Patriots’ Offensive Line Needs to Protect Tom Brady for New England to Win Super Bowl XLVI

Editor’s note: Big Blue View and NESN.com are teaming up for a Super Bowl edition of Across Enemy Lines. Sean Kerr from Big Blue View answered our Giants questions, and Jeff Howe answered their Patriots questions.

Tom Brady will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL regardless of the outcome of Super Bowl XLVI. If he wins, however, he may find himself at the top of many lists.

Brady, who has a chance to win his fourth Super Bowl on Sunday, has the potential to pick apart the Giants’ defense, according to NESN.com’s Jeff Howe. New York’s defensive line does an excellent job of pressuring the quarterback, though, meaning New England’s offensive line will need to bring its A game so that Brady has the time to do what he does best.

“And while the Giants are playing better in their back seven, I still don’t think they’ll be able to contain the Patriots’ passing attack if Brady can stay clean,” Howe wrote.

Eli Manning, meanwhile, is seeking his second Super Bowl victory, with his other win coming over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. And while Manning has been terrific of late, Howe thinks there’s still the possibility that the Pats will force him, or his receivers, to make mistakes on Sunday.

“The knock on the Giants is their receivers will struggle when they’re hit hard, and that can lead to some drops over the course of the game. The Patriots will definitely be physical in that area,” Howe wrote. “Also, Manning has had a terrific season, but he can still be erratic, which was on display during a poor end-zone interception in Week 9. If the Patriots force the Giants to slowly work their way down the field, rather than giving up big chunks of yards, they’ll hope Manning will make a costly mistake.”

Read Jeff Howe’s take on Super Bowl XLVI from the Patriots’ perspective >>

Read Sean Kerr’s take on Super Bowl XLVI from the Giants’ perspective >>