The rock stars in each team are the quarterbacks, like rugby first-fives, who dictate which option to take. Teams have three units - offence, defence and special teams - each with a line of big guys, some weighing 150kg. The offensive line is either creating space for its running back to advance or protecting its quarterback long enough for him to find an open receiver downfield.
The defensive line is trying to tackle the running back and, if they get to the quarterback before he can pass, that's called a "sack". Behind the defensive line is a "secondary" line made up of players trying to stop the passing game by covering the receivers. In addition the special teams include punters and goalkickers and players that contest these kicks.
THE TEAMS
New England were one of the favourites for this year's title after achieving the best record (13 wins/ three losses) in their conference. One of those defeats came at the hands of the New York Giants (20-24) on November 6.
Since then, they've won 10 straight games, but barely overcame the defensive prowess of the Baltimore Ravens in the conference championship. In the final seconds, Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff had a chance to send that contest into overtime, but shanked his field goal attempt. In contrast, the Giants (nine wins/ seven losses) struggled for consistency all season, losing five out of six games across November/December and only clinching their play-off spot with victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the final week.
They become the first team to reach the Super Bowl despite being outscored (394-400) in the regular season. But they've become the form team of the play-offs, deposing the reigning Super Bowl champions - the Green Bay Packers - in the second round. The Packers had lost just once all season and seemed well on track to defend their title. The following week, New York needed overtime and a successful Lawrence Tynes field goal to progress past the San Francisco 49ers.
THE VENUE
Traditionally, the NFL avoids staging the Super Bowl in "cold-weather" cities, so it's never been held in major centres like New York, Boston, Washington or Chicago. This is just the fourth time such a city has hosted the game and only because Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, with a capacity of 63,000, has a retractable roof that offers shelter from the elements.
But the Super Bowl hasn't been the only source of football news there this week. More important for local fans has been speculation over the future of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed the entire season with a serious neck injury. Manning, whose younger brother Eli will lead the Giants tomorrow, is widely considered the best quarterback in the game. In his absence, the Colts slumped to a league-worst two wins/14 losses. That means they get first choice in the college draft and they'reexpectedto pick Stanford University quarterback Andrew Luck. Will Manning stay with theColts or will they trade him? Will heplay again?
THE QUARTERBACKS
Meanwhile, the Giants' Eli Manning, whose dad Archie wasalso anNFLquarterback, has a chance to step out of his brother's shadow by capturing his second Super Bowl title. He was named Most Valuable Player after New York's victory four years ago - Peyton took that honour when Indianapolis won 12 months earlier - but still tends to be underrated. At the start of this season, he raised eyebrows across the US by publicly laying claim to "elite" status and, while Manning hasn't been as statistically dominant as other quarterbacks, he has shown that numbers don't tell the whole story.
On the other hand, his Patriots counterpart - Tom Brady - is unquestionably one of the best at his craft. He's already been to four Super Bowls, won three of them and was MVP in two of those victories. This season, he became the fourth quarterback to throw for more than 5000 yards - he finished with 5235, but ranked behind new record holder Drew Brees (5476) of the New Orleans Saints. But if all that's not enough to win you over, consider his all-American good looks and the fact he's married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. This guy has it all.
THE COACHES
Patriots coach Bill Belichick is already assured entry into football's Hall of Fame, having guided the Patriots to five Super Bowls and won three. In 12 years with the franchise, he has a 158-59 record. The one blemish on his career was his involvement in a 2007 incident dubbed "Spygate", where one of his video assistants was caught filming a rival's defensive signals from the sideline during a game. Belichick was fined US$500,000 - the largest penalty imposed on an NFL coach.
He's well known for his old-school approach and abrupt manner with the media, but he's also a hard-core Bon Jovi fan - they dedicated their 2002 song "Bounce" to Belichick. Giants coach Tom Coughlin made his head coaching debut with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and this
GIANTS
Eli Manning is his second stint with New York, having previously served there as wide receivers coach. Like Belichick, he was mentored through his early NFL career by legendary coach Bill Parcells and has a similarly uncompromising reputation. When "Colonel Coughlin" first took charge of the Giants, he fined players for being two minutes early for meetings, claiming they should have been five minutes early.
OFFENCE
Both New York and New England like to air the ball, and have an array of receiving targets to make big plays. The Giants had two wide receivers - Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks - over 1000 yards in receptions this regular season, with two others, Mario Manningham and Jake Ballard, also more than capable of taking over a game.
After missing most of his rookie season with a hamstring injury, Cruz has been their big improver, taking advantage of other injuries to set a franchise record of 1536 yards. Running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs offer some variation on the ground.
Brady's main target has been receiver Wes Welker, who led the NFL with 122 receptions on the way to his 1569 yards. But the feature that sets the Patriots apart from their rivals across the sport is their use of twin tight ends Rob Gronkowksi and Aaron Hernandez. Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis and Stevan Ridley are NewEngland's running backs, but like their Giants counterparts, they're not expected to dominate.
DEFENCE
Some critics are condemning the New England defence as the worst to contest the Super Bowl. Of 32 teams, they ranked 31st in total yards and passing yards conceded, and were only marginally more effective against the run. They were 15th in points scored against. To be fair, the Giants weren't much better during the regular season - in fact, they were worse in passing yards and points - but their defence has made a major contribution to their play-off form.
A standout for New York has been defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who ranked fourth in the league for sacks (16.5). Perhaps his biggest play of the season was batting down an attempted field goal as the Dallas Cowboys tried to force overtime in early December - the Giants won that contest 37-34.
THE RESULT
Most agencies favour the NewEngland Patriots - the New Zealand TAB has them at $1.55 to win and the Giants at $2.35. Both teams have won the Lombardi Trophy three times, so the winners will take an historical advantage, although Pittsburgh Steelers hold the record with six titles.
For use in tight situations
When New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski hobbled into Indianapolis earlier this week in a walking boot, his injured ankle became the centre of Super Bowl attention. As the Pats have compiled their 13-3 regular season record, then marched through the play-offs, "Gronk"and team-mate Aaron Hernandez have proved gamebreakers on offence.Tight ends are usually the most athletic of the offensive linemen,and either block for runners or act as an emergency receiver.
Most teams only use one at a time, but New England use Gronkowski and Hernandez in tandem, wreaking havoc on opposition defences that can't decide which to cover. At 1.98m,120kg, Gronkowski is essentially a mobile blindside flanker in rugby. He set NFL records for receiving yards (1327) and touchdowns (18) for a tight end during the regular season, so little wonder his high ankle sprain, sustained during the win over Baltimore, is attracting so much concern.
Will he be ready to play in Super Bowl XLVI? Like his coach, Gronkowski is proving evasive with his responses. "I'mjust going day-by-day every single day,"he deadpans."Working with the training staff,whatever they askmeto do, that's all I'm doing. I'mjust happy that every single day, I get better." Get real - this is the Super Bowl and as long as Gronkowski draws breath, there's no way he'll be on the sidelines at game time. "We practise and we plan as if he's playing," says Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson. "That's what you have to do."
