Manning leads Giants past Brady, Patriots to
Super Bowl title
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
February 6, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — Here in the stadium that Peyton built, in the city that
Peyton has all but owned, little brother just gave big brother a shot of
humility.
Eli Manning may still have a long way to go before he surpasses the
greatness of big bro Peyton Manning. But by leading the New York Giants
to another late comeback win in the Super Bowl, this one by a 21-17 score
over the Patriots on Sunday, Eli Manning now has two fairly significant
accomplishments that Peyton doesn't.
One, 31-year-old Eli has two Super Bowl titles, while 35-year-old Peyton has one —
and with a bum neck at that.
And two, Eli has outdueled Tom Brady twice in the two times it mattered most. For
all of big brother's
greatness, Brady typically had Peyton's number.
"I don't think that's the story," Eli Manning said at the podium reserved for the
Super Bowl MVP. "The story is the New York Giants are world champions. That's
what I'm proud of. That's all that matters."
In a memorable duel between two splendid quarterbacks at Lucas Oil Stadium, and
a semi-surprising low-scoring game of two strong offenses, Manning and Brady and
the Giants and Patriots came down to the final 3 minutes and 46 seconds.
The Giants were trailing 17-15 at that point and had the ball at their 12. Manning
opened the drive with a 38-yard strike down the left sideline to Mario Manningham,
who did a magnificent job tiptoeing both feet inbounds at midfield.
"That first play they made on our sideline was a phenomenal throw and catch,"
Brady said. "That got them going. They deserved to win. They made more plays
than we did."
Manning would complete another 16-yarder to Manningham and 14-yarder to
Hakeem Nicks. With time running out on the Pats, coach Bill Belichick ordered his
defense to allow running back Ahmad Bradshaw to score uncontested from 6 yards
out.
Yes, that put the Giants up 21-17. But it also gave Brady 57 seconds to operate. If
not for a couple of dropped passes in the final drive, Brady might have pulled it off.
From midfield, his final heave to the end zone on the season's final play was
deflected, batted and bounced — almost into the hands of diving Patriots tight end
Rob Gronkowski. It fell incomplete, and a ceiling of Giants confetti fell from the
closed roof of Peyton's stadium.
For the second time in four years, Manning led the Giants to a final-second
touchdown to beat Brady, Belichick and the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
"Eli's the best quarterback in the National Football League," said Giants running
back Brandon Jacobs.
Come on, Brandon. Best?
"Drew Brees is a good quarterback. He's at home," Jacobs said. "Aaron Rodgers is a
good quarterback. He's at home. Tom Brady's a good quarterback."
And Manning just beat him twice in two Super Bowls.
"Beat him twice," Jacobs repeated.
Does it mean something that a Manning finally has Brady's number, even if it's the
kid brother?
"No question," Jacobs said. "You can ask Tom Brady that. I bet he'd tell you the
same thing."
Brady avoids such questions. He and Belichick were seeking their own special shot
at history. Win and they would have joined the Steelers' Chuck Noll and Terry
Bradshaw as the only coach-quarterback combination with four Super Bowl titles.
Belichick and Brady still are stuck at three. They started 3-0 in Super Bowl games.
They are now 3-2, having lost two in the final seconds to Eli Manning and the
Giants.
"I'll keep coming to this game and keep trying," Brady said. "I'd rather come to this
game and lose than not get here. Hopefully, we'll be back at some time."
Before a sold-out crowd and approximately 150 million more watching at home, Eli
Manning got his second Super Bowl MVP award in five seasons by completing 30-of40 for 296 yards, one touchdown and a 103.8 passer rating.
For all the breakdowns, analysis and opinions communicated in the days leading up
to this game, no strategy may have had a greater impact than the opening coin
toss.
The Patriots won to break the AFC's 14-year, coin flip losing streak, but then turned
around and deferred.
The immediate result: Before New England could run its second play, the Giants
had run 19 plays and were up 9-0.
The reason coaches defer, though, is because it generally works out so their team
has the final possession of the first half, then gets the first possession of the second
half.
The Pats executed this strategy to perfection. Check that. Brady executed to
perfection. And by perfection, we mean 16-of-16 passing.
Down 9-3 with 4:03 left until the Madonna halftime show, Brady went 10-of-10 on
the final drive, finishing it up with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tiny tailback Danny
Woodhead.
The Pats were leading, 10-9. Halftime, Madonna plays. Eli and the Giants continue
to sit.
The second half starts and once again, the Patriots get the ball. First play, Brady
zings a 21-yard completion to Chad Ochocinco. Brady went 6-of-6 on the drive for
another 54 yards, and another touchdown, this one a 12-yard pass to an
embarrassingly wide-open tight end Aaron Hernandez. (Read that sentence before,
Bronco fans?)
So without Eli Manning and the Giants' offense touching the ball (except for one
kneel down), they went from leading 9-3 to trailing 17-9.
That's why coaches defer the coin toss.
Remarkable as those two Pats scoring drives that were sandwiched halftime,
though, they were still only two drives. And that wasn't enough to put away
Manning.
Peyton's younger — but more postseason poised — brother completed 4-of-4
passes to start his first drive of the second half that ended with a field goal.
It was just enough to change momentum.
"I think it's special because of the city here," said Archie Manning, the father of
Peyton and Eli. "This city has meant a lot to our family for 14 years. Yes, it was
special."
BESTS
QBs were more than OK
Sensational quarterback play: The Giants' Eli Manning started 9-of-9, a Super
Bowl record at the start of the game. The Pats' Tom Brady finished the first half and
started the second 16-of-16 with two TDs.
Big interception: Giants LB Chase Blackburn made a terrific interception on a
deep pass intended for Pats TE Rob Gronkowski early in the fourth quarter. Brady
spotted what was supposed to be a mismatch but underthrew the ball. Blackburn
outmaneuvered Gronkowski for the ball inside the Giants' 10.
No ring for Josh: As Rams offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels led the team to
NFL-worst 12.1 points per game. McDaniels nearly cherry-picked on the Pats'
postseason as an offensive assistant, but karma won out.
WORSTS
Miscues put Pats in a hole
Patriots' penalties: The Pats fell behind 9-0 due to penalties — 2-0 on a
debatable grounding penalty in the end zone and a fumble recovery overturned for
having 12 men on the field. The Giants then scored.
Giants' fumbling ways: The Giants fumbled three times, but the Patriots didn't
get any of them. One Pats recovery was wiped out by a penalty, and a Giants
lineman recovered the other two.
Missed opportunity: The Pats had a chance to win it at around the four-minute
mark in the fourth, but from the Giants 44, Brady threw behind a wide-open Wes
Welker around the 20 and then underthrew Deion Branch across the middle, and
the Pats had to punt.
Coughlin earns his place among super
coaches
By Mike Klis and Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
February 6, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — If Bill Belichick is a genius, what does that make Tom Coughlin?
Belichick had been 3-0 as Super Bowl coach until he ran into Tom Coughlin and the
New York Giants.
Now, Belichick is 3-2. Coughlin, whose job often seems to be in peril every time his
Giants hit a slump amid the New York media market, is tied for fourth with two
Super Bowl victories.
The 21-17 victory here Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI made the 65- year-old Coughlin
the oldest coach to win the big game.
Pittsburgh's Chuck Noll holds the record with four Super Bowl victories. Bill Walsh,
Joe Gibbs and Belichick have three. Coughlin is tied with Vince Lombardi, Mike
Shanahan, George Seifert, Bill Parcells, Tom Landry, Tom Flores, Don Shula and
Jimmy Johnson with two. (Lombardi also won three NFL championships before the
Super Bowl.)
"I'm not about comparisons or anything of that nature," Coughlin said. "I'm very
thankful and very grateful for the opportunity that I've had as coach of the New
York Giants."
Not his day.Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was limited with a high ankle
sprain he suffered against the Ravens in the AFC title game, put in a game effort
but was not at his best.
Gronkowski, with both ankles heavily taped, finished with two catches for 26 yards.
He could not move with his usual explosiveness and was taken out of the lineup on
several occasions with former Colorado tackle Nate Solder serving as the team's
second tight end.
"I was good," Gronkowski said. "I was 100 percent out there, doing everything they
asked me to do."
Unkind cut. The Patriots released wide receiver Tiquan Underwood on the eve of
the Super Bowl, a rare and painful transaction for Underwood. The Patriots were
looking for more depth on special teams because of Gronkowski's injury and signed
defensive end Austin Silvestro from their practice squad.
However, while Silvestro was in uniform for the game, he did not play. Via Twitter,
Underwood said: "Im Fine, This Will Only Make Me Stronger ... Tough Times Never
Last But Tough Ppl Do."
Safety dance. The Giants scored the seventh safety in Super Bowl history when
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was called for intentional grounding on his first
pass attempt of the game.
Brady was pressured in the pocket by Giants defensive end Justin Tuck on New
England's first play from scrimmage and threw a pass from his own end zone deep
down the middle of the field. There was no receiver in the area and he was flagged
for intentional grounding — an automatic safety if the pass was made from the end
zone.
Close call. Giants defensive end Chris Canty, who had made the closest thing to a
guarantee this past week when he said New York Giants fans should get ready for a
victory parade, offered a score prediction Sunday morning. On his Twitter account,
Canty said: "Giants 28, New England 17."
Brady ties Elway. With his start Sunday night, Brady joined Broncos Hall of Fame
quarterback John Elway as the only quarterbacks to start five Super Bowls. Elway
went 2-3 in his title game starts, with losses to the Redskins, 49ers and Giants to
go with victories over the Packers and the Falcons. Brady is 3-2 in his Super Bowl
appearances, with both of the losses coming to the Giants in his past two
appearances.
"We just didn't make enough plays," Brady said.
Footnotes. Four Super Bowls have been decided by a touchdown scored in the
game's final minutes, with the Giants and Patriots having now authored two of
those games. ... With Eli Manning's MVP award, the last nine Super Bowl MVPs have
been quarterbacks or wide receivers — six quarterbacks and three wide receivers.
Giants make all the right plays at the right
times
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
February 6, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — The Giants spent much of the week showing the world their
confidence about the possibilities of winning Super Bowl XLVI, and they went out and
backed up their words with football deeds. The Giants won their second championship
in the last five seasons with a 21-17 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium. Here's how they did
it:
Eli Manning is made for the big stage. Manning's flatline composure was once
thought of as a negative. No more. The younger Manning now has two Super Bowl
victories on his résumé by his 31st birthday, and he has done it with late-game heroics
each time, also besting a future Hall of Famer in Tom Brady twice along the way.
Manning showed no jitters from the jump as he opened the game 9-of-9 passing.
The Giants harassed Brady just enough. They didn't pile up the sacks — they
finished with two — but they disrupted the rhythm of the Patriots' offense just enough.
Defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Rocky Bernard forced Brady out of the pocket on a
key play in the fourth quarter that resulted in linebacker Chase Blackburn's
interception.
The Giants found Plan B. The Patriots' defensive plans kept double coverage on
Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz for most of the night. But instead of forcing the issue
and losing his cool, Manning maintained his patience and found other people. Hakeem
Nicks finished with 10 catches for 109 yards, and Mario Manningham made the gamechanging play with a 38-yard toe dance on the sideline in the closing minutes.
The Patriots did not find enough Plan B. With Rob Gronkowski clearly hurting on a
bad ankle, Brady's favorite target was a non-factor in the passing game with two
receptions for 26 yards. It was a struggle at times for Brady, who had leaned so much
on Gronkowski in key situations all season long. Aaron Hernandez had eight receptions
and Wes Welker had seven catches, but the big-play Patriots did not have any pass
plays longer than 20 yards.
Tom Coughlin got it done — again. Folks were calling for the Giants coach's head
late in the season, when New York was 7-7. But for the second time he constructed a
game plan worthy of a title-game victory and oversaw a confident team that played its
best when it mattered most.
He has done what no other head coach has. He beat Bill Belichick, not once, but twice,
in the Big Game.
Manningham reception perfect play for Giants
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — Another forever moment, another remember-when catch dialed
up when the New York Giants absolutely, positive6ly needed it.
Quarterback Eli Manning's 38-yard guided missile up the left sideline Sunday night
not only was the longest play of Super Bowl XLVI, it was a snapshot for all time as
the Giants used another improbable catch to defeat the New England Patriots in the
league's title game for the second time in the past five seasons.
It was the result of the right-time efforts of those involved, but also one built
through their efforts throughout the game.
"I had no doubt Eli would make a play in the moment," Giants wide receiver Victor
Cruz said. "And I had no doubt Mario could make a play like that at the right time."
With the Patriots leading 17-15 with 3 minutes, 46 seconds remaining in the game,
the Giants' offense stood over the ball at their 12-yard line. And with the game on
the line, they found themselves still wrestling with what every offense wrestles with
against Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
That is, wrestling with what to do, with how to win, when Belichick's scheme
removes a key piece from the offense's puzzle.
The Patriots had made their defensive intentions known from the opening snap,
doubling Cruz in the slot at almost every opportunity. Cruz had led New York in
catches, yards and receiving touchdowns in the regular season and was routinely at
the epicenter of their game-changing plays.
An explosive catch-and-run playmaker, Cruz had all of two receptions for 10 yards
at the end of three quarters Sunday night, only four catches for 25 fairly harmless
yards when the Giants opened their final possession.
"Then we hit Mario Manningham on the go route," Manning said.
"That was Manningham's play, that put us over the top," wide receiver Hakeem
Nicks said. "For real, that's the play that put us over the top. That was clutch and
we made it at the right time."
On first-and-10, in a three-wide receiver set, Manningham was lined up as lone
wide receiver to the left side of the formation with Cruz in the right slot and Nicks
wide right to go with Manning in the shotgun. The Giants had tight end Bear
Pascoe, their only tight end who had not already been injured in the game, on the
outside shoulder of left tackle David Diehl, flipping the strong side of the formation
to the left.
Running back Ahmad Bradshaw was lined up just to Manning's right, as the extra
blocker to that side of the formation.
But the Giants had constructed the moment, that formation, throughout the game.
Because they had run the ball so effectively out of their three-wide receiver look for
much of the evening — the Giants rushed for 114 yards overall in the game — the
Patriots abandoned their 3-4 look and instead answered with four down linemen as
the Giants opened what became the game-winning drive.
That left New England with two linebackers in coverage to go with five defensive
backs. One of those defensive backs, cornerback Sterling Moore, who had knocked
the ball away from Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans in the AFC championship game
to put the Patriots in the title game, found himself isolated on Manningham and lost
his battle at the moment Manningham went by him after the snap.
The Patriots safeties were in the middle of the field to help on the inside routes, in a
cover-2 look, in particular Cruz's cut to the inside, as well as the possibility the
Giants would run on first down. Manning quickly glanced right before looking
Manningham's way. He threw to Manningham's outside shoulder with Moore trailing
the play, and Manning dropped the ball into Manningham's waiting hands.
Manningham already had a firm grip on the ball by the time safety Patrick Chung
arrived, with Manningham dragging his toes as he fell out of bounds.
"They were in a cover-2. That's usually not how you match up," Manning said.
"They had us covered pretty well to the right. I saw I had the safety cheated in a
bit and threw it down the sideline."
"We just couldn't quite make enough plays," Belichick said. "There really isn't too
much more to say about it."
Manning then hit Manningham on his next two completions, for 16 and 2 yards,
respectively, and eventually turned it all into a nine-play, 88-yard scoring drive that
gave the franchise its fourth Super Bowl victory.
All with David Tyree on the team's sideline. Manningham joins Tyree in team lore
since it was Tyree's 32-yard against-the-helmet catch, on a third-and-5 play, that
was the key play in the Giants' game-winning drive in Super Bowl XLII to close out
the 2007 season.
"We were just trying to be patient," Manningham said. "You have to be patient with
this game. You take what the defense gives you, you react to what you see. It was
a great call at the right time. The ball was perfect. All I had to do was get my feet
down and hang on. We had a lot of confidence, we felt like we could make the plays
we had to make."
Driven to win
The Giants went 88 yards in nine plays in the final minutes of Super Bowl XLVI for
the win:
Field position, Time, The play:











First-and-10 at Giants 12, 3:46, Mario Manningham 38-yard pass from Eli
Manning
First-and-10 at midfield, 3:39, Manning incomplete pass, intended for
Manningham
Second-and-10 at midfield, 3:34, Manningham 16-yard pass from Manning
First-and-10 at Patriots 34, 2:52, Manningham 2-yard pass from Manning
Second-and-8 at Patriots 32, 2:09, Hakeem Nicks 14-yard pass from
Manning
First-and-10 at Patriots 18, 2:00, Ahmad Bradshaw 7-yard run
Second-and-3 at Patriots 11, 1:15, Nicks 4-yard pass from Manning
First-and-goal at Patriots 7, 1:09, Bradshaw 1-yard run
Second-and-goal at Patriots 6, 1:04, Bradshaw 6-yard run for touchdown
Two-point conversion run attempt failed
Giants 21, Patriots 17
Super Bowl QBs make great impression on
veteran Broncos coach Joe Collier
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
February 6, 2012
Joe Collier spent his entire 30-year NFL coaching career designing defenses, yet
Collier watched the Super Bowl at his home in awe of the Giants' and Patriots'
offenses.
"The quarterbacks were unbelievable," said Collier, who was the Broncos' defensive
coordinator from 1969-1988. "(Tom) Brady had a couple of bad throws, but both of
them were so accurate. I don't know how they can do it."
Neither Brady nor Giants quarterback Eli Manning — the game's MVP — topped 300
passing yards, but both threw with precision. Manning completed 30-of-40 passes
(75 percent), and Brady — who completed a Super Bowl record 16 consecutive
passes in a stretch in the second and third quarters — completed 27-of-41 (65.9
percent).
"I don't think either defense was great," Collier said, "but they were both up against
a real good quarterback."
Collier noticed the similarities to the Giants' game-winning touchdown — a run by
Ahmad Bradshaw — and the Terrell Davis touchdown run in the fourth quarter of
Super Bowl XXXII against the Packers.
Both defenses appeared to allow the offense to score in order to give their own
offense another chance for a final drive. Both times, the tactic failed.
"It was probably the right thing to do. Otherwise you're just sitting there watching
the clock run out," Collier said. "At least (the Patriots) had a chance."
But what about the rest of the Super Bowl experience?
"Madonna was average," Collier said, laughing.
Dusty Saunders: NBC's TV team again earns
rave reviews
By Dusty Saunders
The Denver Post
February 6, 2012
A spectacular Super Bowl deserves way-above-average TV coverage.
NBC provided viewers that important ingredient during the Giants' 21-17 victory
over the Patriots.
I hesitate to use the word spectacular in describing the work of Al Michaels, Cris
Collinsworth and the network's production crew.
After all, it was their job to perform at a top level.
Still, the network's quality performance added to the on-the-field drama that ended
with Tom Brady tossing an incomplete Hail Mary pass into the end zone.
Michaels, working his eighth Super Bowl, noted last week that his only major fear in
Super Bowl coverage was "a blowout." He spoke firsthand. He did play-by-play for
ABC in 1988 when the Redskins blew out the Broncos 42-10.
Michaels and Collinsworth were in sync from the start, capturing the ebb and flow
of the lead-changing contest.
And they helped build viewer excitement during key points.
With 3:46 remaining, the Giants had the ball, trailing 17-15.
Collinsworth told his partner "Here we go again!" — referencing that this game
could duplicate the ending of the 2007 Super Bowl when the Giants rallied to beat
the Patriots in the final minutes.
When Giants receiver Mario Manningham made a spectacular catch of Eli Manning's
pass for a 38-yard gain, Michaels chimed in: "Here we go again, part two!"
Both agreed the catch was reminiscent of the one David Tyree made to set up the
winning Super Bowl victory four years earlier.
The cameras segued to the Giants' bench to see Tyree, in street clothes, smiling
while soaking up the drama.
Because of the ongoing electronic magic in sports coverage, we often take football
replays for granted. But the several angles shown of Manningham's catch displayed
his valiant, successful effort.
Producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff, longtime NFL game veterans,
were on target throughout with replay coverage and timely, not overdone, looks at
the sidelines and owners boxes.
Collinsworth's major strength is to mix his analysis with praise and valid criticism.
There were times when rebukes gave viewers food for thought, like when the
Giants blew two timeouts with less than 10 minutes remaining.
He also noted early in the first quarter that the teams "looked unsettled" and were
making key mistakes.
There's an oft-quoted sports bromide: "The better the game, the better the
coverage."
NBC proved that Sunday night.
Tebow TV time. Predictably, high-profile Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was one
of the "stars" in the "NFL Awards," a glitzy, two-hour NBC Saturday night show — a
rowdy version of the Oscars and Emmys.
Host Alec Baldwin spoofed Tebow by kneeling in a prayer pose. The smiling Tebow
jumped on stage, knelt down and demonstrated the art of Tebowing. Tebow also
accepted the "Never Say Never" award for late-game comebacks.
Broadcasting names. Veteran sports reporter Todd Romero has joined Altitude
Sports & Entertainment, primarily as a Rapids play-by-play announcer alongside
Marcelo Balboa.
Other duties include working as a studio host and sideline reporter for coverage of
Avalanche, Nuggets and Mammoth games. A Denver native, Romero spent six
years at KUSA-9 and has worked for KDVR-31 and for TV outlets in Kansas City,
Mo., and Orlando, Fla.
Adam Schefter is now being heard exclusively in Denver on 102.3 FM ESPN, after a
seven-year run on KOA 850 AM. The former sportswriter (Rocky Mountain News
and The Denver Post) has been on a national TV fast track as an NFL "insider" since
leaving Denver in 2004, first for the NFL Network and then ESPN. Even public
television wants him. Schefter was on Charlie Rose's PBS show last week, providing
Super Bowl predictions.
Longtime Denver journalist Dusty Saunders writes about sports media each Monday
in The Denver Post. Reach him at [email protected].
ESPN rolls out best on black history
ESPN is in the midst of airing 150 hours celebrating Black History Month.
A highlight: A new documentary about the life of Goose Tatum, a legendary Harlem
Globetrotters star, airing at 6 p.m. on Feb.26.
Other programming, featured on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPNU, includes
profiles of Walter Payton, Jackie Robinson, Zina Garrison and Hank Aaron, plus
archival fight footage of Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and George Foreman.
Super Bowl ad snark — join us!
By Joanne Ostrow
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
Here’s the 2012 Volkwagon ad, complete with Star Wars ending,
continuing the theme…
Will you be watching the biggest advertising game of the year? Will you have
something snarky to say about the spots?
Advertisers are paying as much as $3.5 million per 30-second spot this year, rolling
out eye-catching or funny or perhaps memorably stupid ads. (Seen those barking
dogs for VW?)
The Denver Post has assembled a panel of professionals — ad execs, marketers and
academics — to comment on the best/worst ads, as in years past. And we welcome
your tweets to run alongside the story in Monday’s paper.
Lots of the Super Bowl ads are online already, extending the life of those expensive
spots. But please tweet in real time. #SuperBowlAds
Super Bowl XLVI makes the podium
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
Of the almost two dozen Super Bowls I’ve had the good fortune to have covered
through the years, Sunday’s 21-17 Giants victory made the top three.
The quarterback match-up of Eli Manning against Tom Brady, the coaching matchup between Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin and the fact it was a rematch of one of
the best Super Bowls ever played just four years ago all swirled together to form
high drama with the trophy on the line.
And it more than lived up to its potential. Toss in some legitimate defense played
by both teams, some late-game drama and Manning’s prime-time performance and
you had all the makings of what a title game is supposed to look like.
The top three Super Bowls I’ve covered:
–Super Bowl XXXIV. Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson was tackled by Rams
linebacker Mike Jones one-yard short of tying the game on the game’s last play.
Often lost in the haze of memories was Kurt Warner’s moon-shot throw to Isaac
Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown with just under two minutes to play in the game.
The Titans had just tied the game at 16-16 and Warner’s throw gave the Rams their
game-winning score on the next play from scrimmage.
–Super Bowl XLVI. Sunday night’s game was tense, hard-fought and in the year of
the passer, underscored once again the importance of being able to stop people in
the biggest games. With Manning’s composure on the game’s biggest stage and the
Patriots coming within inches of scoring on Tom Brady’s final heave into the
endzone and it had all of the makings of the title game’s short list of rememberwhen affairs.
–Super Bowl XLII. There have been other close games, but the fact the Patriots
were on the doorstep of being the league’s first-ever 18-0 team and had set a pile
of league scoring records in the regular season made the Giants win one for the
books as well. David Tyree’s against-the-helmet catch will always be one of the title
game’s signature plays.
Josh McDaniels, NFL’s worst O-coordinator
this season, could get Super Bowl ring today
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — Let’s review this one more time so I can understand.
Josh McDaniels, the most reviled head coach in Broncos history, becomes the St.
Louis Rams’ offensive coordinator. He finishes the season with the Rams, who
average an NFL-worst 12.1 points per game while McDaniels turns Sam Bradford,
the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010, into the 30th ranked passer.
And today, McDaniels may well be rewarded for that horrific coaching season by
getting a Super Bowl ring?
In times likes these, I need to try real hard to soften the heart.
Thoughts on NFL’s new Hall of Fame class:
Stanfel, Haley, Shields were deserving;
Parcells omission the right call
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — I’m tired of all this crying for Cris Carter.
There were three other players who didn’t make it into the Hall of Fame on
Saturday and were way more deserving than Carter: Charles Haley, Dick Stanfel
and Will Shields. Haley was a dominant defensive player with the 49ers and
Cowboys and is the only player who has 5 Super Bowl rings. He also has 100 sacks.
SLAM DUNK!
Stanfel was one of only two players pushed forward by the senior writers, who are
the only people around who can speak intelligently about the old days. I’m not
saying the senior committee shouldn’t be questioned. I didn’t like Charlie Sanders
inclusion a few years back. But I saw Sanders play. I didn’t see Stanfel, an NFL
guard for only seven years and the Bears’ offensive line during much of their
heyday from 1981-92. If the senior committee’s research says Stanfel is worthy,
he’s worthy.
Shields went to 12 Pro Bowls. ‘Nuff said.
Don’t misunderstand: The 5 modern-era Hall of Famers for the class of 2012 were
all deserving. But Stanfel was the greatest snub, followed by Haley.
I do think the Hall of Fame voting committee got it right by rejecting Bill Parcells.
Yeah, he was a great coach. And he was a quitter. Canton is no place for quitters.
Besides, Parcells only won two Super Bowls. Mike Shanahan did that. And Parcells
suffered too long from Larry Brown disease to be considered great.
Want to feel old? John Lynch is eligible for
Hall of Fame in 2013
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — Has it really been five years since John Lynch played?
The former Broncos safety and nine-time Pro Bowler will be eligible for the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
So will Rod Smith, the Broncos’ all-time leading receiver in the three major
categories, but it does seem like he’s been away awhile because he missed his
entire final season of 2007 with a hip injury.
Lynch, Smith and Terrell Davis should at least make the cut to the final 25 modernera candidates next year. I think all three should get to the final 15, too, but no
promises. Steve Atwater, Karl Mecklenburg and Davis made the final 25 this year.
KOA’s Alan Roach part of Super Bowl pregame entertainment
By Jeff LEgwold
The Denver Post
February 5, 2012
KOA’s Alan Roach, who is handling the public address duties at Lucas Oil Field
today, is being featured on the stadium’s Jumbotrons as part of the pre-game video
being shown to fans.
Roach was interviewed by the NFL Network and a feature with Roach taking surfing
lessons surfing from surfing legend Kelly Slater during Pro Bowl week in Hawaii was
shown.
Best stat in Super Bowl history: The coin toss
By mike klis
the Denver post
February 5, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS — This stat blew me away.
No, it wasn’t Tom Brady’s career passer rating in his four Super Bowls. No, it wasn’t Eli
Manning’s comeback numbers.
The Super Bowl opening coin toss? The NFC has won it 14 years in a row. I can’t make heads or
tails out of it. (No wait! I gotta million of them!!)
Not surprisingly, for this Super Bowl XLVI, 75 percent of the bets are coming in on the Giants to
win the toss.
By the way, for those who bet heads or tails, here’s the stats through the first 45 Super Bowls: 23
heads, 22 tails.
What are the odds? Supposedly 50-50 every year. The odds of winning 14 coin tosses in a row:
16,383 to 1, according to Vegas.