Super Bowl Predictions 2012: Rejuvenated Rush Attack Will Propel Giants to Win

You can talk about Tom Brady and Eli Manning until you're blue in the face, the real X-Factor of Super Bowl XLVI is the New York Giants running game.

Despite finishing the regular season ranked dead last in yards per game (89.2), the team enters the Super Bowl with a lot of faith in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.

Why?

The team rushed for 111 yards in their first matchup, out-rushing New England. But that was a long time ago.

Look no further than the playoffs to understand that the most improved unit of the last three weeks has been the New York rushing attack. They registered an average of 113 yards in three postseason games and finally Bradshaw is getting healthy.  

Contrary to what most expected, Bradshaw participated in practice on Wednesday and experienced no setbacks with his broken foot. It’s as healthy as he’s going to get before surgery in the offseason and that means the G-Men are going to have a rather balanced attack on offense.

Eli Manning has dropped back to pass 122 times in three playoff games, and that needs to change. Drastically switching up the game plan and moving the chains on the ground will not only allow the Giants to control the clock, but it will force an incredibly thin defense to stay on the field and become fatigued faster than normal.

Most importantly, it keeps Tom Brady off the field.

The Pats pass defense has improved tremendously in the playoffs, but the run defense is lagging behind. They allowed 144 yards to the Broncos and 116 yards to the Ravens. Vince Wilfork is good, but he’s only one man.

The Patriots defense is prepared for Manning to throw the ball roughly 40 times, that’s what he’s done all year long. Coming out and establishing the run early will force the Patriots coaching staff to rip up the game plan and start over. As long as the Bradshaw-Jacobs combination continues to average four yards a carry, the pace of the game will be completely dictated by the Giants.

It’s rather simple: the Pats run defense is vulnerable and the Giants run offense is playing some of its best football of the season and can limit the reps of the Hall of Fame QB on the other side of the field in the process.

With the pressure off Manning’s shoulders and the weight of the world for Brady to score on every rare possession his offense holds, this is the blueprint for the Giants to win their second Super Bowl in four years.