It is difficult to blog about the Superbowl when you are at the game in the stands.
For those who have no idea about the results of the game, you should hang your head in shame, and pray I never find you and heap scorn on you.
For those like me who are so addicted to the NFL that you would rather read about a week old recap then flip through channels not containing football, welcome, my fellow leatherheads.
The New York Giants were a gritty team expected to go nowhere this year. Of course, when I say expected, I mean expected by me. Ok, so I thought that meant something. I had them going 8-8.
https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2007/09/2007-nfl-predictions/
Stormwarning knew better.
http://stormwarning.moonagewebdream.com
The Giants were led by quarterback Eli Manning, who many in New York had all but given up on. Their head coach Tom Coughlin was almost fired a year ago. Running back Tiki Barber retired before the season. Defensive star Michael Strahan almost did likewise, but after missing training camp, decided to come back for another season.
Like Pittsburgh a couple years ago, the Giants did it the hard way on the road. The 10-6 team beat the Tampa Buccaneers 24-14. They then shocked the 13-3 Dallas Cowboys 21-17, when Tony Romo’s 4th down pass with 9 seconds left was intercepted in the end zone. They then stunned the 13-3 Green Bay Packers in overtime 23-20, intercepting Brett Favre in the extra period to set up the win.
The Patriots were already a dynasty, winning three Superbowls this decade, and coming one minute short in the AFC Title Game last year of a shot at a fourth visit. Head coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady had done it together. Adding star wide receiver Randy Moss almost made the entire season unfair as the Patriots went undefeated.
Yes, 16-0. They played tough teams in the playoffs, but dispatched the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers with some difficulty. They did not have to face the defending champion Indianapolis Colts, who were shocked by San Diego, but it may not have mattered. The 18-0 Patriots were seeking to become arguably the greatest team of all time…ever. The 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only unbeaten team at 17-0, were getting nervous.
The last game of the regular season featured the Patriots defeating the Giants in New York. Had the Patriots lost a game earlier, they would have most likely rested everybody. The Giants had no reason to play their starters, but decided to, which was criticized at the time. The Giants actually led 28-16, but with the score 28-23, Tom Brady threw his NFL record 50th touchdown pass to Randy Moss, who earned his NFL record 23rd touchdown catch on the same play. The Patriots extended their lead to 38-28, and hung on 38-35 when Eli Manning was intercepted late in the game.
The rematch was a thriller. The Patriots were 12 point favorites, and the only chance the Giants had to win the game was to run the ball up the gut repeatedly, using Brandon Jacobs as a battering ram, and then bringing in Ahmad Bradshaw when the New England defense would tire. They would have to play as they did when they beat a superior Buffalo team for their last Superbowl win 17 years earlier.
This was also the “Tuna Bowl,” since both Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick learned under Bill Parcells. Coughlin and Belichick are mirror images of each other. They are tough defensive minded disciplinarians. They are also Bill Parcells minus the warm and fuzzy charm. I have never seen either of these coaches smile.
The Giants began the game by executing their game plan to perfection. Eli Manning and the offense ripped off yardage gradually, converted third downs, and held the ball for 10 minutes. The drive only led to a Tynes field goal, but the pace was dictated, and the tone was set.
Tom Brady went right to work for the Patriots. With Randy Moss being blanketed most of the game, Wes Welker became the target of choice. Welker ended up tying the Superbowl record with 11 receptions. After 5 minutes, on the first play of the second quarter, Lawrence Maroney crashed over from the one foot line to put New England up 7-3. The run was set up by a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone on the last play of the first quarter. It occurred on 3rd down, and seemed to be a Big Blue Blunder.
The Superbowl then turned into a defensive slugfest with no scoring again until the fourth quarter. Both offenses actually had several chances, but luck combined with stout resilience benefitted the defenses.
90 seconds after the Patriots scored, Manning had already led the Giants to the New England 15 yard line. Yet on 3rd and 5, Manning’s pass to Steve Smith bounced right off his chest, and was intercepted by Ellis Hobbs. Instead of first and goal, it was a turnover.
The Patriots had the ball on their own 10 yard line with 1:47 left in the half, and of course Bill Belichick decided to try and go 90 yards. New Englnd does not take knees. They take out kneecaps. With 22 seconds left, the Patriots were already at the New York 45, but when Brady went back to throw the long ball, he was hit, resulting in a fumble that the Giants recovered.
Justin Tuck hit Brady, and Osi Umenyora recovered. Eli Mannings Hail Mary actually made it oevr the New England defenders to Steve SMith, but he did not see it, as it fell incomplete. Although the Patriots led at the half, the story of the first 30 minutes was the Giants defense, specifically the linebackers, destroying the Patriots offensive line. Umenyora was the only member of the entire team going to the Pro Bowl, while the Patriots had several. Yet the entire defense played like demons possessed, as Tuck had the game of a lifetime. Umenyora and Strahan had monster games as well.
In the second half, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo continued to order a combination of blitzes that left Brady bruised, battered, and beaten up. Brady was sacked a season high 5 times, and was hit 23 times.
The Patriots took the second half kickoff, but after 4 minutes had to punt. Yet Bill Belichick showed why he earned his reputation as a genius, challenging that the Giants had 12 men on the field. Replay showed that one player racing to the sidelines did not take his last step until after the ball was snapped. It was a successful challenge, and the Patriots kept the ball.
Yet Bill Belichick reinforced his other reputation, one of arrogance, 4 minutes later. On 4th and 13 from the New York 31, Belichick decided to go for it rather than kick a 48 yard field goal. Brady’s deep pass was out of the corner of the end zone incomplete. After 8 minutes, the Patriots turned it over on downs.
This game was seen by many as a reversal of the Superbowl 6 years earlier. The 2001 Patriots were a resilient 11-5 team that had beaten better teams in the playoffs and had shocked people to get there. The 14-2 Rams were the Greatest Show on Turf, had all the superstars, and a coach that was considered both a genius and arrogant. The Rams had beaten the Patriots in New England. The Patriots shocked the world, and defeated the Rams in one of the all time Superbowl upsets. Many blamed the Rams, and Martz in particular, for simply being too arrogant, and losing a game that should have been an easy victory. Their high octane offense ran into a brilliantly devised defense created by Bill Belichick.
Six years later, the Patriots were the ones trying to shake off the fact that they actually were in a competitive game against a hungry underdog that perhaps they took too lightly. Passing up a field goal attempt on a long fourth down gamble showed a smug attitude that would come back to bite them.
The Patriots would get the ball back, but with three minutes left in the third quarter, they were backed up to their own five yard line. They did reach past midfield with seconds left in the quarter, but a false start penalty pushed New England back and the drive stalled.
The Patriots punted on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Giants took over at their own 20 after a touchback. After three quarters of defense, the offenses would finally see some life.
On the first play from scrimmage, Manning’s short pass over the middle to Kevin Boss led to a 45 yard gain before boss was dragged down. Boss is not legendary Mark Bavaro, or even injured Jeremy Shockey, but he dragged a pair of New England defenders in superstar fashion on that play. On 3rd and 4 from the 30, Manning went to Steve Smith again. This time he caught it at the 12 yard line. Manning then found the most unlikely Superbowl hero in many years in the form of David Tyree.
If anybody knew David Tyree before this game, they did not tell me about him. He was the Giants fourth receiver. Yet he entered the record books when Manning found him over the middle for a five yard touchdown pass. The Giants led 10-7 with 11 minutes remaining in the game. New England’s dynasty was now teetering.
Yet despite the fact that Brady was getting hit on every play, he showed his championship toughness that champions exhibit when it matters most. He led the Patriots 89 yards, eating up over 8 minutes of clock. On 3rd down and goal, the Giants needed one more stop to force the tying field goal. They had stopped the Patriots the entire game. They could not stop them this time. Neither could the rest of the league. A touchdown pass to Randy Moss, who had been held in check the entire game, put the Patriots up 14-10 with 2:42 remaining.
New England had done it again. They had scraped out another win at the last possible moment. 19-0, the greatest team ever, and four Superbowls in seven years, almost five. It would have been five had Peyton Manning not beaten them a year earlier. Yet this was not the Colts and Peyton Manning. It was Eli Manning. He was not his brother. The game was over. The defense had fought hard, but the offense of the Giants had nothing left.
Yes, they did. They had heart. The Giants started at their own 17 yard line. They had all three timeouts plus the two minute warning. At the two minute warning, the Giants faced third and 10 at their own 28. Manning completed the pass to Amani Toomer, but Toomer had to come back for the short throw, leaving him less than a yard short. On 4th and 1, with everything on the line, the Giants were granted a measurement, allowing the clock to temporarily stop. This allowed the Giants to get up to the line.
They could have punted, given that they had all three timouts, but going for it was the right call with 1:40 remaining. Battering ram Brandon Jacobs picked up the first down, and the Giants called their first timeout with 1:28 left. They were still at their own 38 yard line. The next play had Eli get caught after a five yard scramble, forcing the Giants to burn their second timeout with 1:20 left. Manning was almost intercepted on the next play, but the ball was just high enough. It bounced off the outstretched fingertips of Asanti Samuels.
On 3rd and 5, a play occurred that will be in NFL history forever. One of the craziest plays I have ever seen occurred, and I saw it live. I still could not believe what I witnessed. Eli Manning stepped back to pass, and was caught in the pocket for what appeared to be a certain sack. There were two or three Patriots with a shot, and one had him by the Jersey. He spun out, and heaved the ball before being hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtN_ooMjpvk
This was only half the miracle play that should forever be known as “The Scramble.” His Fran Tarkenton impersonation was fabulous, but the reception was even more spectacular. David Tyree, with Rodney Harrison defending him perfectly, caught the ball against his helmet one handed. Harrison tried to pry it loose, but somehow Tyree kept the ball lodged between his hand and his helmet. Going to the ground, the ball never touched the ground or came loose. That catch could not be made in the circus. David Tyree made it as Harrison and the rest of the world remained stunned. One minute remained, and the Giants were at the New England 25, and Michael Strahan was screaming on the sidelines that the Giants would win 17-14. To give Strahan even more credit, he said it at the beginning of the drive when the Giants were 83 yards away.
Manning was brought down for no gain on the next play, and the Giants took their final timeout with 50 seconds remaining. On 3rd and 11 with with 45 seconds remaining, Manning completed a 12 yard pass to Steve Smith, who got out of bounds with 39 seconds remaining.
On the next play, Manning lobbed an end zone pass to Plaxico Burress. Burress had been silent the entire game, but he faked out Ellis Hobbs, who had intercepted Manning earlier. The 14 yard touchdown pass put the Giants up 17-14 with only 35 seconds remaining.
The stadium erupted, but after initial cheering, the Giants fans went silent, and reminded themselves that the game was not over. Dynasties do not die out naturally. They have to be killed, and the Patriots had 35 seconds and three timeouts.
From the 25 yard line, Brady’s first deep pass was incomplete. Brady got absolutely belted on the next play by Rookie Jay Alford. Alford came straight up the middle and drilled Brady in the chest. It might have been the best hit of the game. As badly as Brady got leveled, he showed his veteran poise by immediately calling timeout while on his back.
19 seconds remained. At that moment, on third and 20, Brady rolled out, looked for Randy Moss, and threw the ball 68 yards. Moss was double covered, but as fans everywhere held their breath, he still almost caught it. It was knocked away incomplete. One more yard in the air and it might have been a touchdown. Instead, with 10 seconds left, the Patriots faced fourth and 20. Brady again rolled out, threw it 65 yards in the area for Moss, and watched it fall incomplete. Moss was again double covered, and this heave was easily batted away.
The New York Football Giants had shocked the world. The 1972 Dolphins popped their champagne corks. their would be no 19-0 season. The Patriots were nothing more than a footnote, another great regular season team that blew up in the playoffs. A sign on the internet currently reads “18-1 arrogance.”
Yet this was New York Giant Football. Heart, tough running, critical catches, and ruthless defense. As the confetti came down, the question of “Who wants it More?” was answered.
The Giants had won Superbowl XLII. They are the World Champions.
The G-Men had shocked the world.
As Chris Berman says, “THAT’S…WHY THEY PLAY THE GAMES.”
Although Belichick did run to midfield and share a very sincere embrace with Coughlin, apparently one second remained. Rules required a play be run, and Belichick remained in the locker room for the final kneel down, an ignominious end. Perhaps that passed up field goal opportunity would eat at him. Perhaps he was too dismissive to consider criticism.
It did not matter. History had been smashed, obliterated, and poured upside down.
New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14
eric
Eric, I have never been to a professional football game, and although I love going to NY Yankee games when I’m in the area (for the atmosphere, dogs, and beer), I prefer home or elsewhere so I can get instant replay! You captured this game magnificently! When NYG failed to score from the15 yard line, my heart sank and resisted fate. I also screamed that it can’t possibly be an interception if the ball hits the receiver precisely where it’s supposed to hit him, but it somehow goes elsewhere! And, just when I thought the Giants were still in it, the 12th man challenge arose… it was my last night at home… my grandson, granddaughter, daughter, and her husband were downstairs, my younger daughter was in her room studying, and my wife was in bed…and did I mention this was my last night at home for a while… during the timeouts, I ran to each place and kissed everyone goodbye, but I watched a minor miracle. Thanks for bringing that memory back so vividly…
Thanks Eric. I envy your being at the game. But the combination of Bill Parcells and “warm and fuzzy” never occurred to me. And in all fairness and full disclosure, I had the Giants playing the Saints in the NFC Championship (wrong), thought that the NY Jets would do much better than they did, I didn’t see the Patriots dominating the way they did (and called for the Colts to repeat).