The New York Giants are your Super Bowl winners after beating the New England Patriots, 21-17, in a game very similar to the one these two teams played four years ago. There were plenty of incredible, unforgettable and legacy-defining moments throughout the game.
We'll start with...
Eli Manning is your MVP. I thought Tom Brady had the thing locked up until Manning's last drive. Brady broke Joe Montana's consecutive completions record (14) and at one point had completed 20-of-23 passes and two touchdowns. But Manning deserves the award for finishing it off. That final drive was impressive and while a lot of people will talk about Mario Manningham's catch you gotta remember Manning's throw was right on the money, in the one spot where only Manningham could catch it.
Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning take a big step to the Hall of Fame. Yes, this is way too early to talk about but a coach and a quarterback who have two Super Bowl titles are good contenders for Canton. And Manning is only 31 years old. He could still have several years of top-notch football left. And what if they win three? Crazier things have happened (like them winning two).
Patriots dynasty takes a hit. So how do you view the Patriots? They're easily the best team in the last decade, in my opinion, but now they've lost two Super Bowl games. They started out 3-0 in Super Bowls but the last two losses have dinged their legacy a little bit. Again, I'm not saying they're not one of the greatest dynasties ever. They have been in five Super Bowls in this run, after all. I'm just saying I think you have to reassess where they fit with two blemishes on the Super Bowl record.
Plenty of game changing moments. Chase Blackburn's interception. Mario Manningham's catch (and Manning's throw). Wes Welker's drop. All huge. I'll talk about the two that I thought were the biggest a little later today (with some video to re-live it).
I'll say this about the Patriots: They know how to play an exciting Super Bowl game. The four-point margin in this game was the largest point margin in the Patriots last five Super Bowl appearances. The last four were all by three points.