Back in 2007, many experts felt the Giants were a long shot to win it all, particularly after their 4-4 finish to the season after getting off to a 6-2 beginning. They proved all their doubters wrong by winning at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at the National Football Conference (NFC) East Division rivals the Dallas Cowboys and then beating the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in overtime to win the NFC. In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants were not even expected to be the American Football Conference (AFC) Champion Patriots who were seeking to become the first team to finish undefeated since the 1972 Dolphins. When it was all said and done the underdog Giants beat the Pats 17-14. In 2011 the circumstances were very similar. They got off to another 6-2 start, but five losses in their next six outings brought them to a 7-7 mark. Wins in their last two games over the New York Atlanta Falcons 24-2; won at the Packers 37-20 and gutted out a 20-17 overtime win at San Francisco Indianapolis
Similar to the Super Bowl back in 2008, the G-Men but together a final drive that went nine plays covering 88 yards in 2:49 that gave the Giants a 21-17 lead and eventually the victory when Pats quarterback Tom Brady’s hail marry pass in the closing seconds was knocked down in the end zone.
The victory gave “Big Blue” their second Super Bowl title in four years and they became the first team in NFL history to win it all after winning just nine games in the regular season. They also became the first team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and have the worst rushing attack in the NFL.
The two main reasons that the Giants were able to capture their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy in team history is their signal caller Eli Manning, who was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLVI and their stay the course head coach Tom Coughlin, who at one point this season many fans wanted gone.
“You share this with all the players. All the coaches, all the people that did a tremendous job to get us here,” said Coughlin, who at 65 years old became the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl
“To play against a great team like the Patriots and to have a finish like that that goes down in history. That’s a marvelous feeling.”
For Eli Manning, this Super Bowl win gave him his second title of his career, but once and for all proved that his no longer just the father of Archie Manning and the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts signal caller Peyton Manning, who sat out this season because of neck surgery and it is up in the air of weather he will play again as well as play for the Colts. However listening to Eli after the game, it was not about the fact he won his second title in the house that his brother built.
“It just feels good to win a Super Bowl. “It doesn’t matter where you are or what stadium,” said Manning, who went 30 for 40 for 296, a touchdown and no interceptions.
“Indianapolis been a great host of the Super Bowl, but I feel great for my teammates, my coaches and the Giants organization for all the dedication they put in this year to make this happen.”
Those teammates like they did in Super Bowl XLII came through in a big way. Four years ago, the last drive that was capped by a game-winning touchdown by for Giant wide receiver Plaxico Burress that gave the Giants a 17-14 would not had happened if former Giant wide receiver David Tyree made a spectacular catch with former safety and current NBC football analyst Rodney Harrison draped all over him as he made the catch. A similar situation took place last night when wide receiver Mario Manningham made a great catch keeping his feet in bounds that kept the game-winning drive going. It was capped by Ahmad Bradshaw with a 6-yard touchdown run that essentially gave the Giants the victory.
“We knew big plays were going to come. We just had to take advantage of them,” said Manningham, who had three receptions for 56 yards on that final drive.
Big plays were a plenty for another Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks who had 10 catches for 109 yards. One of the biggest plays though came from linebacker Chase Blackburn who killed a New England drive with an interception near the end zone late in the third quarter with the Pats leading 17-15. Not bad for a guy who was not even on the roster at the start of the season. In fact he was a substitute school teacher. He was a big reason why the Giants after putting a touchdown drive at the end of the first half and at the start of the third quarter held them scoreless the rest of the way.
“God works in mysterious ways. To get back here and be a part of this I can’t thank him enough” Blackburn , who won his second ring told WABC sports anchor Rob Powers after the game.
“I can’t imagine a better place to be…Being a part of the New York
When you win a Super Bowl, it is players and the coaches that make it happen, but it is the organization itself that sets the tone to allow the coaches to coach and the players to have the opportunity to go and perform. More than anything, especially in these last two Super Bowl triumphs, it takes gentleman like President and Chief Executive Office John K. Mara and Chairman and Executive Vice President Steve Tisch to stay the course in the best of times when the team was 6-2 to start both of these seasons and the worst of times particularly the three prior seasons when the Giants did not make the playoffs the last two or when they lost in the NFC Divisional Playoffs 23-11 to their East Division rivals the Philadelphia Eagles after going 12-4 in 2008.
“That’s just part of this business, but there’s not one coach in the league I would trade Tom Coughlin for. Were blessed him and he’s a two-time world champion now” Mara told NBC’s Dan Patrick after the game.
While having a strong ownership is important, it takes a strong fan base to build a team and that gives them the confidence and courage to perform to their potential. While fans can be tough at times, it takes that kind of high expectation to reach the mountaintop. As a result you get the kind of love that is unlike any other.
“We got the greatest fans in the world. The greatest players in the world; an unbelievable coach in Tom Coughlin and I want everybody in New York , New Jersey
With another Super Bowl to their credit, there are now going to be the questions of how does the quarterback coach tandem of Manning and Coughlin stack up to those other QB/coach duos that have won Super Bowls. How many more can they win? Coughlin, who was part of Bill Parcels staff when the Giants won Super Bowl XXV feels that kind of talk is irrelevant.
“I’m not about comparisons or anything of that nature,” Coughlin said to Patrick after the game.
“I’m very thankful. Very grateful for the opportunity I’ve had as head coach of the New York
It is also about players realizing being a part of something that is bigger than them. No one understands this better than rookie linebacker Mark Herzlich.
Three years ago the former Boston College star who was destined for the NFL was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that was in his leg. He was told by many that he may never walk again and he may even have his leg where the cancer infected taken off.
On Sept. 29, 2009 Herzlich announced that he was cancer free, which was confirmed by doctors. He returned to action for Boston College
Despite his comeback season, he was not drafted by any NFL team. He did get a chance with the Giants and he made the roster and now can call himself a Super Bowl champion.
“This is the thing miracles are made of and this team has fought through a lot and I’m proud to be part of it,” Herzlich said.
Powers said it best about Herzlich and the Giants as a whole when he said, “This is the fighting spirit of the New York New York
Tomorrow, the Giants will be celebrated by the New York faithful when they will have a victory parade that will go down the Parade of Heroes in New York City
It will be a celebration for a team that showed the value of sticking with it in the worst of times and celebrating the greatest of times.
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