Giants vs Patriots: Is the New England Offense Enough to Win This One?

When breaking down the match-ups in this game, initially, you would like to say that no, the Patriots are not going to be able to keep up with the explosiveness of the Giants offense. 

However, the Patriots defense is steadily improving. We all know about Vince Wilfork's big performance in the AFC Championship game, but lesser-known guys like Love, Warren and Spikes are playing at a much higher level. 

For one reason or another, a lot of people are overlooking the poor play of the Giants' offensive line. They will struggle to run the ball against Wilfork and Co. and will be forced into a lot of third-and-long situations.

The key for the Patriots will be how they will handle Cruz in the slot. I don't expect Belichick to be naive enough to just line up Julian Edleman man-to-man with him in the slot. He will use different concepts, such as bracket coverage and traps to try to take Cruz away as much as possible.

The Giants are going to make their plays and score points, but if the Patriots can win on first and second down and keep the Giants in long third downs, they will force a fair amount of three and outs, and give their offense some extra possessions. 

Another key for a Patriots victory is to do what they have quietly been doing all season long: tighten up in the red zone. The Patriots defense isn't as bad as the numbers look; yes, they give up a lot of yardage, but they also keep opposing point totals down because they solidify around the 20-yard line. 

If the Patriots can make the Giants kick field goals instead of getting touchdowns, a normal day at the office for Tom Brady and the Patriots offense should be enough to bring home another Lombardi trophy to Foxborough.