Giants vs. Patriots: Why Tom Brady, New England Will Roll New York

The New England Patriots and New York Giants will take the field tonight in Super Bowl XLVI (assuming that the pregame show ever ends, which it may not), with the winner emerging as champion of the National Football League.

The game is a much-ballyhooed rematch of Super Bowl XLII, a game that most New England fans have been trying to scrub from their memories for the past four years, and if the outcome of tonight's game is going to be different and the Patriots are going to exact a measure of revenge there are three key things that the Patriots must accomplish during Super Bowl XLVI.

1. Keep Tom Brady's Jersey Clean by Establishing the Run

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be making a record-tying fifth start in the NFL's biggest game tonight, but New England needs to avoid a repeat of his fourth one, in which Brady spent much of the game running for his life from the Giants' potent pass rush.

New York is still just as good at getting after the quarterback, ranking third in the National Football League in sacks in 2011, so the Patriots will have their hands full with keeping the Golden Boy upright, and a big step in the right direction would be to try and establish the running game with BenJarvus Green-Ellis against the Giants 19th-ranked run defense.

2. Get After Eli Manning

Let me see, how can I put this diplomatically?

The Patriots secondary this season was, um, not so good.

New England ranked 31st against the pass in 2011, and given the talented duo of wide receivers the Giants have in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz the last thing the Patriots need is to leave their questionable cornerbacks on an island for very long. So it's essential that defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, end Mark Anderson and the rest of the Pats front seven put some heat on Eli Manning this evening.

3. Get a Big Game from a Small Name

It's sounding more and more like tight end Rob Gronkowski will give it a go tonight (not that many ever doubted he would), but the ultra-secretive Patriots aren't about to shed any light on the actual condition of the star's injured ankle, and a significantly limited Gronkowski would be a huge blow to the New England offense, especially in the red zone.

"Gronk's" injury will likely also mean extra defensive attention for wide receiver Wes Welker and tight end Aaron Hernandez, which means that a lesser cog in the New England offensive machine is going to need to step up his game and pick up some slack.

C'mon Chad Ochocinco. Here's your shot at immortality for something besides your mouth.

I'm not going to lie, I picked the Giants to win this game in a close one, but if the New England Patriots can execute these keys to success and possibly get a little patented Tom Brady magic I'll be proven wrong (it happens, believe me) and Brady will enter the very select club of four-time Super Bowl winners.

Maybe he'll have more luck getting Bradshaw to zip it for eight seconds than Montana has.

THREE KEY ANTI-PREDICTION: New England Patriots 30, New York Giants 24