Super Bowl 2012 Predictions: Bold Picks for Big Game's First Touchdown and More

Perhaps the best part about the Super Bowl is that it is often the most unpredictable game of the year. That was certainly proven four years ago when the New York Giants shocked the previously-undefeated New England Patriots to win it all.

The same two teams will collide again this year and this time they seem to be very evenly matched. Things rarely go by the book in the Super Bowl, so you should expect to see some surprises. Here are three bold predictions regarding what will take place in the big game.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis Will Score Game's First TD

This year's Super Bowl looks to be a star-studded one, with plenty of explosive players on both sides. Most would probably expect the game's opening touchdown to be a pass since quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning combined for nearly 70 touchdowns during the regular season, but I'm going off the board a bit with my pick. Unheralded Patriots running back BeJarvus Green-Ellis will be the first to break the plane on Sunday evening.

The Pats have gotten in the endzone first in three of their past four Super Bowl appearances, and I expect that to be the case again on Sunday. While the Giants began the game with a field goal four years ago, the Pats struck back with a Laurence Maroney one-yard touchdown plunge. There will be a lot of focus on stopping the pass, so the Law Firm will surprise many and score first, much like Maroney did in Super Bowl XLII.

Mario Manningham Will Be Game's Leading Receiver

This game will feature four 1,000-yard receivers in Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski. Despite that, it will be Giants No. 3 receiver Mario Manningham who leads all pass catchers in receiving yardage. Manningham is certainly no pushover, as he had nearly 1,000 yards last season, but thanks to the emergence of Cruz as well as some injury problems, he was pushed to the back burner this year.

Manningham had 523 receiving yards during the regular season, but Manning has been looking to him with more regularity in the playoffs. His yardage numbers haven't been huge, but Manningham does have a touchdown catch in each game during the postseason. There is a decent likelihood that converted wide receiver Julian Edelman will be covering Manningham in the slot, so he should have a field day.

Eli Manning Will Have More Passing Yardage Than Tom Brady

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady turned in the second-most-prolific passing yardage season in the NFL this year with 5,235 yards. Because of that, most would think that he is a safe bet to lead the game in passing, but Giants quarterback Eli Manning may have something to say about that. Not only is he averaging more passing yards per game than Brady in the playoffs (308 to 301), but he wasn't far off in the regular season either.

Manning had one of the better passing-yardage seasons in NFL history as well as he racked up 4,933 yards. On top of that, there are other factors at work. The Giants have a great pass rush and a physical secondary, so Brady will have tough sledding. On the flip side, the Patriots were second-worst against the pass during the regular season, so Manning won't be met with much resistance. Brady had 11 more passing yards than Manning in Super Bowl XLII, but Manning will overtake him this year.