As any sports fan is aware, regardless of what has happened in the past, aside from how any two teams may match up statistically, you never really know what might happen. Especially in a big game like the Super Bowl, with all of the emotion and so much on the line. That said, it is still fun to sort through the statistics and attempt to predict how teams will match up. Lest I present to you, Super Bowl Superlatives, comparing key aspects of our two contenders, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants:
Best Regular Season Record: New England Patriots. The Patriots finished the regular season with a record of 13-3 whereas the Giants came in at 9-7. However the Giants appear to be playing better now than they have all year, so this may not be particularly relevant.
Best Quarterback: Tom Brady, New England Patriots. According to ESPN’s quarterback passing ratings, Brady finished the regular season ranked 3 rd behind Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and New Orleans’ Drew Brees. Eli Manning was ranked 7 th at the end of regular season play. However it appears Eli is on his way up as he is ranked 3 rd to Brady’s 2 nd place standing in postseason play. Manning has also thrown only one interception in the postseason compared to Brady’s three. So while technically Brady comes out on top, Manning is nipping at his cleats.
Best Offense Overall: New England Patriots. If you look at where each team ranks compared to all other teams in the NFL in four key offensive categories: points scored, overall yards, pass yard and rushing yards; the Patriots come out on top with an average ranking of roughly 7 th , with the Giants around 14 th . Both teams have their greatest weaknesses in rushing years, with the Patriots ranked 20 th and the Giants ranked close to the bottom at 32 nd . So don’t expect to see either team pounding out the run play after play; the ball will likely be airborne often, which is no surprise given the strength of both teams’ quarterbacks.
Best Defense Overall: New England Patriots. Using the same method and comparing NFL rankings for key defensive categories: points allowed, total yards allowed, pass yards allowed and rushing yards allowed, New England edges out New York, but only by a slight margin. Clearly both teams’ owe much of their success to their offense as the Patriots ranking averages out around 24 th , with the Giants just behind them at 25 th .
If one were to predict a Super Bowl Champion based on these statistics alone, it seems the obvious choice would be the New England Patriots. They come out on top when comparing points scored, quarterback ranking, overall offense and overall defense. But many of the teams’ rankings are very close, and there are so many intangibles involved in every game that naming a winner with any suggestion of certainty is nothing short of foolish. Who among us actually believed the Giants would come out on top of the Patriots, and ruin their perfect season four years ago in Super Bowl XLII?
Only time will tell us which team will emerge victorious. So when I consider putting my money on one team or the other in a casual wager amongst friends, I recognize the best place to put my hard earned dollars is in my pocket. Then just sit back and enjoy the game.
“2011 NFL Player Passing Stats,” espn.com
Team Pages: New Englad Patriots & New York Giants, nfl.com
Lisa lives in the suburbs of Cincinnati and is a die-hard Bengals fan. As her husband unfortunately supports the Dallas Cowboys , Lisa has taken it upon herself to buy tickets for her family to attend at least one game every season. She was beyond thrilled this year when she won tickets to the NFL’s Stomp Out Hunger and was able to meet most of the players, with her nine year old daughter at her side.
Other Articles by this Contributor:
San Francisco 49ers Fans Show Lack of Class: Fan’s Take
Cincinnati Bengals Cinderella Story: Fan’s Take
It’s Great to Be a Cincinnati Bengals Fan – Top Ten List
God Is Not a Cincinnati Bengals Fan – Fan’s Perspective
Top Five Reasons the Cincinnati Bengals are “The Bungles” No More