Super Bowl 2012: 6 Players Who Likely Won't Play a Single Snap in Big Game

The Super Bowl will see stars shine, heroes come of age and goats galore.

That’s the nature of the beast.

But there are also players who aren’t going to get off the bench, for one reason or another.

Here’s six players you can count on not seeing come Super Bowl Sunday.

6. Brian Hoyer, QB, Patriots

When it comes time to practice, Brian Hoyer, the backup to Tom Brady, occasionally gets a fair amount of work.

The Wednesday before the AFC Championship Game, it was Hoyer who took the Patriots though their paces. The coaching staff liked the way he went through his work, and said so.

But if he doesn’t get into a play in the Super Bowl, the coaches, not to mention the Patriot fans, will be mightily pleased.

5. David Carr, QB Giants

As backup quarterbacks go, David Carr isn’t a bad one at all.

But if Carr has to play at all, it’s going to be tough for the Giants to pull out a win, because starter Eli Manning is the heart and soul of this team.

Carr, a one-time starter in Houston and Carolina, hasn’t started a game since coming to the Giants as a backup five years ago. More than that, he’s only played in one game the last two seasons.

Don’t look for that to change in the Super Bowl.

4. Chad Ochocinco, WR, Patriots

It made sense that Chad Ochocinco didn’t play in the AFC Championship Game.

His father had just died, he was away from the team, and by the time he returned there wasn’t a way to fit him in.

But the fact is that in the previous playoff game, the wide receiver was on the field for just one snap.

With a tight end-heavy offense and quality receivers ahead of him, Ochocinco will have a good view of this one from the bench.

3. Bear Pascoe, TE, Giants

Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning likes to throw to his tight end, in this case Jake Ballard.

Bear Pascoe, blessed with a great name for football, doesn’t have great playing time.

And he’s not likely to get it in this game, not with Ballard and Travis Beckum ahead of him on the depth chart.

2. Stevan Ridley, RB, Patriots

The Patriots like running back Stevan Ridley’s future, but they are less than thrilled with his past, his recent past, that is.

He’s fumbled twice in his last two games, and that landed him on the inactive roster last week. He might make it back to active status this week, but as for him carrying the ball, it’s best not to count on it.

The Patriots seem to have more faith in BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead and Kevin Faulk when it comes to carrying the ball.

1. D.J. Ware, RB, Giants

A fifth-year running back out of Georgia, D.J. Ware is getting increasingly little use in the postseason.

After having 46 carries for 163 yards during the regular season, Ware has just three carries and four yards in the postseason.

Last week against San Francisco, he didn’t carry the ball once.

Look for that trend to continue in the Super Bowl.