Super Bowl 2012: Two Biggest Plays From Giants Victory Over Patriots

by Joel Thorman on Feb 6, 2012 10:00 AM CST

There were two huuuuge plays in the 2012 Super Bowl between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. The Giants beat the Patriots last night (if you didn't know that I don't know why you're reading a football website) and sitting here on Monday morning there are really two plays that we're going to remember for a long time.

First, there's the Wes Welker drop. Man, that's a huge drop. The pass probably wasn't perfect -- sorta on the back shoulder -- but it's a catch he has made plenty of times before and one he should have made. That would have potentially ended the game setting the Patriots in field goal range and a fresh set of downs. Here's video of that play. You gotta feel bad for Welker because this is one of those plays that will be with him for the rest of his life, despite how awesome he's been in his Patriots career.

Second, the Mario Manningham catch. Right away, NBC announcer Cris Collinsworth recognized how huge that play was. The Giants got the ball back and on the first play of their comeback drive Eli Manning hits Manningham with a perfect pass and a perfect catch and Manningham perfectly dragging his feet. It was all just so...perfect. 38 yards on the completion and the Giants were at midfield, down two points and a chance to move into field goal range. Check out video of that play here. It's one of those we'll be playing for a while. Maybe not on the level of David Tyree but it's a big one.

Those are the two big plays I remember. Oh yeah, and Eli Manning yelling at Ahmad Bradshaw to not score that last touchdown so that they could run more time off the clock. When they let 57 seconds on the clock after their score I thought Tom Brady and co. would do it.

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Agreed

And in that order.

by kcsno56 on Feb 6, 2012 10:06 AM CST reply actions

Yes Welker doesn't miss those.

I feel for that guy more than anything.

When you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

Jamaal above all. #25 ftw.

CHIEFS WILL!

by NJChieffan16 on Feb 6, 2012 10:17 AM CST via mobile reply actions

apparently Tom Brady's lovely wife doesn't share your sympathy ...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/gisele-bundchen-rips-patriot-receivers-141619667.html

Twisted Lord of AP Color Commentary (H/T - Loco)
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hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2012 10:20 AM CST up reply actions

I can't remember seeing an NFL team allow their opponent to score.

When you gotta go in the lion's den, you don't go quiet. You go in loud, kick the door down and say WHERE IS THE SONUVABITCH. -B. Billick

by Brsrkr on Feb 6, 2012 10:23 AM CST reply actions

the Chiefs did that a lot the first few games of this year ...

oh, you mean … right, never mind ;-)

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2012 10:27 AM CST up reply actions

It was either get the ball with 15 seconds

or get the ball with a minute. Either way the Giants were gonna score unless Eli pulls a Phumblin Phil

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
Hammerfisting my own balls since 2006

by KingChief on Feb 6, 2012 10:30 AM CST up reply actions

Yep

Pretty brilliant move really. The only problem was that they should have done it earlier and saved themselves that second timeout. Loved the playcall there…and loved the awkwardness of that TD.

by cheapham on Feb 6, 2012 10:32 AM CST up reply actions

The Giants knew what they were trying to do

that’s why when Bradshaw tried to stop at the 1 but his momentum carried him into the endzone

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
Hammerfisting my own balls since 2006

by KingChief on Feb 6, 2012 10:40 AM CST up reply actions

If the Giants knew

they would have taken a knee or some such.

Blame my wife!
Just because I haven't responded, doesn't mean you won the argument!

by sir eccles on Feb 6, 2012 10:41 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah, only reason it worked is because it's so unheard of.

When you gotta go in the lion's den, you don't go quiet. You go in loud, kick the door down and say WHERE IS THE SONUVABITCH. -B. Billick

by Brsrkr on Feb 6, 2012 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

So you didn't see Bradshaw trying to stop on the 1?

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
Hammerfisting my own balls since 2006

by KingChief on Feb 6, 2012 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

I meant

If they knew “before the snap”

Blame my wife!
Just because I haven't responded, doesn't mean you won the argument!

by sir eccles on Feb 6, 2012 12:08 PM CST up reply actions

Packers did in their Super Bowl years ago

Arrowhead Pride
SBNation.com/NFL

by Joel Thorman on Feb 6, 2012 10:55 AM CST up reply actions

Which one?

When you gotta go in the lion's den, you don't go quiet. You go in loud, kick the door down and say WHERE IS THE SONUVABITCH. -B. Billick

by Brsrkr on Feb 6, 2012 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

Against the Broncos

I believe it was tied at the time…was the right decision.

by kcsno56 on Feb 6, 2012 11:10 AM CST up reply actions

I'd also have to think the Safety on the Pats first play of their first possession changed the game as well

their Defense had been on the field, got off then had to go back on again … and that 2 pts ended up being crucial as well

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2012 10:25 AM CST reply actions

Huge huge play

that last drive the Pats are going for 3 and not a TD if the Safety never happened

by Steve_in_RI on Feb 6, 2012 10:30 AM CST up reply actions

That was awesome. I knew the game was going to be well-officiated when they had the guts to make that call.

And then they let a bunch of pass interference go uncalled…..oh, well.

When you gotta go in the lion's den, you don't go quiet. You go in loud, kick the door down and say WHERE IS THE SONUVABITCH. -B. Billick

by Brsrkr on Feb 6, 2012 10:51 AM CST up reply actions

The pass to Welker could have been caught

but it was one of about 4 or 5 passes that were badly thrown by Brady last night. In slow motion, sure Welker should have had that. But at full speed that’s a tough catch to make turning back. Kudos to him for being a class act about it all. Giselle, not so much

by Steve_in_RI on Feb 6, 2012 10:29 AM CST reply actions

yup, Brady's good but he's not perfect

regardless of what Gisele thinks ;-)

by upamtn on Feb 6, 2012 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

Let's say a prayer for Giselle

I’ll send the email

by Steve_in_RI on Feb 6, 2012 10:42 AM CST up reply actions

Man, I can't really blame her for saying that to some douche talking crap about her husband seconds after they lose the Superbowl.

When you gotta go in the lion's den, you don't go quiet. You go in loud, kick the door down and say WHERE IS THE SONUVABITCH. -B. Billick

by Brsrkr on Feb 6, 2012 10:54 AM CST up reply actions

I can see not scoring to run the clock IF . . .

you have the lead, but when you’re behind, you gotta take the points. No scoring opportunity is 100%, and you’re losing. If the endzone is there, take it.

Plus, how great is doing the “scuba-diver backwards over the gunwhale” into the endzone?! Could be my new favorite touchdown taunt. Who will be the first to use it next year?

by bakerlee on Feb 6, 2012 11:44 AM CST reply actions

Jesus they wouldn't shut up about the Manningham catch - and way overinflated it

It was a good catch at a good time – but you would have thought that Manningham ripped out one of his own teeth, reached up and stabbed a pass that was out of reach and pulled it back in while one defender punched him in the balls and the other one rammed two fingers into his eyes.

This catch was in no way as impressive as Tyree’s catch – where the whole play was a complete circus. The fact that they immediately tried to equate the two only pissed me off. You see 25+ catches just like this one all through the season, and many catches that are far more impressive. The fact that Collinsworth and others wouldn’t shut the everloving fuck up about it only made it worse. The Tyree catch was in a class of its own.

“We’re going to be seeing this catch for the next 100 years… blah blah”. Shut up, no we won’t. It was a good catch and one of the better catches in the game, nice work Mario.

This wasn’t even as impressive as Santonio Holmes TD catch from Big Ben to win the SB vs. Arizona.

by Ochophosphate on Feb 6, 2012 12:03 PM CST reply actions

I couldn't disagree more.

Tyree’s catch, while awesome, had a major element of luck to it. Manningham’s catch was absolutely perfect execution.

by 71-South on Feb 6, 2012 12:28 PM CST up reply actions

I just think that's what made it spectacular

Tyree’s catch was flukey and absolutely had luck tied to it… and everything leading up to it – Manning breaking contain after being nearly tackled, it was all completely nuts. It was something like the Immaculate Reception – you’re probably never going to see anything like it ever again.

This catch, while perfectly executed, was just another sideline pass where the guy made a spectacular catch of a very good pass and kept his feet in-bounds.

You see this every week of the regular season, sometimes multiple times.

I’m probably bristling more because of the sheer diarrhea-of-love that spewed from the commentators mouths like they just witnessed Megan Fox scissoring Angelina Jolie.

by Ochophosphate on Feb 6, 2012 1:44 PM CST up reply actions

Nice simile there. Frustrating weekend?

That commentary was just a Collinsworth special. He’ll make up his mind about somthing in .0003 second, and then spend the next five minutes gushing about how he’s even more correct than he first suspected while fifteen replays simultaneously show him to have been hilariously wrong.

When you gotta go in the lion's den, you don't go quiet. You go in loud, kick the door down and say WHERE IS THE SONUVABITCH. -B. Billick

by Brsrkr on Feb 6, 2012 2:18 PM CST up reply actions