Super Bowl 2012: 3 Reasons to Look Forward to Giants vs. Patriots Rematch

In the moments after Lawrence Tynes' 31-yard field goal split the uprights in overtime to send the New York Giants past the San Francisco 49ers, a wave of anti-Super Bowl social media posts hit the Internet. 

It seemed, at least for a second, that America wasn't all that thrilled about a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and New York Giants. 

While adding the Baltimore Ravens, who haven't been to a Super Bowl since 2001, or the San Francisco 49ers, who haven't been or won since 1995, certainly would have added some fresh faces to the America's biggest party, it doesn't mean the old digs of Tom Brady and Eli Manning can't provide us another fantastic Super Bowl. 

In fact, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for this Super Bowl. 

Let's run a few of them down:

1. Rematches add intrigue

A rematch of the Giants 24-20 win over the Patriots earlier this season would be intriguing enough, let alone adding the fact that New York gave New England its second Super Bowl loss of the Brady era in 2008 when Manning led the Giants on a game-winning drive that included David Tyree's circus catch.

That drive lives on in Super Bowl lore, partly because it ended the Patriots' chance at football immortality.

Now, the Patriots have their shot to even the score.

And let's be honest: If these two teams give us a game that's even close to the one they provided in 2008, no one will be complaining on the Monday after the Super Bowl.   

2. Eli Manning is in Peyton's town

A storyline that could get overlooked—who am I kidding, NOTHING gets overlooked during Super Bowl week—is how Eli now has the chance to win his second Super Bowl ring in the football town and stadium that is home to the right arm of his brother, Peyton.

We've been hearing the argument about whether Eli is cutting into the once sizable lead that Peyton held in the brother's individual legacies. Since the younger Manning mastered Lambeau Field for a second time, the talk has been in the mainstream consciousness.

If he wins in Indianapolis to push his Super Bowl win total to two (Peyton has just one), maybe that talk will hold water.  

3. Talkers vs. Silent Treatment

Once again, an interesting dynamic is going to play out over the next two weeks. One of the NFL's most talkative teams, the Giants, will direct their volume in the way of New England, who undoubtedly are one of the league's most secretive and quiet teams.

The Giants have been a smooth-talking bunch since their current five-game winning streak began a month ago. Just like in 2008, when Plaxico Burress predicted the Giants to win a low-scoring game, expect one or more Giants to give us some kind of win guarantee.

And expect the Patriots, who laughed off Burress's comments four years ago, to do something of the same again during the the next two weeks that are filled with Super Bowl fodder.