Super Bowl 2012: Why You Must Not Forget About Giants Tight End Jake Ballard

Never have a pair of tight ends carried so much pre-Super Bowl hype than the New England Patriots tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Chances are, you've heard all about them since their AFC title game triumph.

You've probably heard about Gronkowski's ankle, right? 

How about the New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard? 

You know the guy that caught the game-winning touchdown in Foxboro the last time the Patriots were defeated?

Yeah, him.  

He's not getting much attention during Super Bowl week, and it's easy to see why he's been somewhat overshadowed. 

Ballard caught only 38 passes for 604 yards during the regular season and hasn't been a major factor in the Giants' playoff run. 

However, he cannot be forgotten heading into Super Bowl Sunday. 

Firstly, at 6'6'' and 275 pounds, this Ohio State product is listed as a bigger target than Gronkowski, if you can believe that. He reeled in four passes for 67 and the aforementioned touchdown in the win over the Pats in Week 9. His 28-yard catch in traffic on 3rd-and-10 was instrumental in New York's final, game-sealing drive.

He's battled through a late-season injury and Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said the following about Ballard's impact in Super Bowl XLVI (via New York Post):

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“Huge. Jake’s feeling better. He’s been a big part of what we do. He received an injury, fought his way through the injury. He is maneuvering better, playing better. That being that case, Eli has a lot of confidence in Jake.”

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When asked about his recovering from his partially torn PCL, Ballard was quoted saying: 

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“It is still a little tweaked, it feels a lot better than it has in a long time. I am running well and I am running a lot better than I have in the last three or four games.”

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Ballard will be a vital aspect of the Giants offense on Sunday, make no mistake about it. The Patriots' secondary already has its hands fun with Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. The game plan will likely be focused on stopping those three extremely capable, playmaking wideouts. 

If he can run like he did during the season, Ballard could wreak havoc down the middle of the field and in the red zone. 

Yes, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez will play major roles, but don't forget about Jake Ballard, the Giants' mammoth tight end.

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