New England Patriots Tickets

About The New England Patriots

Bill Belichick has ended any notion of relying on the triumvirate of running backs and has fully embraced the pliable tight end position. Rob Gronkowksi is as much a threat to spread the field as catch the drive sustaining third and short pass in the midst of a gang of linebackers. Aaron Hernandez can run and is employed as blocker/runner. He is a revolutionary H-back of sorts.

Before the Patriots can truly claim their return to the top of the NFL hierarchy, they need to dispatch with the New York Giants. These two teams are similar in their reliance on the pass and their lack of a proficient running game. New England and New York utilize the pass in different manners though. Tom Brady spreads the field with Gronkowski and wide receiver Wes Welker. Eli Manning does so by going to the outside where Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks reside, terrorizing cornerbacks.

Defensively, the Patriots and the Giants both have relied on the defensive line to awaken in time for the postseason. The Patriots enjoyed the resurgence of Vincent Wilfork at nose tackle to stop the run, an imperative in the games with the Broncos and Ravens. The Giants have enjoyed good health, allowing defensive ends Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Osi Umenyiora to punish opposing quarterbacks. The Pats are going to need Mark Anderson, Shaun Ellis, and which ever linebacker is rushing the Manning to consistently punish him. The 49ers proved it was possible and that collapsing the pocket is the only sure way to stop the Giants rollicking offense.

Super Bowl XLVI will soon be upon us and decide the winner of the 2012 postseason. The Patriots and Giants are well-matched, so this should be a very entertaining and competitive game, perhaps up to the bar set by these two teams set four winters ago.