Super Bowl 2012: A Quick Look at the Important Super Bowl XLII Holdovers

On February 5th, when the Super Bowl kicks off, it will look eerily similar to the epic Super Bowl XLII matchup. 

The game's being played in a dome, the New England Patriots are wearing their blue jerseys, the New York Giants will be donning their white uniforms and we'll see many familiar faces. 

A total of over 20 current Pats and G-Men played in that game in 2008.

Let's look at the most important holdovers and examine where they stand four years later.

New York Giants 

Kevin Boothe, G

Boothe is probably the most versatile offensive lineman on the Giants' roster. He's held down the left guard position and excelled during the 2011 season. 

At 6'5'' and a 320 pounds, he's powerful yet extremely agile and does a marvelous job pulling and helping on premier edge rushers. 

With Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love in the middle and Mark Anderson on the outside, Boothe will play a critical role in this Super Bowl. 

He was a backup on that championship winning team in 2008. 

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB 

Bradshaw was making his name known in the 2007 season as a rookie, change-of-pace running back. He led the team in rushing during their Super Bowl victory, as he ran the ball nine times for 45 yards.

This season, Bradshaw has been the most important aspect of the Giants' offensive balance.

When he was injured, New York plummeted to the league's worst rushing offense. When he returned late in the year, he provided a much needed jolt to the ground game and not surprisingly, Eli Manning has had a phenomenal run since. 

David Diehl, LT

Diehl was a vital yet somewhat underrated left tackle back in that 2008 game, and now, at 31-years-old, he's a franchise blindside protector that consistently does a fantastic job limiting the opposing team's best pass-rusher. 

With the Pats Mark Anderson having a resurgent year in 2011, so Diehl will have his hands full. 

Brandon Jacobs, RB

Jacobs isn't as menacing as he was in that 2007 season—when he totaled more than 1,000 rushing yards—but that doesn't mean he's any easier to bring to the turf once he gets going. 

He and Bradshaw feed off each other due to the fact that they bring such contrasting size and skill sets to the field. 

While not an integral part of what the Giants will look to do on February 5th, he will get his carries. 

Eli Manning, QB 

Where does one start when talking about Eli Manning. Yes, he's elite. Yes, he's clutch. He's a little bit unorthodox and the occasional fluttering spiral into double coverage makes you wonder what he's thinking.

But he's one of the gutsiest players—not just quarterbacks—in the NFL and comes through when New York needs him most. 

In his last four games, all essentially lose-or-go-home contests for the Giants, Manning has 11 touchdowns and one interception. 

He should continue to flourish against a Patriots defense that's improving yet is far from intimidating. 

Kareem McKenzie, RT

McKenzie was the starting right tackle in the Super Bowl XLII win and he's been a mainstay on the right side of the line since that triumph. 

After dealing with a knee injury late in the year, McKenzie has returned to lock down the right side of the line and has given Manning plenty of time to throw the football. 

Yes, he struggled against the 49ers last week; but he show me an offensive line that hasn't had a bad game against that terrorizing defensive front. 

He'll have a much easier task in Super Bowl XLVI. 

Justin Tuck, DL 

Tuck was emerging as the next Michael Strahan in 2008, and has been a staple on the Giants' nationally renowned defensive line ever since. 

Injuries have slowed him considerably this year, but he's still extremely active and must be accounted for on every down, especially in passing situations. 

He'll line up in a variety of different spots, confusing opposing offensive lineman. 

Osi Umenyiora, DE

Umenyiora was also hindered by injuries this season, another reason why this Giants' Super Bowl run is so remarkable. 

He's still a speedy edge rusher that can use his elite burst and dipping of the hips to get around left tackles. 

Jason Pierre-Paul has become the best all-around pass-rusher on the team, but Umenyiora is capable of having a huge game every time out. 

He'll be instrumental in two weeks. 

Corey Webster, CB

Webster's defensive backfield-mate Aaron Ross was also on the 2008 team, but Webster's become the team's best playmaking corner. 

The Patriots don't feature their wide receivers often so Webster's role may be diminished by default. 

He will be needed in the secondary that will be responsible with stopping  Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez from making plays. 

New England Patriots 

Tom Brady, QB

Brady is coming off one of his worst performances of the year against the Baltimore Ravens. He didn't throw a touchdown pass, was intercepted twice and missed a few open receivers with inaccurate tosses.

Not the typically day for Mr. Brady. 

However, he's still thrown 25 touchdowns to only five picks during the Pats' 10-game winning streak and can shred any defense when he's provided time in the pocket by his offensive line. 

Gronkowski's ankle injury is crucial for New England's offense to run as efficiently as it did during the regular-season. 

Stephen Gostkowski, K

Gostkowski was reliable in 2008, and not much has changed. He has one of the strongest legs in the league and is poised and seemingly comfortable every time he steps on the field.

Matt Light, LT

Light is a true X-factor in this game. He has the unenviable task of dealing with Pierre-Paul on the outside and will likely see Umenyiora on a few occasions as well. He's one of the game's most consistent tackles and must keep Brady upright. 

If nothing else, he has to push defenders to the outside, because pressure to the inside won't allow Brady to step into the pocket to fire the football. 

Logan Mankins, OG

Mankins' job is just as important. The 6'7'' Chris Canty usually mans the interior of the Giants' defensive front and Justin Tuck frequently slides over. 

While Pierre-Paul and Umenyiora are the flashier, more traditional pass-rushers, Canty and Tuck certainly have the ability to ruin plays on any given down. 

Wes Welker, WR

Welker is still the life force of the offensive attack, after Brady. Gronkowski and Hernandez, also known as the "Boston TE Party," have deservedly been grabbing the headlines, but Welker is the chain-mover, who comes up huge on third downs.

He doesn't have the luxury of Randy Moss to keep defensive backs backpedaling anymore.

But the presence of those two tight ends give him a lot of one-on-one matchups that Welker almost always wins.

With New York's pass-rushing ability, expect Welker to be a big target on Super Bowl Sunday.  

Vince Wilfork, NT

While Wilfork's not as dominating as he was in 2008, but he's hardly an afterthought for offensive lines. He continually eats up two blockers and somehow still makes plays in the backfield. 

He's a tremendous athlete—as we saw on a few of his interceptions this season—and still has the strength to make plays against the run when he's being handled by centers or guards. 

An underrated factor against the Giants on February 5th. 

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