Nobody thought the NY Giants had it in them. Nobody imagined their 24-point hole was anything but a grave.
NE came into the game as the favorite due to an offense that had rolled over virtually every opponent in dramatic fashion the entire sesaon, setting numerous records along the way. When they exploded for 38 points while building a 38-14 lead with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, nearly everyone on the planet followed TMQ's lead by writing "game over" in their journals.
But it was not meant to be NE's day.
The game began with NE driving methodically down the field after the opening kickoff to the NY 33 yard line. Trying to squeeze a pass into Wes Welker, Brady makes the first mistake of the game, however, and is intercepted by Mitchell on the 23.
NY takes immediate advantage of the turnover when Plaxico Burress gets past the defense and Manning hits him for the 77 yard score. In two plays, the entire complexion of the game is changed. What looked like a sure NE score turned into a Giant 7-0 lead within 10 seconds.
Fans, players, former players and media members the globe over are hoping against hope that NY will ride the wave and knock the Giant over. Like many wishes, it isn't granted exactly as desired.
Rather than be deflated, the quick turnaround seems to energize the Patriots. When they tie it up on a pass to Moss with 4 minutes remaining in the 1st, most take it in stride. Surely the Giants weren't shutting NE out.
But the barage had only begun.
After a NY punt, Brady leads NE down the field again, hitting Watson for the lead taking TD.
The Giants respond with an efficient drive of their own, retying the game on a Jacobs 1 yard run. Giant fans would wait for quite some time before seeing NY near the end zone again.
NE's next drive goes nowhere, largely because of a Justin Tuck sack of Brady, but NY fumbles the punt and NE recovers on NY's 8 yard line. Like NY before them, NE immediately turns the extra possesion into points when Brady finds Moss open in the back of the end zone.
NY's comedy of errors continues when Manning is picked by James Sanders near midfield. Three straight passes to Faulk account for 43 yards of offense before Brady hits Moss for his 3rd TD of the game and a 28-14 halftime lead.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, NY's goes for a 4th down on their opening possession of the 3rd quarter. Unfortunately, Jacobs is stuffed giving NE the ball back once again.
Another touchdown, this time on a 6 yard run by Maroney, caps NE's responding drive giving them a seemingly insurmountable 35-14 lead.
Oddly enough, despite even expanding further, the lead would prove short-lived.
After another scoreless drive by NY, NE again marches right down the field to the Giants' 3 yard line. On 3rd down, Brady moves in the pocket, finds Watson wide open in the right corner of the endzone... and he dropped it! Thinking, like everyone else at this point, that the game was over anyway, Watson just laughs it off and struts back to the sideline. NE kicks the FG to take a 24 point lead at 38-14.
They never scored again.
Surprising no one, NY switched things up on their next drive by going with their two minute offense. What was surprising, however, was just how effective they were. 2:12 later, they were lining up for a 2 point try after Manning had hit Burress for his second TD on the day. Manning to Burress again brought the score to 38-22.
NE responded lethargically with a 3 and out, and Hanson, standing one yard deep in the end zone, lets lose. Oh what a terrible punt. NY fair catches the ball on NE's 41 yard line. And there's a flag on the field! NE is being called for a personal foul!
Starting on the 27 yard line, NY quickly scores again on a 14 yard scramble by Manning. Another two point catch by Burress brings the score to 38-30 just five seconds into the 4th quarter. What a turn of events.
Clearly inspired by the offense's scores, NY's defense steps up again forcing their second straight three and out. NE's punt is better this time around, but their defense is gassed. NY lets lose with another long drive, this one 15 plays long and lasting nearly five minutes despite two NY timeouts. Somehow, NE holds NY out of the end zone forcing a FG, which NY takes bringing the score to 38-33.
NY's decision looks wrong as NE's offense takes their cue and moves methodically down the field. Visions of NE's 9 minute drive to end the AFCCG are dancing in NE's fans heads as Brady hands the ball off to Maroney with 3 minutes remaining on 3rd and 2. It's close. The chains are called for. It's short! But NE is still well withing range of a game sealing field goal. Gostkowski lines up... here's the snap....
IT'S LOW! NE CAN'T EVEN GET THE KICK OFF! NY HAS ANOTHER CHANCE!
Given their opportunity to pull off this historic comeback, NY does not let their fans down. It almost seems preordained that a TD is coming as NY just marches right down the field. Amani Toomer's TD caps off one of the most memorable drives in SB history. The two point conversion fails, but NE still finds themselves down 39-38 with only one minute remaining.
Although they are trailing, NE likes their position when a great return by Hobbs sets up NE near midfield. Brady deals lasers while bringing NE to NY's 24 yard line with 6 seconds remaining.
Again, Gostkowski lines up...here's the snap AGAIN....
IT'S OFF AGAIN! MATT CASSELL HAS THE BALL! HE"S ROLLING OUT! THERE'S NO WAY HE"S MAKING THE FIRST DOWN! HE THROWS THE BALL! IT'S INCOMPLETE! THE GIANTS WIN!
In the mess that follows, it is disclosed that the intended target, Mike Vabel, was interfered with, but it went uncalled because the back judge didn't realize he was an eligible receiver. Fans of NE are brought to tears as humanity rejoices. The devil's spawn have been slayed and everything is right with the world again.
Feeling responsible for the loss, Brady retires immediately, forcing NE to draft a QB with the 7th pick in the 2008 draft. The magic clearly gone, the QB is a monumental flop. Oddly enough, after spending years defending Brady, it is him abandoning the team that finally proves how valuable he really was as the team slinks into mediocrity. As more years pass by, even mediocrity seems like an achievement. Instead of being the final piece that would prove their greatness, SB 42 ultimately proves to be NE's undoing.
Enjoy these last few days everyone, it's about to get ugly real fast.
