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BetOnline.com’s Stan Simmons considered a few of the Super Bowl 46 injury stats that could potentially have an adverse effect on how one or the other team performs. Injury reports are critical to review prior to betting any game, let alone the Super Bowl. (Find hundreds of betting props here at BetOnline.com)
For the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski presents a very serious problem. He had the third shortest odds to be named Super Bowl MVP.
Simmons noted:
Rob Gronkowski (ankle) has been the talk of Super Bowl week with his injury, and it was headline news when he was seen without a walking boot earlier this week. But many are saying that “Gronk” wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t Super Bowl weekend, so you have to gauge for yourself just how healthy the Patriots’ massive tight end is. He is a huge factor in the New England offense, especially in the red zone, and that could be more touches for fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez, who lines up all over the offense. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and the Patriots are also trying to fit Gronkowski with a cleat that helps alleviate some of the pressure from his high-ankle sprain.
Gronkowski seems to be the only major injury worry for the Patriots, but that is a huge worry to have.
The Giants injuries are less serious, but the team is hurting nonetheless.
“It appears as though tight end Jake Ballard (knee) is now 100% healthy after shedding an injury that has been bothering him over the last few weeks. The Giants will need him to be at the top of his game as their receivers, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham, will get a lot of attention from the Patriots’ defense and that means there should be holes for Ballard over the middle. Nicks (shoulder) has been ailing himself and was listed as questionable a couple of days ago, but he says he’ll be lining up and that gives us the first lesson of the Super Bowl injury report: take all reports with a grain of salt.”
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
