Super Bowl Predictions 2012: 5 Storylines Sure to Oversaturate Our Brains

The biggest sporting event of the year is always greeted with the sort of hype that makes you want to flip the channel to the Food Network by the second week of Super Bowl hype.

You know the drill at this point. ESPN is going to have nonstop coverage and finding every imaginable compelling storyline is essential.

Here are the top five storylines poised to be repeated over, and over, and over….

5. Chad Ochocinco

So he finally made it to the big game, just one year after leaving the Bengals.

While Ocho has adopted the “Patriots Way” for the most part, it’s the Super Bowl and one can only imagine the antics he’s going to pull. While Ochocinco may have only caught one TD pass during the regular season, and was inactive for Sunday’s AFC Championship due to his father’s death, the coverage around No. 85 is going to be massive.

Who knows exactly what he’ll do, but I assume Twitter will be involved somehow.  

4. Is Bill Belichick the Greatest Coach Ever?

With the lack of strong personnel on defense (something that’s his fault BTW), Belichick was able hide the weak spots, and turn around the unit into a competent one just in time for the playoffs.

The talking heads will be wondering if this is his best job as a head coach, considering he started receiver Julian Edelman in the secondary in the AFC Championship game.

With the opportunity to win his fourth Super Bowl, the debate is worth having.

3. Tom Brady’s Legacy

Similar to Belichick, Brady can jump up a few pegs on the all-time list of quarterbacks with a win. He is one of four quarterbacks with three Super Bowls, and another win ties him with Terry Bradshaw, and childhood hero Joe Montana for the most all-time.

If he wins, the Montana comparisons will officially begin.

Then again, a loss would put his Super Bowl record at 3-2, and you could make the argument that he peaked six or seven years ago.

2. Can Eli Manning Pass His Brother Peyton?

What a tough year for Peyton. He couldn’t play a down, watched his team win two games and watched his brother go to a Super Bowl that will be played in his home stadium.

Peyton statistically has a stranglehold over his younger bro of five years, but Eli can double up on Super Bowl wins by beating the Patriots. After getting stuck in his brother's shadow for his entire career, the spotlight is finally shining directly on Eli.

How many times will Eli be asked if he believes he’s better than Peyton? Over/under 53?

1. Reliving The 2008 Super Bowl

The Pats were one quarter away from a perfect season. They steamrolled everybody during the 2007 regular season, including the Giants, in what looked to be one of the most dominant teams ever.

Yet a David Tyree "helmet catch" later, and the dream was over and the nightmare had set in. It was a miraculous play that will go down in history as one of the most famous plays in Super Bowl history. The Giants shocked the world, and the Pats are still bitter about it.

Now the Pats have their chance to release the demons of that fateful night, while the G-Men can be considered the ultimate Patriots killers with another win.

Over/under on the amount of times the "helmet catch" will be shown on ESPN? 3,340