There was a sense of déjà vu in the lead up to the 46th Super Bowl on Sunday and the game didn’t disappoint, delivering a game full of intrigue and drama, that resulted in the New York Giants taking their second Super Bowl in the last five, the franchise’s fourth, and making the New England Patriots wait at least one more year to add their own fourth Super Bowl.
Much of the pre-game build up revolved around the dominance of individual units and individual positional groups but throughout the course of sixty minutes each team’s defense and each team’s offense had spells where they had a clear upper hand on the opposition ensuring that neither team could get out of sight. Ten points is the magic barrier in the Super Bowl but each team fell just short of this margin and instead it was the final swing of the pendulum, a 12-0 scoring run from midway through the third quarter, back towards the Giants that proved decisive. Once again it was the Giants’ offense taking control of the ball with the game on the line that proved decisive as it has in the prior two encounters between these two teams. The Patriots recognized this and tried everything to get Tom Brady the ball back with time to win the game, but 80 yards in 57 seconds proved too much.
This game may have been short on the memorable plays of recent Super Bowls, Mario Manningham’s sideline play aside which should stand as an all-time great Super Bowl play (for the throw as much as the catch), but it delivered consistent intrigue and drama with momentum swinging back and forth. There is always a slightly melancholy air to Super Bowl reviews, this was the last competitive game for seven months, so for the final time this season join us as we take a look at some key performances from Super Bowl XLVI.
New York – Three Performances of Note
Delivering when the heat is on
The law of averages might have suggested that the pressure should catch up with Eli Manning in this game, but the law of averages haven’t reckoned with his 2011 season which he capped off with a well-deserved Super Bowl MVP award (+8.2 PFF grade) after another fine performance, once again in the face of pressure. Manning was pressured on 17 of his 43 dropbacks in this game and though early sacks might have suggested that the pressure would get to Manning in this game he quickly rediscovered his form. For the game Manning was 12-for-14 on passes under pressure picking up an NFL QB rating of 105.4 and gaining nearly three yards more per attempt when he was pressured. It wasn’t just in the face of heat from the Patriots’ pass rush that Manning delivered though as once again as the pressure rose late in the game Manning and his receivers, this time Mario Manningham (+1.1) delivered in the most spectacular of fashions. Manningham’s catch was excellent down the sideline with a hit coming and only inches to play with, but Manning’s throw off of the back foot with Vince Wilfork walking Kevin Booth back to Manning was equally as impressive. The Giants quarterbacks and receivers have carried them all season long, it was fitting that once again that was the case in their most important game of the season.
Interior pass rush steps up
Make that four out of six rematches in which the Giants have raised their game in the pass rushing stakes this season. Back in Week 9 the Giants’ defensive linemen were held largely in check by the Patriots but in a flashback to Super Bowl XLII the Giants pass rushers got the upper hand in this game. The stars off of the edge were, as expected, Justin Tuck (+4.1) and Jason Pierre-Paul (+5.1), with Tuck providing the key plays in the second half and Pierre-Paul using his hands to be a difference maker early when stopped from reaching Tom Brady. However it was the contribution of the interior pass rushers that shouldn’t be overlooked in this game, with not only Tuck & Pierre-Paul contributing as interior pass rushers but also the Giants’ base defensive tackle pairing of Linval Joseph (+1.0) and Chris Canty (+2.9) who made their presence felt in this game. They combined to record one hit and six pressures on Tom Brady with Joseph matching his season high with four total pressures on just 19 times rushing the passer. They also proved a deterrent in the running game as well with the Patriots only attempting eight rushes between the tackle, picking up just over 3.5 yards per carry on those runs.
Fringe performers make the difference
An argument could be made for the fact that this game swung on one turnover that did happen and three turnovers that didn’t, as players not quite in the New York spotlight made a huge difference in the turnover differential column and helped the Giants on their way. The first and most obvious contributor was Chase Blackburn (+1.5) who was the beneficiary of an underthrown pass by Brady who simply hit the edge of his range trying to find Rob Gronkowski down the field. Blackburn redeemed himself on two counts on that play, recovering after allowing Gronkowski behind him on the play, but also atoning for a shoddy attempt in man coverage against Aaron Hernandez on the play that established the Patriots’ eight point lead. On offense the Giants’ hustle diving on loose balls kept them in the game late, although it was an uncharacteristic penalty on the Patriots that spared Victor Cruz’s blushes early on. Only the quick thinking and high motor of Henry Hynoski (+2.4) and Chris Snee (+0.8) prevented the Giants from giving the ball away on what would otherwise have been potentially back breaking turnovers, particularly Snee’s recovery which almost certainly saved the game for the Giants early in the fourth quarter. A further touchdown and a nine point lead for the Patriots at that stage might have proved insurmountable.
New England – Three Performances of Note
Defensive line controlled
The biggest reason for the Patriots’ AFC Championship game success pulled a complete 180 in the Super Bowl, becoming one of the fundamental reasons for their defeat to the Giants, as the defensive line simply couldn’t make a consistent impact on the game. The Giants made liberal use of double teams in run and pass games and, whether they were worn down or disheartened by this tactic, when presented with one on one situations against inferior linemen they simply couldn’t make an impact. Vince Wilfork (-2.5) was a one man wrecking crew in the championship game, but recorded a single pressure and no stops on Super Bowl Sunday. Mark Anderson (-1.0) recorded two sacks, but nothing more in the entire game as he saw his fair share of double teams. Going up against the worst pass protecting line in the league the Patriots couldn’t make the one-on-one matchups tell enough to disrupt Eli Manning in the pocket on a consistent basis. The Patriots’ most effective defensive linemen all game long were Shaun Ellis (+1.7) and Gerard Warren (+3.7) who each put in one of their best games of the season when it counted, unfortunately their teammates didn’t match that level of play.
Right side unsettled
One of the question marks entering this game for the Patriots would be who would start at right tackle, Sebastian Vollmer, playing the better football but struggling with injury, or rookie Nate Solder, likely the safer option on health grounds. In the end both started, with the Patriots opening with a six man line, and both saw extended playing time with neither young player covering themselves in glory. Solder (-4.2) played 29 snaps yielding four pressures on only 18 pass plays whilst Vollmer (-3.9) fared little better on his 41 snaps yielding one hit and six pressures on 30 pass plays. The two combined to yield 11 total pressures giving up pressure just over once every four plays, with Brady seeing each pressure coming and looking unsettled by it. In two prior playoff games Tom Brady (+0.1) saw pressure on just 13 dropbacks, in Super Bowl XLVI he was pressured on 20 of his 43 drop backs and his QB rating plummeted from 122.0 with no pressure, including his two touchdowns, to 51.6 on plays where he was pressured. The Patriots’ right tackles weren’t alone, Logan Mankins (-4.1) continued his subpar season, yielding one sack and three pressures in this game as he turned in his fourth game with a grade of -2.0 or below this season, as many as he recorded in the previous three seasons combined.
Defense steps up but no big play in the crunch
This game was an evenly matched one and it could be argued that it came down to delivery in the crunch and the ability to create, make or finish that one big play. In an all too common theme for New England they saw the Giants do that whilst their own opportunities slipped through their fingers. The weakness in the New England defense has been thinly veiled all season long and on this occasion it was Devin McCourty (-1.3 coverage) and Antwaun Molden (-2.1 coverage) who were the most ineffective in coverage. Sterling Moore yielded more yards, but got in to break up a handful of passes either playing the man or the ball. McCourty & Molden combined to allow all 11 passes targeted to their coverage for 117 yards as Hakeem Nicks victimized them in this game. The Patriots created the potential for game breaking plays on defense, twice prizing the ball loose from New York ball carriers. If the ball bounces differently or breaks to a New England defender would we be lauding Brandon Spikes (+1.5) or Jerod Mayo (-1.7) as heroes this morning for causing crucial turnovers in a New England victory?
Game Notes
– For the second straight playoff game the Giants defense recorded 27 total pressures. They recorded three more sacks in San Francisco, but got more production from interior pass rushers in this game.
– Tom Brady’s completion percentage on passes aimed less than ten yards downfield: 92%, on passes aimed ten or more yards downfield: 40%.
– Jerod Mayo registered more tackles than any other defender with 11, but only two of those were defensive stops.
PFF Game Ball
His quarterback was rightfully awarded the MVP award but Justin Tuck delivered in the crunch and came up with, arguably, two of the three most important defensive plays of the game. Tuck’s three highest graded games of the season came against the Jets, in San Francisco in the championship game and last night in Indianapolis. Overall this season was disappointing from Tuck but when it mattered most he delivered in spades.
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