What was Patriots Coach Bill Belichick’s strategy when the Giants tried to mount a late fourth-quarter rally in the Super Bowl?
“Make them go to Manningham” — five words that will haunt Patriots fans and delight Giants fans for years to come.
The sideline instruction to his defense, which turned painfully prophetic, was captured by an NFL Network show that wired several players, coaches and officials in Sunday’s game.
Crouched on the sideline in front of the players, Belichick emphasized that they had to focus on Giants receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz.
“This is still a Cruz and Nicks game,” he said. “I mean I know we’re right on them, it’s tight. But those are still the guys. Make them go to Manningham, make them go to Pascoe, all right. But let’s make sure we get Cruz and Nicks.”
As if on cue, Eli Manning went to Mario Manningham, whose dazzling 38-yard reception along the sideline, as he barely kept his feet inbounds, sparked the winning drive. The catch occurred right in front of Belichick, who challenged the play. It was not reversed.
There was no doubt in Tom Brady’s mind about whether the play would be reversed. Looking dejected on the sideline after watching the replay, he said simply, “He caught it.”
The Super Bowl edition of “Sound FX” was televised Wednesday and will be replayed Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern.
When Patriots receiver Wes Welker failed to hang on to a pass from Brady on second-and-11 from the Giants’ 44 with about four minutes remaining, at least one of the game officials appreciated the significance. The ball fell from Welker’s hands at the Giants’ 20, with the Patriots leading, 17-15.
After the drop, the referee John Parry turned to a fellow official and said, “Whoa, that was the game.” And it was, as the Patriots soon punted and Manning completed the comeback for a 21-17 Giants victory.
It was the most pivotal play of the game in a measurement of Win Probability, according to Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats. A catch by Welker would have given the Patriots a 95 percent chance to win. Welker’s drop lowered the percentage to 65.
Other highlights:
¶ Before Ahmad Bradshaw’s should-I-score-or-not touchdown, Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo said in the huddle, “We’ve got to let them score.” Wilfork agreed, saying, “Let them score.”
Brady, again gloomily, figured the Giants wouldn’t take the bait, saying, “They’re not going to score.”
¶ The Giants were fortunate to recover their two fumbles. (Another fumble was wiped out on a Patriots penalty.) Giants guard Chris Snee recovered one, but Wilfork jumped into the fray and grabbed the ball after the whistle. An official told Wilfork: “Nice try, Vince. He got it.”
In another instance, Wilfork admitted to an official that a holding penalty on the Giants’ Kevin Boothe was a bad call: “As much as you guys miss, I deserve one.”
¶ Giants linebacker Michael Boley said to his teammates that Rob Gronkowski “was a decoy,” meaning that he wouldn’t be near his best because of his injured left ankle. “He’s about to be out of here,” Boley said.
Gronkowski, who set an N.F.L. record for tight ends with 17 touchdown receptions, was limited to two catches for 26 yards.
¶ Before the game, Welker told Brady, “I’m open on every play.” Brady said, “I know you are.”
But after two of his passes were batted down, Brady said, “It’s like throwing in a forest.”
¶ Before Brady’s final heave to the end zone, he told Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, “Run to the goal post and catch it.” Gronkowski almost did.
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