Will Super Bowl star be born?
Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Eli Manning are the obvious favorites to end up with the MVP trophy after Super Bowl 46 on Sunday.
One Internet gambling site has Brady at 13-10 and Manning at 9-4, and they both have won the award in the past.
In Super Bowl 42, Manning was the MVP in the New York Giants’ 17-14 victory over Brady and the New England Patriots. Brady was the MVP in Super Bowls 36 and 38, when the Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers, respectively.
While the quarterbacks may have more to do than anyone else in determining the outcome at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, they can’t do it alone. Surely there will be some unsung heroes who play supporting roles, much like Giants wide receiver David Tyree in Super Bowl 43. Tyree’s pivotal fourth-quarter catch over the middle, which he made while clutching the football against his helmet, was arguably the key play in the game and led to the game-winning TD.
This year there are several lesser-known names that could emerge from the shadows and become household names by Sunday night.
Patriots CB Kyle Arrington: The secondary is the weakest element in what is considered a weak New England defense. But the 5-foot-10, 196-pound third-year player from Hofstra quietly tied for the NFL lead with 7 interceptions. Arrington has a big-play/bad-play history and will have more than he can handle if he#146;s matched with the Giants#146; physical, 6-foot, 215-pound Hakeem Nicks. But Arrington has a knack for being around the ball, and a pick could turn the tide in what is expected to be a close game. Giants TE Jake Ballard: The 6-foot-6, 256-pound Ohio State product had a modest 38 catches in his second season. But he averaged 15.9 yards per catch, outstanding for a tight end, and better than either of the Patriots#146; dynamic TE duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. It was Ballard who caught the game-winning TD pass from Manning with 15 seconds left in the Giants#146; Week 9 upset of the Patriots in Foxboro.Patriots WR/RS/DB Julian Edelman: The third-year player from Kent State, where he was a quarterback, could impact the game in any of the three phases. Edelman had just 4 catches for 34 yards in the regular season but has 2 receptions for 19 yards in the postseason. He also has been forced into the Pats#146; defensive secondary because of injuries, and he struggled against Anquan Boldin in the AFC title game, allowing 4 catches for 60 yards on the game#146;s final drive. Overall, though, Edelman has done a solid job covering slot receivers. In the Ravens game he played 27 snaps on offense and 27 on defense. And the seventh-round draft pick averaged 10.6 yards per punt return in the regular season, including a 72-yard TD.Giants WR Mario Manningham: His 39 catches for 523 yards were easy to overlook on a team with Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, but Manningham has 3 TDs in the postseason, including a fourth-quarter score in the NFC title game.Interestingly, it was Manningham who was the most outspoken of the Giants receivers when asked about the possibility of matching up with Edelman in the big game. Manningham said he was looking forward to it. Patriots RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis: The Patriots often seem to run only enough to keep opposing defenses honest, and Green-Ellis averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in the regular season. In 209 carries during the regular season and playoffs, his longest run was just 18 yards, but he did have 12 touchdowns and was easily the team leader with 667 yards on the ground. Giants CB Aaron Ross: Although he#146;s 6-foot and weighs 197 pounds, Ross usually matches up against the opponent#146;s smaller, quicker receivers. That means he should see a lot of the Patriots#146; Wes Welker, who led the NFL by a wide margin with 122 catches and was second with 1,569 yards. Ross tied for second on the Giants with 4 interceptions.