Ending Patriots' perfection rests with Giants' D-line

~ New York's defense led the league with 53 sacks in the regular season.

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Justin Tuck didn't need to conduct a survey to figure out who America expects to be the Super Bowl MVP.

"Tom Brady," he said.

If Brady plays well, the New England Patriots are going to cap an undefeated season and certify their claim to being a dynasty.

The biggest obstacle in his way is a band of brothers who form the New York Giants' defensive line.

There's Michael Strahan, the NFL's active sacks leader and the group's emotional linchpin. Fellow defensive end Osi Umenyiora is the only current Pro Bowler in the group and its rising star. There's Tuck, the standout hardly anyone knows.

Fred Robbins is the brawn in the middle and Barry Cofield is the smart guy next to him who gives way to Tuck on passing downs.

"We can't win this game if we don't play well," Umenyiora said Wednesday before the Giants returned to the practice field. "We will absolutely lose if the defensive line does not play well. There is no question about that.

"We're facing a quarterback who completes passes and does all these things with people in his face. So can you imagine if no one is around him? It will be absolutely ridiculous."

In the Patriots' 38-35 win over the Giants on Dec. 29, Brady was sensational, hitting 32-of-42 passes for 356 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Still, New York got to the quarterback who set an NFL single-season record with 50 touchdown passes this season. Brady was sacked once and hit eight times.

His record-setting touchdown on a 65-yard pass to Randy Moss came during a play on which cornerback Sam Madison pulled a stomach muscle and could not cover.

"Early in the football game, we got him out of his rhythm," Tuck said. "I think he went in at halftime, made his adjustments and you saw the Tom Brady that everybody is accustomed to seeing. We have to be consistent and continually hit him. If we can continually get pressure up the middle, up in front of him, it gives us opportunity for the defense to be successful."

New England's offensive line has changed slightly since then. Starting right guard Stephen Neal and right tackle Nick Kaczur will be back after missing the final game of the regular season with injuries.

The Patriots still are concerned about the defense that led the NFL with 53 sacks, including 39 by the linemen.

"When we played them, we had a lot of negative yardage plays in the run game," Patriots tackle Matt Light said. "They obviously got to Tom more than we'd like, and they are very good at what they do. There is a reason why they are here and in this game."

Light and Umenyiora might be the best matchup to watch, especially since Umenyiora accused Light of some late hits in the first meeting.

Both players downplayed the comments this week.

For this second meeting, Brady expects defensive changes: new fronts, new looks, different packages of players.

"We'll come in with new plays, and probably not until the end of the first quarter, you won't really understand how the game is going to play out," Brady said. "It's always a little more challenging when you play a team a second time. I think there are advantages to it, but at the same time, you have to change up the things that were successful."