Super Bowl XLVI breakdown
More XLVI:
Manningham makes a 38-yard catch in the Giants' final drive.
(Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS – Eli Manning and the New York Giants did it again to the New England Patriots.
Ahmad Bradshaw ran 6 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and the Giants survived a Hail Mary attempt from Tom Brady to capture their fourth Lombardi Trophy on Sunday.
Key play: They'll be talking about this catch for generations. Mario Manningham made a fantastic, toe-tapping 38-yard grab to put the Giants on the 50. Eight plays later, Bradshaw ran it in for the winning score.
Key stat: 5 catches, 73 yards for Manningham, all in the second half.
INDIANAPOLIS – Tom Brady couldn't miss.
He completed a Super Bowl record 16 straight passes, a string that started at the 10-minute mark of the second quarter. Joe Montana was the previous record-holder with 14. Brady's 16th completion resulted in a 12-yard touchdown to tight end Aaron Hernandez.
Key play: Giants offensive lineman Henry Hynoski recovered Hakeem Nicks' fumble after a 17-yard catch with 5:01 left in the quarter at New England's 34-yard line. The heads-up play kept New York's drive alive, a march that would yield the Giants three points on Lawrence Tynes' 33-yard field goal.
Key stat: 3 – times Eli Manning has been sacked.
INDIANAPOLIS – The Patriots answered the bell in the second quarter.
New England took the lead on Tom Brady's 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Danny Woodhead with 8 seconds left in the first half. The play capped a 14-play, 96-yard drive that lasted 3:55.
Key play: Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul looked dominant in the first half as they consistently put pressure on Brady and batted a couple of his passes down at the line. But on one critical play Brady sidestepped what should've been a sack from Tuck and found Wes Welker for a 10-yard pass on second-and-9. The connection got the Patriots to New York's 22. Four plays later, the Patriots took the lead.
Key stat: 10-for-10 – Brady on the Patriots' final drive of the first half.
Key injury: The Giants say TE Travis Beckum suffered an ACL injury and won't return to the ballgame.
INDIANAPOLIS – And four years later, the Giants' defense is still getting to Tom Brady when it counts.
Eli Manning and Big Blue dominated the ball in the first quarter. The few plays the Giants' defense was on the field, it made it count as it put points on the board with a safety.
Key play: Talk about momentum shift. Defensive pressure from lineman Justin Tuck forced an intentional grounding penalty on Tom Brady in the end zone, resulting in a safety. Before the score, the Patriots' defense stood tall in the first drive, coming up with a sack to knock the Giants out of field-goal range. Steve Weatherford's punt pinned the Patriots on their 6-yard line and Brady faltered on his first snap of the ballgame.
Key stat: 9-for-9, 77 yards, 1 TD. Eli Manning's passing stats
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