Super Bowl Predictions 2012: Epic Rematch Will Be Another Defensive Struggle

Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots is guaranteed to turn into a defensive struggle. 

Despite Tom Brady's six touchdown performance in the divisional playoff round against the Denver Broncos and Eli Manning's clutch third-down conversions throughout the Giants' playoff run, both teams have no doubt relied on their surprising defenses.

Heading into the postseason the Patriots' and Giants' defenses ranked 15th and 25th respectively in points allowed, each team giving up more than 21 points per week on average. The postseason has brought about change on that side of the ball however, mighty change.

The Giants are allowing just 13 points per game through three postseason matchups, while the Patriots are letting up exactly 15 points per game after two playoff battles. New York's postseason scoring defense would have ranked first in the league during the regular season, while New England's would have been not far behind, ranking third.

However, the Giants' incredible leap in scoring defense cannot be glossed over. During the regular season opponents were scoring an average of 25 points per game on New York, including the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers, who dropped 49 and 38 on the Giants within the season's last six weeks. 

New York allowed just 20 points to that same Green Bay offense on the road in the divisional round—what a turn around. Although the defense deserves most of the credit for this dramatic shift from worst to first, the play of the offense over the last five weeks has been huge in limiting Giants playoff opponents to less than 65 plays per game.

The San Francisco 49ers only possessed the ball for 57 plays at home in the NFC Championship Game, despite rushing for 150 yards. New York's defense also held the Niners to just one third-down conversion all game long.

Nothing changes for the Patriots either. Defense will be the name of the game come Super Bowl kickoff. Although New England's defense has not been the turnover machine it would like to be—only forcing two turnovers total the entire postseason—their defense by yardage, specifically their pass defense, has witnessed a complete transformation. 

At one point this season the Patriots' secondary was decimated with injuries and ranking towards the bottom of the league, but in two playoff games that same secondary—albeit a mostly healthy one—is allowing just 195 pass yards per game, which would have been good enough for fourth in the NFL during the regular season.

The play of the Patriots' defensive line has been critical to this recent success. The push of nose tackle Vince Wilfork up front has pressured Tim Tebow and Joe Flacco into mistakes and ultimately led to less than stellar outings from both quarterbacks.

The Giants' front four will take center stage in Indianapolis that's for sure, but the recognition should not stop there. Both of these defenses, more than anything else, are responsible for their teams being just one win away from a world championship.

The numbers don't lie. Two of the league's best defenses will be suiting up in Super Bowl XLVI, turning this epic rematch into a defensive struggle. Just like old times.