Everybody remembers Super Bowl XLII between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.
The Patriots took a perfect 18-0 record into the game while the Giants (13-5) entered as the hottest team in the league, having defeated the Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Packers in road playoff games.
The game, won by the Giants 17-14, ranks among the greatest games in Super Bowl, or NFL, history.
The week 9 matchup between the Giants and Patriots was so similar to the Super Bowl that it was almost comical. Below are five extremely similar comparisons between the two games.
1) Slow start in terms of scoring.
In the Super Bowl, the Patriots led the Giants 7-3 at halftime (and thr6ugh three quarters). Scoring was rare and defenses were strong.
In week nine, the Patriots and Giants were scoreless at halftime, the first NFL game this season to be 0-0 after two quarters. The Giants were the first team to score, five minutes into the third quarter.
2) Go-ahead 4th quarter touchdown by Giants.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants took a 10-7 lead with 11:05 remaining in the fourth quarter on a five-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to David Tyree.
In week nine, the Giants took a 17-13 with 3:03 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Mario Manningham.
3) Late Patriots go-ahead touchdown.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots used a six-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Randy Moss (on third and goal) to take a 14-10 lead with 2:42 remaining. The Patriots had struggled all game but it seemed as if the play would be enough to give New England a victory.
In week nine, the Patriots used a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski (on fourth down) to take a 20-17 lead with 1:36 remaining. The Patriots had struggled all game but it seemed as if the play would be enough to give New England a victory.
4) Dropped interception by Patriots.
On the Giants’ final drive in the Super Bowl, cornerback Asante Samuel had a chance to secure a game-sealing interception but the ball went through his hands. It would have been a good catch but he probably should have come up with the ball.
On the Giants’ final drive in week nine, safety Patrick Chung had a chance to secure a game-sealing interception but the ball went through his hands. It would have been a good catch but he probably should have come up with the ball.
5) Huge 3rd down conversion for Giants.
We all remember Super Bowl XLII. Facing a 3rd and 5 from their own 44-yard line with just 1:15 left, Eli Manning slipped out of the grasp of several defenders and heaved a desperation pass downfield, which was caught by David Tyree against his helmet–arguably the single greatest play in Super Bowl history.
In week nine, the Giants faced a 3rd and 10 from their own 39-yard line with 1:07 remaining. Eli Manning completed a deep pass across the middle to tight end Jake Ballard, a 28-yard completion that put the Giants in field goal range.
6) Dramatic game-winning TD pass by Eli Manning.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants took a 17-14 lead with 35 seconds left when Eli Manning tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the corner of the end zone.
In week nine, the Giants took a 24-20 lead with 15 seconds left when Eli Manning tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to Jake Ballard in the corner of the end zone.
7) Giant defensive stand.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants didn’t allow a yard on the final drive of the game. The Giants forced an incompletion on first down, sacked Brady for a 10-yard loss on second down, and threw consecutive deep incompletions to Moss on third and fourth downs.
In week nine, the Giants allowed just eight yards on the final drive of the game. The Giants forced an incompletion on first down, and allowed only eight yards on a failed lateral play on the final play of the game.
Patriots winning streak ended.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots entered with an 18-0 record, needing a victory to complete the second undefeated season in league history. They lost.
In week nine, the Patriots entered with an NFL-record 31 straight regular season home victories (including 20 by Brady). They lost.
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Nice article…just fyi you have the last one backwards…Brady had won 31 in a row at home and the Pats had won 20 in a row.