Super Bowl preview capsule

New England Patriots (18-0) vs. New York Giants (13-6)

When: 5:17 p.m. Sunday. TV: Channel 32. Radio: WSCR 670-AM.

Line: Patriots by 12.

Last meeting: Patriots won 38-35 at Giants Stadium on Dec. 29, 2007.

Patriot to watch: WR Randy Moss. He has a total of just 2 catches for 32 yards in the postseason, but five weeks ago against the Giants, he had 6 catches for 100 yards and 2 of his NFL-record 23 touchdowns. If the Giants don't jam Moss at the line of scrimmage and provide safety help over the top, he'll put up similar numbers. If they double him, it opens things up for the other receivers.

Giant to watch: QB Eli Manning. He epitomized the team's inconsistency for most of the season but has been the catalyst of the late-season surge, throwing 8 TD passes and just 1 interception in his last four games. The Giants have done an excellent job of calling for high-percentage, low-risk passes that Manning throws extremely well, but he's also a threat to go deep to 6-foot-5, 232-pound WR Plaxico Burress, who has a huge size advantage on the Patriots' corners.

Key stats: Patriots WR Wes Welker has 16 catches in two postseason games but for only a 6.9-yard average, although he has 2 TDs. … Patriots QB Tom Brady has thrown 3 interceptions in two postseason games, while Manning has no interceptions in three games.

Local angle: Giants extra CB and punt returner R.W. McQuarters was a starter with the Bears for most of his five years in Chicago (2000-04), picking off 9 passes, 2 of which he returned for touchdowns. He also averaged over 11.0 yards on 81 punt returns in his final two seasons with 2 more scores.

Key matchup: Patriots Pro Bowl OLT Matt Light vs. Giants DRE Osi Umenyiora, who led the team with 13 sacks, third most in the NFC. Almost every team that has forced Patriots QB Tom Brady into subpar performances this season has done so by pressuring him, and the Giants, who led the NFL in sacks, can't do that without Umenyiora playing a major role.

Did you know? Giants coach Tom Coughlin's first head-coaching position was at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he compiled a 16-15-2 record in four seasons. … Coughlin and Patriots coach Bill Belichick were both on Bill Parcells' Giants staff for three years from 1988-90 -- Coughlin as the WR coach and Belichick as the defensive coordinator.

LeGere's pick: Patriots 34, Giants 17

Bob LeGere's picks

Last week: 1-1 straight up; 1-1 vs. the spread

Season: 169-96 straight up; 118-137-10 vs. the spread