Super Bowl 2012: New England Patriots Defense Is Being Seriously Overlooked

Judging by the numbers, the New England Patriots were not a good defensive team in 2011.

While that much is clear, the Pats have improved on that side of the ball over the last few weeks, and their defense could surprise some people during Super Bowl XLVI.

New England ranked 31st in the NFL in total defense during the regular season, allowing a ridiculous 411.1 yards per game. The Patriots also finished 31st in pass defense, surrendering 293.9 yards per game.

While that sounds terrible, New England is on a run of 10 straight wins, so obviously the team is doing just enough defensively to get by. 

The Patriots were able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year, as they racked up 40 sacks. They also did an excellent job forcing opposing signal-callers into mistakes, as their 23 interceptions as a team tied for second in the league.

A big reason why New England gave up so many yards is because the team's offense scored so many points and racked up so many yards that opposing offenses needed to throw the ball to keep up. To wit, the Patriots faced 619 pass attempts, which ranked fourth in the league.

New England has employed a bend-but-don't-break philosophy this season in an attempt to limit big plays and force opposing offenses into mistakes. On Sunday, the Patriots face a New York Giants team that thrives on big plays, and that could play right into the hands of their defense.

The Pats have allowed just 30 points in two postseason games as they corralled the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens. While I'm not expecting them to completely shut down the Giants in the Super Bowl, I think they could continue their playoff trend of holding opponents in check.