Number 2: Eli and the Giants stun the Patriots

The game just missing out is a game that I didn't respect until a few years ago now when I look back on it I've come to realise how good the game was. Super Bowl 42 one of the most shocking games of all time however it didn't look to happen according to the experts because the overwhelming verdict was that the Patriots would crush the Giants in a showing of what the best offence of all time had to offer.

Randy Moss acquired through free agency.

The Patriots were entering the 4th Super Bowl visit in the decade and playing with a top talented offence with Brady leading them back with an upgraded offence compared to the first 3 Super Bowl wins. The main upgrade was acquiring veteran receiver, Randy Moss. They were also chasing history to be the 2nd team ever to have a perfect season and go 19-0. Along with Moss and Brady, their defence was also talented with some of the players remaining from their earlier Super Bowl victory like Richard Seymour Teddy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Asante Samuel and Rodney Harrison while adding a talent like Junior Seau. However, they had controversy throughout the season as they were accused of spying on opposing teams to hear what their play-call codewords were to gain an advantage on defence. Despite that, they went to the Super Bowl with 18-0 defeating all their regular-season opponents and the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers in the playoffs.

BBC's own Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan 

However, while the Patriots were seeking perfection their opponents the New York Giants were not immediately favourited at the start of the NFL seasons. One of the criticisms was that many fans and sportswriters doubted Eli Manning's talents especially as his older brother was Peyton who had just won the Super Bowl the previous season. He had some talent on his side of the ball with Armani Toomer, Plaxico Burress and Brandon Jacobs. Their defence was loaded with stars in Michael Strahan, the BBC's own Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck on the defensive line. Their season was defined by their ability to win games on the road including playing in the 1st ever international series game at Wembley earning them the 5th seed with a 10-6 record. Their path in the playoffs started with an away game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeating them 24-14. They then went to the Number 1 seed Dallas Cowboys 21-17 and denying Tony Romo the winning touchdown as the clock ticked 0:00. They then went up to Green Bay to take on the Packers in the coldest NFC Championship game since the Ice Bowl 40 years earlier. It was a hard-fought win for them as they beat the Packers 23-20 and they could have won it in regulation if the kicker didn't miss the field goal.

Both teams met in week 17 of the regular season and despite both sides clinching their respective playoff spots they played their starters for the whole 60 minutes and in a very closely fought match the Patriots came out on top just at 38-35. So going into the game the Giants had confidence that they could beat the Patriots. Something the experts didn't believe as they put the Patriots as favourites by 12 points.

The first quarter was dominated by the Giants as they took 10 minutes off the clock going 63 yards in 16 plays and Lawrence Tynes kicked the field goal to make it 3-0. That set the stall out for the Giants' gameplan take your time on the pitch, the more time they had, the less than Brady and Moss could run over their defence. New England's first drive took them to the end of the 1st quarter and on into the start of the second. They themselves went 56 yards on 12 plays and was capped off by Lawrence Maroney scoring on a 1-yard touchdown. What was becoming apparent though was that the Giants defence was getting to Brady on every play if they didn't sack him they ended up hitting him.

Brady getting beaten up by the Giants.

After a halftime show featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the 3rd quarter was quiet except for one drive where the Giants made an error. The rule is you have to have a maximum of eleven players on the field at the time of the snap, the Giants were caught with 12 that gave the Patriots a set of new downs, and they used it to get close to the endzone. However, on 3rd and 7 on the Giants 25, Strahan sacked Brady for a 6-yard loss and then came a moment that head coach Bill Belichick wished he had back. Instead of kicking a field goal to make it 10-3, he went for it on 4th down, and the pass was incomplete as Brady went for the score, but the ball sailed out of bounds at the back of the pitch.

The 4th quarter was where the majority of the action took place. On the Giants' first drive of the quarter, they went 80 yards in 6 plays which were capped by a David Tyree 5 yard catch. Look out for Tyree he'll be back soon. After 3 consecutive punts, the Patriot's offence that had been prolific suddenly woke up and they went 80 yards in 12 plays, Brady threw a 5-yard pass to Randy Moss. But this left the Giants with less than 3 minutes to win the game, but they had 3 timeouts left. They went on a 12 play 83-yard drive. That seems straightforward. However, there was one play that happened in the game where it went right for the Giants and wrong for the Patriots. 

How did Eli escape from this

On 3rd and 5 at the New York 44, it looked like Manning was going to be sacked he even had 2 players on his jersey, but he stayed up and threw the ball down the pitch. There were only two players a Patriot Rodney Harrison and a Giant, yes Tyree. I said he was going to make another appearance. They both jumped up to get to the ball Tyree got there first but to control the ball he put it not on his chest but on his helmet. It was called a catch, and it was a massive 32 yard gain which could have ended the game there and then only 5 seconds earlier. 3 plays later Manning found Burress wide open and threw the winning touchdown to him. After the Patriots tried for the win and the Giants won the game 17-14.

Manning won the MVP going for 252 yards and both touchdowns on only 19 completed passes. Amani Toomer was his best receiver catching all the throws he was targeted at (6 for 6) for 84 yards. Brady, however, went for 266 yards on 29 passes and 1 touchdown. His best weapon, however, was Wes Welker with the only 100-yard receiver for both teams on 11 catches.

I'll be back with number 1 soon.

KRO Mark