February 5, 2008
If anyone had told you before the season started that the New York Giants would be Super Bowl champions, would you have believed them?
Heck, if they had told you a week ago they would defeat the previously undefeated New England Patriots on the NFL’s biggest stage, would you still have believed them then?
Don’t feel bad. I didn't expect it either.
But the so-called experts of the sports world were proven wrong when the NFC champion Giants, 13.5 point underdogs to the AFC champion Patriots, won the game 17-14 in a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback.
This may have been the greatest Super Bowl ever played. Not only was it a true David and Goliath story, but history was made, or rather history was prevented from being made.
The Patriots went into the game 18-0,one win away from becoming the NFL’s first-ever 19-0 team and first undefeated team since the 1972 Dolphins went 17-0.
The Patriots have been feared throughout the season as the perfect NFL team, with MVP quarterback Tom Brady leading and football genius Bill Belichick coaching.
Even before the season, people picked the Patriots to win it all after the additions of Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth and Adalius Thomas.
The team easily reached the Super Bowl with little opposition during their perfect regular season and postseason.
Meanwhile, the Giants had a much rockier road to Arizona. Before the season, star running back Tiki Barber retired, taking away the focal point of the Giants offense and forcing Eli Manning, brother of superstar Colts QB Peyton Manning, to mature quickly and become a star.
Defensively, the Giants faced a lot of questions with new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
However, the Giants were able to throw together a decent season, going 10-6 and winning three straight road playoff games to get to the Super Bowl.
The game was an old-fashioned defensive brawl for the most part. The first quarter ended with a 3-0 Giants lead, but the Patriots quickly scored to begin the second quarter and make it 7-3, which stayed the same throughout the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the game started to heat up. Both teams scored to make it 14-10 Patriots. Then began one of the most amazing drives in Super Bowl history.
With just over three minutes left in the game, at their own 17 and needing a TD to win, Eli Manning led the Giants on a 12-play, 87-yard comeback drive.
The drive was highlighted by an unbelievable play in which Manning escaped what looked to be a sure sack, dropped back and bombed it out to David Tyree who had an amazing catch using his helmet to balance the ball.
Three plays later, the Giants scored the winning touchdown with a 13 yard TD pass from Manning to Plaxico Burress, pulling the Giants ahead, 17-14.
With only 35 seconds left, the Patriots tried a few desperate Hail Mary throws that failed to do any damage, and when the clock hit 0, the Giants had officially won the biggest game in sports.
The victory means different things for both teams.
For the Giants, it will be remembered as the greatest underdog upset in Super Bowl history. More specifically, Eli Manning, who won the MVP award, will finally be given respect for being a top-notch NFL quarterback and a Super Bowl winner like his brother.
For the Patriots, it was a very public humiliation. The perfect team - which has become a model not just for other NFL franchises but for all other sports franchises - has been tarnished. This year's Patriots will be remembered as the team that had no excuse for losing.
The Giants will have some competition next year as they fight to retain their title. Specifically, they will have to beat the growing powers of the Packers, Cowboys and Seahawks in the NFC (and, of course, the Eagles).
As for the Patriots, they will have to go through a long off-season of shame before getting a chance to redeem themselves.
Sure, the game was great, but what about those crazy commercials? Nick Tamburini has the scoop on the winning advertisements.
