Tom Coughlin speaks at a press conference during the NFL Combine. (Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE)

Tom Coughlin and the Giants’ coaching staff is back in the very spot where they won a Super Bowl just three weeks earlier.

The positive vibes and good memories still evoke a reaction for Coughlin in the city of Indianapolis.

“At every street corner, no matter who,” Coughlin said. “No matter if there’s a gentleman over at the hotel or someone that I meet crossing the street, or the gentlemen that are in the red coats as you walk in the door here. It’s a great feeling. It’s a little bit of a blur, but it’s a magnificent blur.”

Talk about not being able to celebrate for very long. This team knows that winning Super Bowls is about building through the draft, and they have two Super Bowl wins in the past four years to prove it.

The Broncos seem to be taking a Giant page out of Coughlin’s book.

The Broncos’ last draft packed a major punch. Von Miller led the team in sacks and was voted the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year. Orlando Franklin lined up as a starter at right tackle and helped propel the Broncos to a No. 1 ranked rushing attack. Quentin Carter saw action as a starting safety and made some big plays at key times.

The Broncos have just six draft picks at the moment. Of course, moves can be made to acquire more picks, but perhaps focusing energy into quality rather than quantity is what the team needs to do.

It’s worked well for the Giants.

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Eli Manning speaks on the Giants' Super Bowl victory. (Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE).

 1. Winners Own the Fourth Quarter:

Recent history proves that Super Bowls in today’s NFL are tight games that are often decided in the final minute. Pats-Giants. Packers-Steelers. Saints-Colts. Cardinals-Steelers. Gone are the days of the big game blowout. To win the Super Bowl, you need a team that instinctively makes more plays with the outcome on the line.

How the Broncos Measure Up: Interestingly, Tim Tebow trailed only Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning in fourth quarter or overtime game-winning drives in 2011. The Broncos appear to have a team built for winning tight games. Tebow and the Broncos offense will need to be more consistent early, however, in order to defend the 2011 division title.

2. Weapons Matter:

Victor Cruz was a godsend for the Giants this season, and Mario Manningham‘s sideline catch had Broncos fans reminiscing about Brandon Lloyd. As good as Manning was this season, his receiving corps has also been elite.

How the Broncos Measure Up: Here again, the Broncos have some pieces in place. DeMaryius Thomas, Eddie Royal (if he re-signs, which he has said he wants to), and Eric Decker all shined at times. Drops were too prevalent, however, and Tim Tebow desperately needs a big, tall, playmaking tight end. 2011 draft pick Julius Thomas, a former basketball player plagued by injury last season, has looked good in workouts. The Broncos could also benefit from a young back to complement Willis McGahee, much like the Giants have with Ahmad Bradshaw relieving Brandon Jacobs. With his playing, injury, and now legal issues, former first-round pick Knowshon Moreno doesn’t exactly look like the second coming of Terrell Davis.

3. D-Line Stands for Depth:

The Giants’ talent along the defensive front is unfair. This team consistently drafts defensive tackles and ends in the higher rounds, and it has paid off handsomely. Rotating and substituting pass rushers creates matchup problems–not the kind that we always hear about with linebackers covering tight ends, but the kind that leads to quarterbacks hitting the floor.

How the Broncos Measure Up: Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller comprise one of the league’s best edge rushing tandems. However, the two prefer to beat blockers around the outside, which allows opposing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket in the absence of inside pressure. They were also largely ineffective against Brady in the divisional round, whereas the Giants and Baltimore Ravensturned the heat up on New England’s offense with pressure from all over the defensive line.Broncos defensive tackles Brodrick Bunkley and Marcus Thomas (both free agents) played admirably in 2011, but it is nonetheless critical that Denver invests draft picks on interior linemen. If quarterbacks get their guards and centers pushed back into them, with Miller and Dumervil teeing off from both edges, then this defense will improve even further in 2012.

For Broncos fans, Super Bowl XLVI was an effective measuring stick. The Patriots, who dismantled the Broncos in Foxborough, were themselves beaten by a fellow elite team in a game that was, in hindsight, decided by a play or two. The Broncos will need to emulate the Giants in improving first-quarter play, offensive weapons, and defensive line depth if John Fox and the Broncos hope to eventually beat teams like New York and New England in ultimately bringing the title back to Denver.

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Jan 27, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A NFL video on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis projects on large Roman numerals of XLVI which represents Super Bowl XLVI. Logos for the New England Patriots and New York Giants are being projected. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

The New England Patriots and New York Giants will go at it in Super Bowl XLVI this Sunday. It should be a great game since it is matching up the 2 hottest teams in football. The Patriots come in having won 10 games in a row overall, and the Giants have won 5 consecutive games themselves. New York will be trying to duplicate their upset of New England in Super Bowl XLII 4 years ago while the Patriots are trying to settle the score with the team that kept them from completing a 19-0 season. Let’s take a look at the matchup:

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL:

Tom Brady continues to rewrite the playoff records for quarterbacks, and with his 5th Super Bowl start there is only 1 other person in the world who is as experienced and comfortable preparing for the big game as him (John Elway of course!). You can typically count on Brady to deliver a steady performance when it counts and you know he won’t wilt in the spotlight during big moments.

The one team that has solved the Brady riddle in the Super Bowl however, was Tom Coughlin and these New York Giants. That experience will prove valuable for the Giant defense in terms of scheme and confidence. They proved that if you can provide consistent pressure on the quarterback without sending extra defenders, the potent New England offense can be slowed down. If the Baltimore Ravens proved anything last week, it’s that Tom Brady isn’t perfect. If the Giants can find a way to get to him I wouldn’t be surprised to see him forced into a few turnovers. There will be new challenges for the New York defense this time around though. The 2 big tight end threats in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski weren’t in the league when these teams last played in the Super Bowl. I expect the Patriots to counteract the aggressive New York defensive front by getting these 2 in the mix early and often. Look for a ton of crossing routes and dump offs to try and get the defensive linemen on their heels, and once the attention of the defense turns to the tight ends I expect Wes Welker to produce a few big plays.

I believe that the most important factor for the Giant defense is to stand tall in the red zone. The red zone defense was the biggest difference between the Patriots’ 45-10 blowout win over the Denver Broncos and their 23-20 squeaker over the Ravens. If the Giants force the Patriots to settle for field goals, they will absolutely have a chance to win this game.

SLIGHT EDGE: PATRIOTS

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