NFL Playoff Predictions: 5 Reasons the New York Giants Are a Huge Sleeper

You heard it here first folks. The New York Giants will be your 2012 Super Bowl Champions.

In the 2011 NFL playoffs, we witnessed Aaron Rodgers lead the Wild Card Green Bay Packers to four straight wins (three on the road) by averaging over 30 points per game en route to the franchise's fourth Super Bowl title.

And now, in 2012, we will see Eli Manning lead the NFC East Champion New York Giants to four straight wins while he collects his second Super Bowl ring—one more than his older brother Peyton owns.

So why the New York Giants in 2012?  Let's take a look.

5. They Have the Best Wide Receiving Group in the NFL

Led by Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, the New York Giants wide receiving group is second to none in the NFL.  

Cruz, Nicks and third option Mario Manningham combined for 197 receptions, 3,251 yards, and 20 touchdowns during the regular season despite missing five games combined due to injury.

With all three now fully healthy heading into the postseason, it will be pick your poison for the Atlanta Falcons secondary this weekend.

4. One-Two Punch of Bradshaw and Jacobs Is Healthy and Ready to Go

Despite not practicing all week, Ahmad Bradshaw will be ready to go on Sunday—taking a similar approach the last five weeks due to a foot injury.

Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs combined for 1,625 total yards and 19 total touchdowns in just 26 combined games this season.

When you combine Bradshaw's ability to make plays as a receiver out of the backfield with Jacobs' bruising running style between the tackles, the Giants can beat you both through the air and on the ground.

3. They Are Getting Healthy at the Right Time, Especially on Defense

The New York Giants injury report has been one of the longest lists in the NFL since Week 1, but the list is finally beginning to shrink at the perfect time.  

The Giants listed just five players on the injury report this week, and two—defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee) and running back Da'Rell Scott (knee)—were full participants.

The addition of Umenyiora is a huge boost to a defense that has allowed just 14 points in each of its last two games. 

Umenyiora, playing for the first time in two months, racked up two of the Giants' six sacks last weekend against Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys.

With Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul all healthy and ready to go, the Giants pass-rush is back in a big way, totaling 11 sacks in the last two weeks.

Suddenly, the Giants defensive line looks like the cream of the crop in the 2012 postseason.

2. Tight End Jake Ballard Will Be Back

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin remains optimistic that tight end Jake Ballard will be available this weekend versus the Atlanta Falcons.

Ballard (6'6", 275 lbs) racked up 38 catches for 604 yards and four touchdowns this season as an enormous target for Eli Manning down the middle of the field.

Assuming Ballard is able to go on Sunday, expect a lot of one-on-one coverage on the outside—allowing both Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz to do some serious damage.

1. Eli Manning Is the Fourth-Best Quarterback in the NFL and the Most Clutch

After the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees), Eli Manning is next in line to have his face carved into the side of the mountain.

Manning finished the season ranked seventh in QB Rating (92.9), fourth in passing yards (4,933) and seventh in touchdown passes (29).

Averaging more than 300 yards passing per game to go along with a career-high 8.4 yards per attempt, the 2011-12 season was the best of Manning's eight-year career.

As one of five Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks playing in this postseason, Manning led the entire NFL with five comebacks and six game-winning drives.

Manning's ability to come through in the clutch (see Super Bowl XLII) and perform under pressure is the No. 1 reason why the New York Giants will win the Super Bowl in 2012.