Brady is smart and aware in the pocket, sees the field and his options better than most quarterbacks and has the arm strength needed to make any throw. His 50 passing touchdowns were an NFL record. The offensive line is led by guard Logan Mankins and center Dan Koppen. That group is as steady and efficient as a metronome.

It all means that McDaniels uses every option, which gives opposing defensive coordinators sleepless nights when preparing to face New England.

This is what Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is going through. He knows first-hand that nobody can take away every New England option. The Giants limited the Patriots' big plays, pressured Brady and were able to maintain a lead until the fourth quarter — when New England did finally connect on a big play from Brady to Moss, which turned into a 38-35 win.

That big-play passing combination has been virtually invisible in New England’s postseason wins over Jacksonville and San Diego. Moss has 2 catches for 32 yards in those two games.

Yet Maroney has rushed for 244 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Welker has caught 16 passes for 110 yards and 2 scores, while Faulk has caught 13 passes for 118 yards. In addition, tight end Benjamin Watson has added 2 TD receptions.

Through all of the Patriots’ success — as is the case with nearly every great team — the offensive line has been the unsung heroes. Mankins and Koppen are two of the league’s best at their positions, but it’s the way they mesh with tackles Matt Light and Nick Kaczur and guard Stephen Neal that makes this group so special. They don’t dominate every snap, but they rarely get whipped, which is why the Patriots were among the best teams at protecting their quarterback.

In this particular game, don’t look for many strategic surprises. McDaniels knows the Giants are the top pass rushing team in the league with Osi Umenyiora (13.0 sacks), Justin Tuck (10.0 sacks) and Mike Strahan (9.0 sacks) leading the way. But the Giants struggle in coverage, which bodes well for Brady’s receiving options.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

Look for Brady, often operating out of the shotgun, to riddle the New York secondary with razor-sharp short- and medium-range passes sprinkled in with effective doses of the running game. And, when the time is right, he’ll connect on a deep pass, which will likely break the game open.

After all, when driving the Lamborghini, one doesn’t only use one gear. One uses everything a high-powered machine has to offer.