Giants vs. Patriots: Key Matchups That Will Dictate Super Bowl 2012 Outcome

The 2012 Super Bowl is going to be decided by which team is the most dominant in three key areas.

This is going to be a close and tightly contested game as these are two evenly matched teams. They are both going to be well prepared and ready. Both have an excellent coaching staff, have already faced each other once this year and have two weeks to prepare for this game. 

The team that gets the edge in the following areas will prevail.  

The Pass Rush

Pass rush is going to be huge for both teams. It is the key to their pass defense, and both offenses love to move the ball through the air. 

The Patriots have a vastly superior offensive line. In their two playoff games, Tom Brady has been sacked once and hit only five times. 

Eli Manning is jealous. He has been battered this playoff run to the tune of eight sacks and 24 hits.

The Patriots have a clear edge here as both of these teams have a solid pass rush. New England is averaging four sacks a game in the playoffs to New York's three. 

That said, New York has the better individual pass rushers. Players like Mathias Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul are among the fiercest pass-rushing linemen in the game. They have the ability to tilt this matchup in the Giants' favor. 

Gronkowski vs. Giants Pass Coverage

Gronkowski is essential to the Patriots' passing attack. He has been all season, and he is even more so in the playoffs. 

In the postseason, Gronk leads the Pats in catches, has over twice as many receiving yards and three times more TD grabs than any player. 

He is also injured. Until Tuesday, Gronkowski had been in a walking boot to help his ailing ankle heal. He has ditched the boot, but it is not likely that he is going to be 100 percent for the game. 

This is going to make it easier for the Giants to cover him, which is going to be a team effort. 

New York is going to have to do a better job of slowing down Gronk than they did against 49er TE Vernon Davis in the NFC Championship game. 

Davis had just three catches, but two of those were TDs, one of them going from 73 yards out. 

Brady vs. Manning

Brady vs. Manning is an iconic matchup. It is usually just a different Manning. Whatever the case, even though these two won't be directly facing each other, this is going to be a great matchup to watch, and a pivotal one in the game. 

These are the two straws that stir their team's drink. Both are capable of taking over games.

This game is destined to be close, and that means whichever QB can make the most plays in the fourth quarter is the QB that is going to be victorious.