Brandon Jacobs and company on the ground, and the elusive Eli Manning and his merrymen of receivers in the air. If the Patriots defense can step up in the biggest game of their lives, the offense will handle the rest.

Special teams-wise, the Pats still rely on ol' Stephen Gostkowski, who has successfully replaced Adam Vinatieri. Zoltan Mesko continues to reliably handle punting duties, while Woodhead and Edelman are the returners.


NEW YORK GIANTS

The kings of New York return to the Super Bowl in quest of a title against an old foe. If New York can get the win, Tom Coughlin could be right up there with Bill Parcells as one of the greatest Giants coaches to ever live. And then if that's not a question of legacy, just look at who's under center. Eli Manning is only 31, but has tremendously rebounded from his tumultuous past. Once cast behind his brother Peyton and father Archie, "Little Bro" now has the chance to create his own chapter in Giants history. Of course, Manning is not alone on his quest. His receivers should get just as much play, despite Manning's effectiveness in the pocket. Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham all bring great hands, tremendous speed, and excellent route running to the table. With no true safety blankets underneath, Manning can exploit long passes on many plays. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw can still ground and pound, but the instability of the offensive line may cause the running game to experience a few problems.

Of course, the story of this Giants team is the hot, tough D. Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul are the bookends up front, with Chris Canty and Osi Umenyiora providing excellent support pressure. The Giants rely on the linebacking duties of Chase Blackburn, Michael Boley, and Mathias Kiwanuka, who are not only good in run stopping abilities, but also thrive on the pass coverage. Of course, the Giants secondary provides support on the backside with Corey Webster, Antrel Rolle, Kenny Philips, and Aaron Ross (and a slew of reliable backups). The Giants' flaw on their defense is probably the hole between the linebackers and the safeties, which the Packers and 49ers managed to exploit (unfortunately sloppy play from those teams resulted in more outside routes). The Giants will have to watch Tom Brady and company carefully, especially the tight ends who can easily chew up yardage between the hashmarks.

On special teams, the Giants have kicker Lawrence Tynes and punter Steve Weatherford. Tynes may have a weak leg, but he is still one of the more clutch kickers in the league today. Weatherford doesn't have much control of his punts sometimes, but he can still kick bombs. The returners are a carousel of Jerrel Jernigan, Will Blackmon, Aaron Ross, and Devin Thomas. After the NFC Championship Game, it will be interesting to see how the Giants attack and perform on punt return duties.

PREDICTION:
NEW ENGLAND 27, NEW YORK 24
Overall this is a very tough, physical matchup. Both teams have solid offenses and rising defenses. Like everyone else, I think this one will come down to a few key special teams plays. The Giants may be the hottest team right now, but something tells me to not forget about Tom Brady. Whoever jumps out to a big early lead will win, as these defenses will definitely get tired. And in that case, the offense with more firepower will win. The Pats have just enough to pull this one out, but the Giants surely won't take it easy. Either way, the tagline of Super Bowl XLII still resonates loudly, begging the question: "Who Wants It More?"

AFC Championship Prediction

The AFC Championship Game features a contest between the top two teams in the AFC. Baltimore and New England are old rivals. The Pats are built on offense, the Ravens are built on big D. These two teams have always been pretty dominant, and now they are meeting for the chance to make it back to the big game. But who will prevail?

First let's look at the Patriots. New England can survive solely on Tom Brady's back alone. The defense have been atrocious for most of the year (although they managed to look competent against Denver). Brady thrives and the inside threats, with the ever shifty Wes Welker and the manipulative tight end duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The Patriots offense is essentially built around these four men. With a tough offensive line and enough protection, Brady has enough firepower to expose any defense. Speaking of defense, the Patriots D has been pretty terrible for most of the year. The D-line has frequently overpursued, the linebackers have been immobile, and the secondary has been beaten. Of course, stars like Vince Wilfork, who remains a constant bull up front, and Brandon Spikes, a tackling machine at middle linebacker, can surely keep a stylistically inept Baltimore offense at bay. But the defense will definitely have to step up.

Baltimore will need all the help they can get to defeat the Patriots. The Baltimore offense will definitely have to keep up with the Pats scoring-wise, but they also have one consistent thing that New England doesn't: a consistent runner in Ray Rice. Joe Flacco can be off and on, but Rice can be incredibly consistent. Rice can certainly keep the Patriots' offense on the sidelines, but Flacco will definitely have to stretch the field every so often. He could do that against the Pats. Of course, Baltimore's defense will be the real story. Ray Lewis is as great as ever, Ed Reed is superhuman, and Haloti Ngata is a man-beast. And that's not even half of it. The Ravens defense is what will keep them in this game. If the stars can shine and the defense can penetrate, the pressure will eventually get to Brady. Brady has never looked comfortable under duress, which was especially evident four years ago in Super Bowl XLII. The Ravens are also masters at gang-tackling, which is essential to any team making a title run.

Defense wins championships, and the Ravens are certainly winners in that category. But the Patriots are an offensive juggernaut. If they stick to the same gameplan that they used against the Broncos, they will outscore the Ravens before Baltimore even has time to catch their breath. Unless the Ravens can get pressure on Brady and force turnovers, I don't know if I can trust Joe Flacco and company to win this game. It's possible, but things must go the Ravens' way. In Foxborough. With the forecast calling for a possibility of freezing rain, this one may turn out to be wet n' wild.

NEW ENGLAND 37, BALTIMORE 30

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: AFC East

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each AFC East team, in no particular order, starting with the defending division champion New England Patriots:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The Patriots continue to stay competitive as long as Bill Belichick is their coach and Tom Brady is their quarterback. Of course, New England is also fortunate to have returning o-linemen like Dan Koppen and Logan Mankins, as well as newcomers such as Nate Solder. The Patriots receiver core also introduces Chad Ochocinco, who hopes to make an immediate impact to a shifting receiver core. On defense, the Patriots' D-line looks to be especially powerful, with the likes of Shaun Ellis, Albert Haynesworth, and Vince Wilfork. Overall, New England should continue to "do what they do", although the division crown may not be as easy to attain this year.

NEW YORK JETS
Arguably New England's biggest rival (even bigger than the Colts), the Jets once again have Super Bowl aspirations. Rex Ryan will try to lead his motley crew towards the promised land, which, after a failed bid for Nnamdi Asomugha, may be even more inspired to drive for success. Mark Sanchez will have a new toy this year in Plaxico Burress. Although Burress has been away from the game for a while, his sheer size should allow him to continue to dominate shorter corners. On defense, the impeccable duo of Cromartie and Revis should continue to puzzle opposing quarterbacks.

MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Dolphins had a QB controversy brewing over the offseason, with many Miami fans wanting another option over current incumbent Chad Henne. Henne has struggled to remain consistent during his tenure in Miami, and the loss of his top two backfield buddies puts even more stress on his shoulders. Fortunately, the team reached out to grab Reggie Bush, the former Saint who has a knack for flashy play in open space but limited ability to run between the tackles. Overall, this Miami team has the weapons necessary to succeed, but that success rides solely on the performance of Henne.

BUFFALO BILLS
It's been a long time since the dominant early 90s Bills teams. However, the Bills now seem to be on their way back to a respectable record. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a better quarterback than people take credit for, and Fred Jackson provides stable support in the backfield (and considering Buffalo's shoddy o-line, that's quite a statement). A revamped defense includes Shawne Merriman, Nick Barnett, and first round pick Marcell Dareus. Hopefully, this defense can make the sting of utter disappointments (namely Aaron Maybin) disappear from memory. Of course, as with all mediocre teams, the Bills' greatest strength is still special teams, with kicker Rian Lindell and punter Brian Moorman.


AFC EAST TITLE: New York Jets

• The Jets have a fairly straight-forward schedule, and many pieces from last year's team are back in place. Perhaps this will be the year that Rex Ryan's team truly lives up to his bold predictions.

WILD CARD TEAMS: Miami Dolphins

• I believe that the Dolphins can finally make it over the hump this year. This may be the year that the Bills or the Dolphins can finally be included in the division race. The Bills, however, may not have as many pieces in place just yet. And New England? Well, it may be a shock that they completely miss the playoffs, but I think the Patriots will lack consistency this season. If teams can figure them out early, they may be on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since Cassel led them to an 11-5 record in 2008.

The Franchise: Tom Brady

When Tom Brady's name was called eleven years ago in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, nobody remotely familiar with the game of football could have predicted the type of success the former-Michigan Wolverine would have in the NFL. Since taking over for an injured Drew Bledsoe in the early stages of the 2001 season, Brady has been nothing short of spectacular, winning Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, two Super Bowl MVP awards, and two regular season MVP awards. He also led the Pats to a 18-1 record for the 2007 season, though they fell to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. One of the most remarkable things about Brady's immense success is that until the arrivals of Randy Moss and Wes Welker in 2007, the QB dominated the rest of the league with the likes of Troy Brown, Deion Brach, and Reche Caldwell. At 33 years of age, Brady is fresh off his second MVP and perhaps the finest season of his career stats wise (36 TDs, 4 INTs) and remains in the elite upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks. Though the Patriots chose to draft Arkansas QB, Ryan Mallett in the third round of this year's draft, there isn't an ounce of doubt as to who will be under center for the Patriots for years to come. For the New England Patriots, Tom Brady is the franchise.