Super Bowl 46 Recap: New York Giants def. New England Patriots, 21-17.

Well, as a Patriots fan. What can I say?

The New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots, 21-17.

1st Quarter:

As the game got underway, The Giants were the first to get the football, and Eli Manning look calm and cool coming on to the field. Eli during the National Anthem had a different look on his face than usual. He had the look of anger. He looked more confident, and relaxed than Tom Brady, who found his way to the back where the cameras couldn’t find him. Brady did not look calm, and I hate to say it, but he looked scared, and after the first play of the Patriots drive, the safety took what Brady had left of confidence going into this game.

Surprisingly, the Patriots pass rush was getting there, before the Giants, and they were the Defensive Line that showed up early, as the Patriots tried to stay in the game, after Eli Manning marched them down the field for a 78 yard TD drive to the Patriots down 9-0 early.

Once again, I can not speak enough about Eli Manning’s calm, and poise attitude through out the entire game, and even when the Patriots were in control, Eli was relaxed, and was discouraged.

2nd Quarter:

They after the game looked to be a blowout, favoring the Giants, Tom Brady and the Patriots came back and scored 10 unanswered points going into halftime. I think that the Patriots had the momentum through out the entire second quarter. After the 29 yard Field Goal by Stephen Gostkowski, Brady led a insane 14 play, 96 yard drive to end the half. That drive was tied for the longest drive in Super Bowl history.

You saw through out the game, that the Patriots defense was playing it safe, and didnt want to give up the big play, and they did a pretty good job, but I feel that the Patriots were playing it too safe, and didnt let their corners play football. They were asking the corners to stay back a lot, and begging to not give up the big one.

At the end of the second quarter, it looked to be the Patriots who were going to hold on, and win SB46. Brady at that point looked unstoppable, and the Patriots were in position to score again, when they got the ball to start the 3rd quarter.

Halftime Show:

I’m not going to spend too much time on the half time show. It was okay, and Madonna was not bad. I love the stage, that was amazing to watch. I also liked the guest apperenaces by Cee Lo Green, and Nicki Minaj. The show was good, but next year, they need someone current.

3rd Quarter:

To start the second half, Brady once again marchs down the field to score a touchdown for the Patriots, to make that a 17-9 hole for the Giants. Brady at that point, looked (if the Patriots won) to be the MVP of the Super Bowl.

At that point, the Giants looked to be deflated, and the Patriots were on their way to a 4th Super Bowl title. But Eli Manning scored his own amazing drive, that put the Giants down 2 points, with the rest of the game to go.

Now, once again as a Patriots fan, this is what got me the most. The Patriots have the ball at their own 43 yard line, and Brady is being pressured, and he bombs a deep one to Rob Gronkowski, who has a huge ankle injury, and it gets intercepted. I think that was the turning point of this football game. There was no need to throw that football, and he should of thrown it away instead of trying to prove that you can make a David Tyree play with Gronkowski.

After the costly INT, The Giants regained life, and the Patriots look like they were starting to panic. In the end, I know that the INT didn’t cost them, but it was a HUGE momentum killer for the Patriots, and put the Giants right back in that football game.

Now, lets say that INT never happened, and Brady marchs down the field and scores. That game is OVER! It would have been 24-15 NE, and the Patriots would not have had to score on their final drive. Even if the Patriots go down the field and score a Field Goal, that makes it 20-15, and the Giants need a touchdown to win. AND even it they score a touchdown, it is still only 22-20, and you can win with a field goal! I think that if Gronkowski was healthy, he would have caught that ball, or at least batted the ball down to prevent the INT.

In my mind, that is the reason the Patriots lost this game.

4th Quarter:

Now, the Patriots get the ball back, and the Patriots try to waste the clock with all 15 minutes on the score board. That impossible! They punted with 9 minutes left, and the Giants scored a touchdown with 57 seconds left in the game.

Now, on the final possesion for the Patriots, Brady, and company, had sereval chances to get closer to the field to try and win the game. But in my mind the story all night, was the Patriots wide outs.

The differene between the Patriots, and Giants is that Eli’s WRs made plays for Eli, that Brady’s didn’t. Early in the 4th, Welker has a wide out catch, that was alittle high, but still was a catchable ball, and he drops it! The most reliable wide out on the Patriots drops the ball, and that would have iced the game for the Patriots. And then an easy across the middle catch, was dropped by Aaron Hernandez, who had a good game to that point. Brady was not flawless, but the Patriots Wide outs did not show up for Tom Brady on Sunday, and Eli’s did.

Final: NYG 21, NE 17.

Stat Lines:

Eli Manning, QB: 30-40, 296 yds, 1 TD, 103.8 QBR.
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB: 17 rushes, 72 yds, 1 TD.
Hakeem Nicks, WR: 10 rec, 109 yds.
Mario Manningham, WR: 5 rec, 73 yds.
Victor Cruz, WR: 4 rec, 25 yds, 1 TD

Tom Brady, QB: 27-41, 276 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, 91.1 QBR
Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis, RB: 10 rushes, 44 yds.
Aaron Hernandez, TE: 8 rec, 67 yds, 1 TD.
Danny Woodhead, RB: 4 rec, 42 yds, 1 TD.

Wrap Up:

Overall, I think that Eli Manning will one day be inducted in the Hall of Fame for 2 Super Bowl wins, and the Giants will be known as the team that stopped the Patriots dynasty.

Tom Brady’s legacy will take a hit for this as he is now 3-2 in the Super Bowl, instead of 5-0, or 4-1.

Bill Belichicks takes a small hit to his legacy as well, and he is now the coach that cant beat the Giants.

What does this mean for Eli’s legacy? This win puts him with the elite quarterbacks of all time, and he now has a better resume than his brother Peyton Manning, but he is not the better quarterback if that makes any sense?