INDIANAPOLIS – Eli Manning and the New York Giants, all but given up on mid-December, saved their best for the last, pulling out a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against the New England Patriots to finish off a brilliant stretch of play with a 21-17 victory Sunday for the franchises’ fourth Super Bowl title.
Manning delivered a 78-yard touchdown drive, capped by an uncontested 6-yard touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw with 1:04 to play. New England tried to give Tom Brady as much time for a comeback as possible, but the Giants defense stopped them to seal the victory.
It was Manning’s seventh fourth-quarter winning drive of the season for the Giants, who seemed to court disaster and play their best with everything hanging in the balance. It also signaled another late-game, Super Bowl outdueling of Brady, considered among the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Manning previously won a duel between the two in Super Bowl XLII.
“Some of these guys are getting their first one [Super Bowl victory],” Manning said. “I feel great for everybody.”
The Giants took over at their own 12-yard line, trailing 17-15 with just 3:46 remaining. Manning started with a pass to Mario Manningham, who made a circus 38-yard grab down the sideline. The Giants moved methodically the rest of the way, both killing the clock, burning New England timeouts and eventually forcing the Patriots to concede the winning points rather than allow a field goal with no time left. Read more
