Eli Manning delivered the New York Giants another last-minute Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots with the same cool-under-pressure style that has become his trademark.
Manning completed 30-of-40 passes for 296 yards and one touchdown, including 5-of-6 on the 88-yard game-winning touchdown drive to give the Giants a 21-17 triumph over the Patriots in Super Bowl 46 on Sunday.
He was named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, an accolade he won in 2008 after the Giants shocked the Patriots 17-14 on a touchdown pass by Manning in the final seconds to deny New England an unbeaten run to the championship.
“This is twice now on the biggest stage we have gone down the field to score a touchdown and it starts with Eli,” Giants offensive guard Chris Snee said.
“He was tremendous in that situation. He did a phenomenal job.”
Manning kept his poise even after two New York drives in the third quarter ended in field goals, keeping the Giants trailing 17-15 as the fourth quarter began.
“We stayed positive,” Manning said. “We were moving the ball. We just weren’t getting touchdowns. We kept getting close. I knew eventually we would get a break.”
Manning, who set a Super Bowl record by completing his first nine passes at the start of the game, became the fifth player to win two MVP awards, joining Tom Brady, Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr one shy of Joe Montana’s record three.
The son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and younger brother of Peyton Manning, whose Indianapolis Colts play in this year’s Super Bowl host venue, proved he deserves to be considered among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
Last August, Manning’s claim that he belonged in that group brought ridicule from critics. Not anymore.
“He hung in there,” Archie Manning said. “He was patient. He had to be patient. There wasn’t anything easy out there. (But) he will not be saying he belongs in the Hall of Fame.”
As for Eli’s second title coming in the stadium where his brother plies his trade, Archie said: “It’s special because of this city. This city has meant a lot to our family.”
The Giants, who went 9-7 this season, matched the 1967 Green Bay Packers as the only teams with so few victories in a full season to win the Super Bowl.
But after a 7-7 start, the Giants captured two must-win games to reach the playoffs, then upset Atlanta, Green Bay and San Francisco on the road to the Super Bowl.
“We have a great bunch of guys that never quit and have great faith in each other,” Manning said of his Giants team-mates. “I’m proud of the way we have dealt with everything all season and come out strong.”
When the Giants took the ball with less than four minutes remaining and 88 yards from a touchdown, they still had faith in Manning’s ability to make things happen.
“We went out there fully expecting to score,” Snee said. “We love that situation, having it on our shoulders to go down and score another touchdown. Eli is just so at ease in that situation.”
Manning completed a 38-yard pass to Mario Manningham, two shorter ones to him and two more to Hakeem Nicks to set up the decisive six-yard touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw with 57 seconds remaining.
Patriots opposite Brady couldn’t find a late answer, his desperation pass into the end zone on the final play falling just beyond the grasp of All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski.
New England (15-4), winner of 10 straight games since a loss to the Giants in November, were done.
“I thought we played very competitive. … We were in the lead for a good part of the game. We just came up a couple of plays short,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.
“You don’t feel good after you lose this game.”
