And The Winner Is?

Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, IN.

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady.

New York Giants QB Eli Manning.

Super Bowl XLVI is one day away, and the two weeks of ESPN shows and analysts trying to analyze every single facet of the game will go out the window tomorrow. The New York Giants and the New England Patriots will lay it on the line to be crowned world champions. This isn't the first time they've battled for the Lombardi trophy either. Super Bowl XLII saw the Giants stun the undefeated Patriots, so Patriots' fans are certainly looking at this game for revenge.

In the past several Super Bowls, we have seen good quarterback matchups, and this one will not be any different. Eli Manning declared before the season started that he was elite and deserved to be right up there with Tom Brady. If Manning hasn't proved himself to the doubters yet, then you're probably convinced he'll never be good. Brady has already proven his Hall of Fame worthiness, winning his first ten playoff games and three championships in his first four seasons as a starter.

As for this game, there are several intriguing matchups to watch out for. These matchup problems for both teams could prove to be the difference, as I'm very sure Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin have pointed them out and made their respective teams aware of it.

For the Giants defense, just as it was in Super Bowl XLII, getting pressure on Brady is critical. While the Patriots may not have as many offensive weapons as they did four years ago, giving Brady time in the pocket to find open receivers will hurt the Giants a great deal. While the Giants' defense have looked better lately, they have been porous throughout the season, and Manning has saved them numerous times throughout the season.

The Giants as a team were outscored during the regular season, and if it wasn't for the pass rush of the front four, it could've been a whole lot worse. The loss of Terrell Thomas in the preseason pressed Aaron Ross into starter's duties, and he hasn't looked good for most of the season. Antrel Rolle has been running his mouth most of the season, but hasn't necessarily backed it up. The one bright spot in the secondary has been Corey Webster, who has proven to be better than a decent corner.

Manning's 4,933 passing yards and 15 4th quarter touchdowns have saved the Giants season. Manning has led the Giants from behind in six of the nine wins this season, making him a longshot MVP candidate. Second-year receiver Victor Cruz has also been a bright spot working the slot position, racking up over 1,500 receiving yards en route to a Pro Bowl caliber season. Hakeem Nicks also had over 1,000 receiving yards, and Mario Manningham has been a great receiver as well when healthy.

For the Patriots defense, limiting the Giants offense is key as well. Even though Manning did throw the game-winning touchdown to Jake Ballard earlier this season against them, the Patriots' defense did a solid job against them. It's going to take one of those efforts again. Andre Carter led the Patriots with 10 sacks, but was lost for the season when he tore his quad tendon against the Denver Broncos in December. That means guys like Shaun Ellis and other defensive ends will have to provide the pass rush, which doesn't seem too likely.

Kyle Arrington has been a solid corner for the Patriots the past two seasons. However, outside of Arrington, there hasn't been much stellar play from that secondary. Patrick Chung is a duplicate of Antrel Rolle -- a guy who talks a lot but doesn't produce much. The only difference with Chung is that he talks on the field, but his contributions have been very overrated. If Julian Edelman is playing the slot as well, he's going to need a ton of help from others, or it could turn into a field day for Cruz.

The Patriots' offense, despite not having many weapons, are still explosive because of Brady alone. Wes Welker will be exploiting the Giants' linebackers and secondary working the slot. A big deal has been made about Rob Gronkowski's injury. However, Aaron Hernandez is a better receiving tight end, and is way more than capable of picking up the slack. Gronkowski is a better blocking tight end, and the Patriots will be sure to chip the defensive ends on every pass play to slow down the pass rush.

This game looks like it will certainly come down to the wire like it did four years ago. The Giants have the better team, but the Patriots have Brady, who's better than everyone on the football field. He is enough for the Patriots to win the game. Now is the time for the Giants' secondary to play its best game of the season. The Patriots offense had more than enough time to prepare for that fearsome pass rush.

However, unlike four years ago, Manning is the biggest threat on the Giants and the Giants' offense is key in them winning the game. The running game will need to exist to provide a balance. The receivers do drop passes at the worst times, so they'll need to be on their A game throughout. The Giants do have the better team across the board, so that'll be enough for them to come away Super Bowl champions.

New York Giants 27, New England 21