The Duke Debates: The Super Bowl

In Super Bowl XLII, the New York Giants and New England Patriots gave football fans one of the most thrilling  contests in NFL history, with a incomprehensible 17-14 Giants victory.Four years later, the two storied franchises will produce another great game, and just like they did in Glendale, the G-men will come out on top in Super Bowl XLVI.

When looking at the two squads, it's difficult to find an overwhelming edge in any category for either team. Both teams are heavily reliant on their high-ranked passing offenses with star quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady playing at the top of their games. But both teams are anemic when it comes to rushing offense, with New England only producing 110.3 rushing yards per game to New York's 89.2, and in overall defense, with the Pats allowing 411 yards per game to the Giants' 376. 

But while looking at the statistics, one question came to mind: How is the New England defense going to survive against Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham?

Those three will produce a matchup nightmare opposite the league's lowest-rated pass defense consisting of defensive backs Devin McCourty, James Ihedigbo, Patrick Chung and Kyle Arrington. And while it is true this core has played much better in the playoffs than it did in the regular season, it has done so against the NFL's 31st and 19th ranked pass offenses in Denver and Baltimore respectively, which posed nowhere near the threat Manning and his three speed demons do.

Meanwhile, New York's defense held Aaron Rodgers, who some believe to be the league's best quarterback, to just 264 yards on 46 attempts and only gave up two points to the Falcons, while allowing Matt Ryan to throw for only 199 yards on 41 attempts.

The Giants' D still has Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, Prince Amukamara, Corey Webster and Antrel Rolle. They won't be able to completely neutralize Brady but will be able to limit his production.

One aspect of this game that is pivotal to its outcome is the health of New England tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski is responsible for 44 percent of Brady's 39 passing touchdowns and is his main target in the red zone. With an absent or gimpy Gronkowski, the Patriots may be dead men walking, because no other receiver beside Wes Welker was effective against the Giants in their regular season matchup.

In Week 6, Welker and Gronkowski accounted for 237 of Brady's 342 yards in a 24-20 Giants victory at Gillette Stadium. If Brady doesn't have Gronkowski at 100 percent, he will struggle to produce anything more than the simple slant route to Welker the Patriots love to run, which, if the Giants press the 5-9 receiver at the line, could be neutralized.

On the other hand, the Giants are becoming healthy at the right time, with Tuck, Umenyiora and Amukamara all back from early season injuries, and they have virtually been playing playoff football for the last five weeks. In those five games, Manning's play has gone to an all-time level, averaging 299 yards per game, with 12 touchdowns to just two interceptions, and there seems to be no reason for him to slow down now.  

The game will go back-and-forth for a while, as it did four years ago, but ultimately, the Giants receivers will prove to be too fast for the outmatched New England defensive backs, giving the Giants their fourth Lombardi Trophy with a 28-24 victory.