Five-point plan for beating the Patriots

INDIANAPOLIS

So here we are, less than a week away from a Super Bowl rematch that figures to be every bit as enticing as the last time the Giants and Patriots faced off with a chance to win it all.

This game will have its own unique set of memorable plays, just as Super Bowl XLII had David Tyree's incredible catch on the Giants' game-winning drive and the punishing pass rush led by Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan.

Bill Belichick will be looking to settle the Super Bowl score with Tom Coughlin as the Patriots attempt to win their fourth Super Bowl title of the millennium. But the Giants have reason to believe they can make it a fourth Super Bowl title of their own.

Here's our five-point plan for how they can do it:

Run . . . the . . . football

It almost seems counterintuitive to start off with the suggestion that the Giants ought to consider anything other than having Eli Manning drop back willy-nilly and fling the ball all over the lot against a Patriots defense that generally has been weak against the pass. After all, Manning is coming off an NFC Championship Game win over the 49ers in which he dropped back more than 60 times. But the Patriots are much different from the 49ers, whose front seven unquestionably was the toughest in this year's playoffs and the most difficult to run against.

So it's time to go back to the balanced attack that the Giants prefer, the one that will give Manning a better chance at success than the more than 2-1 ratio of pass-to-run the Giants used against the 49ers. A 50-50 split is much more desirable, especially now that Ahmad Bradshaw is back after missing the Giants' 24-20 regular-season win over the Patriots. Another advantage in running the ball: The Giants can win the all-important time-of-possession battle, which is critical against a Patriots team that has Tom Brady, who's capable of scoring quickly. He can't score if he's not on the field, though.

Rush Brady with four linemen but use more "stunts" than usual

The Giants have the best collective pass rush in the NFL, with ends Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Dave Tollefson and tackle Chris Canty, who is a force inside. And for most of the season, they've been able to bring the heat against the quarterback with just four rushers, leaving more help in the secondary against the pass.

They need to use the same formula here, but alter their strategy by employing more of what's called "stunts." Also referred to as "games," stunts are used to disguise the rush by having defensive linemen take indirect paths to the quarterback.

The Giants are effective in a straight pass rush, in which the defenders simply take on the offensive linemen across from them and attempt to beat them one-on-one. That's how they did so well against New England in the Super Bowl four years ago. But the Patriots most likely will attempt to alter their strategy by using more double-teams and maximum-protection blocking schemes to afford Brady more time in the pocket. The Giants can respond by altering the routes of the pass-rushers and adding an element of confusion to the protection schemes. "We run a fair number of stunts as it is, so we'll see what happens," Tuck said.

The idea is to have pass-rushers line up and then loop around to a different rush lane to either avoid or confuse opposing blockers. The key here is to get the kind of pressure on Brady that will make him hurry his throws . . . or not make them at all, if the Giants collect a bunch of sacks.

Use Cruz as the

primary receiver

Manning has built an exceptional rapport with all of his receivers but has keyed on individual wideouts in the playoffs, depending on the opponent. In the Giants' playoff wins over the Falcons and Packers, it was Hakeem Nicks, who totaled 13 catches for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Last week against the 49ers, it was Victor Cruz, who had 10 receptions for 142 yards. The matchups here suggest it's time for more Cruz. The Patriots have been so hard-pressed to deal with a leaky secondary that they've converted slot receiver Julian Edelman into the nickel back on passing downs. That means Cruz will be lined up in single coverage against Edelman for a good portion of the game. That's a matchup that is overwhelmingly in favor of Cruz. If the Pats try to double Cruz, Nicks becomes the more viable option.

Mix coverages on defense, but be sure and "bracket" Gronkowski and man up on Welker

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has become the team's most effective receiving threat, and he's capable of dominating games almost by himself. In the Giants' November win over New England, Gronkowski was targeted 15 times by Brady and led the Patriots with eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.

The Giants often used a linebacker -- mostly Michael Boley but sometimes Mathias Kiwanuka -- and also had safety Kenny Phillips in coverage. The best way to deal with a player of Gronkowski's ability, high ankle sprain and all, is to use "bracket" coverage by having one defender in front of him and one behind him -- or one on each side of him -- so that even if he does make a reception, his yards after catch will be limited.

As for Wes Welker, who led the NFL with 122 receptions, they need to match up with either safety Antrel Rolle, who has been a solid nickel back, or occasionally Corey Webster, the team's best cover corner.

Use a surprise on special teams

Coughlin is notoriously conservative on special teams, hardly ever trying a fake punt, fake field goal or onside kick (unless the Giants are trying to come back late in the fourth quarter). All the better reason to use the element of surprise in the biggest game of all. The Patriots certainly are well-schooled by Belichick in preparing for all contingencies, but Coughlin would be well-served by going against his track record of playing it safe in almost all situations.

A special-teams gamble was one of the biggest plays in the Saints' win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV; coach Sean Payton called for an onside kick to start the second half, and the Saints recovered in what turned out to be a huge momentum shift. If the opportunity presents itself against the Patriots, Coughlin ought to go for it.