Super Bowl Predictions 2012: Eli Manning and Victor Cruz Will Torch Patriots D

The New England Patriots won't have the answers for Eli Manning and Victor Cruz in Super Bowl XLVI, and the New York Giants will win their second Lombardi Trophy in five years.

Manning and Cruz have been on the same page all year long, as Cruz's franchise record-setting year demonstrates. They shredded the San Francisco 49ers defense, one of the best in the NFL in 2011. 

Manning was brilliant in that game, though his stats might not show it. He barely completed 50 percent of his passes, but he masterfully avoided the 49ers constant barrage of pressure, playing with the most poise I've seen from a quarterback in years.

Cruz, whose speed and quickness rival the league's best, abused the 49ers secondary, including Pro Bowler Carlos Rogers.

People have pointed to that performance by Rogers as a reason to prove he isn't actually as good as his season would suggest, but I would suggest that Cruz has been torching people like that all year long.

Somehow, I think that the upcoming game against the Patriots will seem like a cakewalk compared to the last one.

Let's consider the differences, shall we?

The 49ers defensive line was one of the best two or three in the entire NFL in 2011. Justin Smith and Aldon Smith are monsters, and Manning had to pick himself off of the turf more than a few times in the NFC Championship Game.

The Patriots line, on the other hand, is a patchwork crew centered around one dominant player. Vince Wilfork is a massive man, and he is a force to be reckoned with. After him, though, I don't see another player on their front line the Giants can't handle one-on-one.

The 49ers defense features arguably the best linebacking corps in the NFL.

The Patriots...not so much. Don't get me wrong, I love what the Pats players have done within Bill Belichick's system, but from a perspective of talent and athleticism, they don't come close to matching up.

The Patriots secondary is atrocious. Sure, they have been playing better lately, but it's important to remember who they were playing.

The Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens don't exactly have the best offenses. Besides, the Patriots should have lost the game against the Ravens, if not for some gut-wrenchingly bad plays at the end of the game.

Julian Edelman is a man you should remember. He is another wide receiver in the mold of Troy Brown who Belichick has converted to a defensive back out of necessity. Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks, along with Cruz, will destroy him along with the rest of the Patriots secondary.

Tom Brady will keep the Patriots within striking distance, but in the end Eli Manning will once again rip the heart out of Brady, the Pats and their fans.

I don't think it will be as close this time around, though. 

Prediction: Giants beat the Patriots 38-24

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