Super Bowl 2012 Predictions: Position Comparison Reveals a Giants Victory

The New York Giants are going to win the 2012 Super Bowl because they are a more complete team than the New England Patriots. It's pretty simple, really; football is a team game, and the Giants have a better team. 

Take a look at the position by position breakdown to see this fact illustrated in all its glory. 

QB

This is a lot closer race than the last time these two played in the Super Bowl. That is due to Eli Manning playing the best football of his career and being a historically clutch player.

This is close to being a push, but in the end you have to give Brady a slight edge due to his Super Bowl experience.  

Edge: Patriots

RB

Neither of these teams are going to win because they pounded the ball on the ground. They run just enough to keep the opposition honest.

The Giants have a solid one-two punch in the backfield with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. The Patriots' running back by committee is less than inspiring. 

Edge: Giants

WR

The Giants receivers are playing out of their mind. They are talented and dangerous, and the sum of their parts is far greater than the sum of Wes Welker, which is what the Patriots offer. 

Edge: Giants

TE

This isn't close. The Patriots win easy, even if Rob Gronkowski is slowed by injury. 

Edge: Patriots

OL

The Patriots' offensive line is doing a great a job of protecting Brady. New York's O-Line is not giving Eli the same luxury. Eli has been sacked eight times, and hit many more. Plus the Giants' big men aren't much better at blocking for the run. 

Edge: Patriots

DL

The Giants' athletic defensive line can apply pressure on the QB and close running lanes. New England can't match that. 

Edge: Giants

LB

This is a lackluster positional matchup. The Patriots have better pass rushers here, but that's a result of playing a 3-4. The edge in run support leans towards the Giants. This one is a push.

Edge: Push

Secondary

I don't know that there is a team in the league the Patriots could play to win this matchup. 

Edge: Giants

Special Teams

The kickers and punters are almost mirror images of each other, and neither return game has been a big part of their success. 

Edge: Push

Overall Edge: Giants 4-3 

The Giants have a narrow edge in numbers, and a bigger one in reality. Consider that Eli Manning has closed the gap on Brady to limit the Patriots' edge there, and this looks to be even a bigger advantage for the Giants. 

Football games are won and lost in the trenches, and in this matchup we have a wash. New York's superior defensive line will be going up against New England's superior offensive line. 

That means the difference on defense is going to fall on the players that don't have their hands in the dirt, and that edge goes to the Giants. Even the most ardent Patriots supporter isn't going to argue that that New York has the better secondary. 

That is a big edge for the Giants, and the nail in the coffin for the Giants' positional superiority over the Patriots.