Super Bowl 2012: Why Tom Brady, Patriots Offense Simply Can't Be Stopped

Unlike the last time the New York Giants played the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, the Patriots are a versatile team.

In 2008, the Patriots tossed the ball up to Randy Moss and dumped it off to Wes Welker. There was no complexity, no backup options.

Four years later, New England is throwing the ball to two tight ends—Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez—along with Welker.

This new attack is much more difficult to defend. With Moss out wide, the Giants simply pressed the star wideout and left safety help over the top. Once the Giants got physical with Moss, he disappeared.

That left only Welker underneath, and with no one else sharing the ball, the New York keyed in on the shifty Welker. All the Giants had to do was tackle him.

Now, it's not so simple. Rob Gronkowski is a huge mismatch for the Patriots. The 6'6", 265-pounder is too big for a defensive back to guard, and too athletic for a linebacker.

Even if a linebacker could keep up with Gronkowski, the tight end would probably still be too physical. There isn't a better red-zone threat in the game, and the Arizona product simply shields off defenders with his large body.

Then there's Aaron Hernandez. Though he isn't nearly as big as Gronkowski is, Hernandez is just as versatile—he lines up out wide, at tight end, from the slot or even out of the backfield.

The Patriots have even given Hernandez the ball on running plays. The former Florida star runs like a wide receiver, but is much too big for a cornerback to cover. He requires double teams.

Oh, and New England still has this Welker guy. Welker just had one of the best receiving seasons in history, catching 122 passes for 1,569 yards. He's incredibly quick and can get by almost any defensive back.

We can't forget about Tom Brady either.

He's still pretty good.