The stage was set as an estimated 111.3 million Americans tuned in to watch what was sure to be an epic showdown between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on Sunday night at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The last time either team made it to the Super Bowl was in 2008, when they played each other. That game was capped by the miraculous “Velcro-helmet” catch made by David Tyree in the Giants’ final drive of the game that would lead to their victory and the end of New England’s near-perfect season.
The Patriots, who had a strong year with a regular season record of 13-3, were looking to erase memories of their previous Super Bowl with a win over New York. Meanwhile, the Giants entered the playoffs on a hot streak after playing a somewhat disappointing season. They continued to burn through the playoffs fueled by comeback win after comeback win led by quarterback Eli Manning and hoped to snag a second Lombardi trophy from the Patriot’s fingertips. Though many pregame predictions were made, only one was certain; it was going to be a nail-biting thrill ride of a game.
With an aggressive defense and a solid running game, New York controlled the momentum of the game for the majority of the first half, until OT Kevin Boothe was called for holding, erasing a Giant’s first down and leading to a punt. This allowed Tom Brady to lead his team to a 98-yard touchdown drive, giving the Patriots a 10-9 lead heading into halftime.
New England continued their offensive rhythm, as Brady connected to TE Aaron Hernandez, scoring another touchdown to open the third quarter. The Giants would respond later that quarter with a field goal. After good defense by both teams in the fourth quarter, including a Tom Brady interception caught by Giant’s linebacker Chase Blackburn, New York would begin their final drive with three minutes and forty-six seconds left in the game. On the first play of the drive, Manning completed a 38-yard pass to WR Mario Manningham, who did an excellent job of keeping both feet in bounds and maintaining possession of the football despite taking a hard hit.
The Giants closed their drive as RB Ahmad Bradshaw toppled backwards into the end zone to score the go-ahead touchdown. With just 57 seconds in regulation, the Patriots made one last attempt to win the game but came up short, resulting in a 21-17 victory for New York, and their second championship in four years. “It’s been a wild game, and a wild season”, declared Manning, “but we got a great tough bunch of guys who never quit, and have great faith in each other. And I’m just proud of our team, the way we’ve dealt with everything all season and came out strong.” This was another magnificent game between two elite teams that will be discussed among football fanatics and cherished among Giants fans for years to come.
