Super Bowl Line: Why the Patriots Deserve to Be the Favorites

Tom Brady has been in the Super Bowl four times, and in three of those appearances he has lifted the New England Patriots to victory. This season, the Pats earned the top seed in the AFC and are currently on a 10-game winning streak.

When you consider New England's track record and the fact that Brady is as good as it gets under center in the NFL, the Patriots have clearly earned favorite status for Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI.

In addition to history, the matchup also favors the Patriots. During their current stretch of wins, New England has averaged 35.9 points per game. During the regular season, the Pats ranked second in the NFL, averaging 428.0 yards per game. They also ranked second in passing offense, piling up 317.8 yards per game. 

Brady and company will face a Giants team that had a horrid season defensively. New York finished the year ranked 27th in the NFL in total defense (allowing 376.4 yards per game). The G-Men were also 29th against the pass, surrendering 255.1 yards per game through the air.

New York boasts a fantastic pass rush that racked up 48 sacks during the regular season and has added nine more during three postseason games.

While that is great on the surface, the Giants will be facing a Patriots team that racked up 612 passing attempts during the regular season, yet only allowed 32 sacks. That is a remarkably low number for an offense so focused on throwing the football.

The Patriots are clearly the favorites in this year's Super Bowl. The Giants could pull off a surprise and snatch up a win on Sunday, but it would certainly be an upset.