Super Bowl Predictions 2012: Running Game Will Decide Who Prevails on Big Stage

When two teams with elite quarterbacks meet, one might expect the game to be an all-out aerial assault. Sunday's Super Bowl between the New York Giants and New England Patriots will come down to which team is able to run the ball better, however.

Considering the fact that the Giants ranked dead last in rushing during the regular season and the Patriots were just 20th, that may seem like a preposterous notion. The fact of the matter is that Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady are going to produce with the ball in their hands.

Because of that, the key will be to hold the ball as long as possible. One way to do that is with excellent defense, but New England's 31st-ranked secondary has had trouble doing that all season long, while Brady is perfectly capable of having a field day against even the best defenses.

It's fair to say that most are probably thinking that Manning and Brady will air it out since Manning came up just short of 5,000 yards passing during the regular season, while Brady had the second-highest yardage total ever in a single season.

New York is better-equipped to go blow for blow with the Pats this year than it was when it beat New England 17-14 in the Super Bowl four seasons ago. Even so, the G-Men have to know that the Patriots have one of the most prolific offenses in football, so slowing down the pace would be a good idea.

During the regular season, the Giants averaged a mere 89 rushing yards per game, but there were extenuating circumstances. Ahmad Bradshaw was injured for much of the season so Brandon Jacobs was forced to carry the load. While Jacobs is an effective power complement, he is no longer capable of being a feature back.

Since Bradshaw returned, the Giants have run the ball much better. The Bradshaw/Jacobs tandem is averaging roughly 117 yards per game during the playoffs, which is nearly a 30-yard improvement from the regular season. With that type of momentum, there is no reason for Big Blue to not commit to the run.

The Patriots were significantly better on the ground than the Giants during the regular season, but much of that yardage came with the Pats up big late in games. BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Stevan Ridley have good, differing skill sets, but nowhere near the talent of Bradshaw and Jacobs.

The fact of the matter is, however, that New England has a porous secondary. Because of that, Manning and his fantastic group of receivers including Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham should be able to have a big night.

In order to curtail that to some degree, the Pats should consider mixing in the run more than usual. If the Super Bowl of four years ago and the regular-season game between these two teams this year are any indication, New England won't be able to pad its rushing stats with a big lead late.

Whichever team runs the ball more effectively is likely to win the time of possession battle, and that should be a huge factor on Sunday. The running game may not be talked about much leading up to the Super Bowl or even during it, but it will mean much more than most people anticipate.