NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: New York Giants Meet New England Patriots In Super Bowl XLVI

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Super Bowl 2012 Odds And Line: Patriots Narrow Favorites Over Giants Entering Super Bowl Sunday

According to OddsShark.com, the New England Patriots have the edge in scoring points, preventing scores, passing yards, rushing yards and rush defense, yet the spread for the Super Bowl XVLI is as close as could be:

Opening Spread: 3½

The only advantages the New York Giants hold over the Patriots include their passing defense -- which has allowed almost 40 fewer yards per game than the Patriots' D -- and, perhaps most importantly, their turnover differential, which stands at -0.4 to the Pats' -1.1.

Interestingly, the Giants enter the 2012 Super Bowl with a negative point differential, scoring 24.6 on average while allowing 25.0 points per game this season. Combined with the Patriots offense, averaging 32.1 points per game, the two teams have averaged 56.7 points per game, making for potentially high scoring Super Bowl:

Opening Over/Under: 55

For full odds and lines, head over the OddsShark.com hub for Super Bowl XVLI odds.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York.

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Super Bowl Matchup Shows Good WRs Can Be Found Later In The Draft

While the St. Louis Rams are mulling what to do with their No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Super Bowl matchup between the New York Giants and New England Patriots demonstrates that impact wide receivers can be found later in the draft process. Oklahoma State Cowboys wide receiver Justin Blackmon has been linked to the Rams in countless mock drafts, but looking at the starters on the Giants and Patriots perhaps cuts against going with a wide receiver that high in the draft.

The New York Giants have a particularly talented group of wide receivers, including Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz, but only Nicks was selected in the first round. They drafted Manningham in the third round (No. 95) and Nicks at No. 29 overall, while Cruz joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Meanwhile, Patriots star WR Wes Welker also went undrafted in 2004 and Deion Branch came to Patriots in the second round in 2002 (No. 65 overall).

Looking at the Super Bowl teams is by no means a way to establish a conclusive model for building the Rams, but both teams certainly demonstrate that quality wide receiving talent can be acquired outside of the top 10 picks in NFL draft. Perhaps the Rams would do well to select an underrated receiving talent later in the draft regardless of what they do with their No. 2 overall pick.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York.

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Super Bowl 2012: Patriots New OC Josh McDaniels Might Pursue WR Brandon Lloyd

With the Super Bowl around the corner, the St. Louis Rams are not entirely out of the news despite being well out of the playoffs. Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly recently suggested that the Rams' top wide receiver from the 2011 season, WR Brandon Lloyd, may follow the recently-departed offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to New England.

McDaniels started his pro career with the New England Patriots, working his way up to the offensive coordinator position before being hired as the Denver Broncos' head coach. After getting fired in his second year with the Broncos, McDaniels took over in St. Louis, and midway through the season, he traded for his former pupil Lloyd, who had excelled with McDaniels in Colorado.

Lloyd led the NFL in receiving yards in 2010 with 1448 yards while with the Broncos, and he led the Rams with 966 total yards and 5 touchdowns in 2011. Lloyd is expected to become a free agent this offseason.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York.

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Super Bowl Recipes: Brownies From Barefoot Contessa Are Perfect Dessert Option

The 2012 Super Bowl between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots is just days away, and what better way to get prepared for the big game than to brush up on the spectacular brownies recipe. Whether you are celebrating victory, wrestling with defeat, or just hoping the commercials are great, there's nothing better to Super Bowl night that delicious brownie. Ina Garten of the Food Network (aka- Barefoot Contessa) has an amazing recipe that involves the use of instant coffee grains in the batter, and it is sure to impress anyone with an enthusiasm for desserts.

The full recipe is available here, but if you would like the ingredient list up front for your grocery list, here it is:

1 pound unsalted butter

1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 extra-large eggs

3 tablespoons instant coffee granules

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups chopped walnuts

Bake them up, enjoy the on Sunday and just try to limit yourself to less than three big squares -- it won't happen. Enjoy the game, and for more game coverage be sure to check out the links listed below.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York.

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NFL Playoff Schedule 2012: Super Bowl XLVI Set For Giants Vs. Patriots

After the dust settled on a dramatic conference championship weekend, the New York Giants and New England Patriots were the two teams left standing, and they will meet in two weeks in Super Bowl XLVI.

The Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the first game of the day, 23-20. The game appeared to be headed for overtime as Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff lined up for a 32-yard field goal with less than 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but Cundiff pushed the kick wide left, and New England prevailed.

New York also used a decisive special teams play to defeat San Francisco 20-17 in overtime on Sunday night -- 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams fumbled the ball away in San Francisco territory, setting up a 31-yard game-winning field goal by Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes.

Super Bowl XLVI is set for Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The game, televised by NBC, is slated to kick off at 5:30 p.m. CT.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York.