Super Bowl Predictions 2012: Danny Woodhead and Patriots X-Factors Who'll Shine

Tom Brady isn't going to have two shaky games in a row, which means he'll show up in Indianapolis ready to dominate. He's going to need some help claiming the Lombardi Trophy, though, which puts pressure on his supporting cast to come up big.

Here are three unheralded New England Patriots who will outperform expectations in Super Bowl XLVI.

Danny Woodhead

Woodhead almost had a costly fumble against the Baltimore Ravens, which will surely put him in the doghouse for a couple days. That said, he's too important on both offense and special teams to get benched like rookie Stevan Ridley.

The New York Giants are going to send a bunch of pressure at Brady in hopes of rattling him. That means screen passes will be the weapon of choice for the Patriots, and there isn't anybody on the roster who will excel in those situations more than Woodhead.

Field position is going to be another key to success. So Woodhead will be leaned on heavily to make sure the Patriots don't lose that battle. He'll be looking to make up for a poor game, which should be more than enough motivation to have a big night.

James Ihedigbo

After coming over from the rival New York Jets, Ihedigbo didn't make much of an impact during the regular season. He had just 69 tackles and made very little playmaking impact. His improvement during the playoffs has been vital to New England's success.

He made eight tackles and had a sack in Sunday's victory. He seems to be given more responsibility and has taken full advantage of it. The hot streak will need to continue against a Giants offense that has been on a tear over the past month.

Ihedigbo isn't a household name, but he very well could be at least for one night. Look for him to be used in a myriad of different ways in the big game, making at least one monster play in the process.

Stephen Gostkowski

Kickers are basically treated as outsiders by the media during the regular season. But when it comes to the playoffs, they can often turn out to be one of the most important players on the entire roster. Just ask Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff.

Gostkowski is one of the NFL's truly elite talents at the position and gives New England an advantage over the Giants (Lawrence Tynes). In a game that's expected to come down to the wire, one made or missed kick could be the difference between getting revenge or getting upset once again.

Adam Vinatieri became a folk hero for his countless big kicks for the Patriots, and Gostkowski has a good chance to start building his own legend next weekend.