Super Bowl blunder: How the Giants almost lost by scoring
Roar Rookie By stojo01, 8 Feb 2012 stojo01 is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- New England Patriots, New York Giants, NFL, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLVI
The 46th Super Bowl on Monday threw up the most bizarre piece of television in recent memory – and no I don’t mean Madonna’s lip-synced geriatric attempt to promote her back catalogue.
No, the astounding vision occurred during the game. One minute from fulltime the New York Giants trailed the New England Patriots 15-17. The Giants had reached 2nd and goal (second tackle of four with 7 yards to the goal line).
The mercurial Eli Manning handed the ball off to Ahmad Bradshaw who amazingly seemed to have a clear run to the line. He stopped short of the goal line and attempted to ground his knee but failed and backed his way into the end zone for a touchdown which took the score to 21-17 for a Giants lead.
There was a mild celebration for this go ahead score but in reality the general consensus of players, coaches and commentators was that it was a major tactical blunder. That’s right. Scoring wasn’t the preferred option.
The ideal situation for the Giants would have been for Bradshaw to ground the ball at the one yard line and for the Giants to use their last two downs (tackles) to land a field goal while also running down the clock.
The tactical play would have deprived the Patriots Tom Brady the opportunity to launch a comeback drive and score a touchdown in the remaining fifty seven seconds.
The head in hands despair of Bradshaw on the sideline as he watched the New England Patriots receive the ball from the restart, and drive down field in the final seconds. Bradshaw’s body-language certainly reinforced the perceived blunder.
If the Patriots had not been somewhat complicit in clearing a path for Bradshaw to score it would have had somewhat of a whiff of an underarm problem.
All this in a sport where unsportsmanlike conduct is a penalisable offence. The most recent example of similar behavior that springs to mind in Australian sport is Hawthorns 11 rushed behinds in the 2008 AFL Grand Final which forced a rule change.
It seems denying the opposition time in possession is the best strategy. The strategy not only applies on the sporting field with a ball but in Madonna’s case on stage with an audience.
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The Crowd Says (7) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- New England Patriots, New York Giants, NFL, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLVI
February 8th 2012 @ 8:29am
The Cattery said | February 8th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
It was certainly one of the strangest TDs I’ve ever seen, but in the end, Brady wasn’t able to hit the mark in the final 57 secs.
February 8th 2012 @ 9:08am
Harry said | February 8th 2012 @ 9:08am | Report comment
And if the kicker had his attempt charged down or fluffed it? Always take the points in a final!
Actually, I did get the rationale. Fascinating … but I also think it highlights a weakness of these American sports – football and baseball – whereby they have all these set plays and accepted tactics, some quite cynical, to the cost of spontaneity and excitement. Rugby league was heading that way but while still often predictable and consequently dull the advent of the 10 metre rule opened things up.
Unfortuantely rugby is also getting a bit too predictable with the endless recycles and maintaining possession. More and more it reminds me of gridiron with the team in possession inching its way forward with endless rucks and the srumhalf hovering over the ball before passing it to a forward who trundles into a tackle … repeat ad nauseum.
February 8th 2012 @ 11:40am
King of the Gorgonites said | February 8th 2012 @ 11:40am | Report comment
Your a bit off the mark there harry. The refs in rugby is giving preference to the atacking side. this is resulting in less penalties and more phases. However, you will still find that the average number of phases is still only around 4-5. so its hardly “ad nauseum”.
February 8th 2012 @ 11:38am
King of the Gorgonites said | February 8th 2012 @ 11:38am | Report comment
I was watching at the time and was a little puzzeld. for me one shoudl always take the points then rely on your defence.
So if they had of kicked a field goal with say 20 seconds remaining (that would have given them 3 points) they would still have had to kick back to the Pats? so what was the ideal situation for them?
February 8th 2012 @ 12:11pm
Ian Whitchurch said | February 8th 2012 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Kick the ball to other than the Pats designated returner, so the Pats have 20 seconds on or about the half – enough time for two Hail Mary attempts.
February 8th 2012 @ 9:12pm
Jimbo said | February 8th 2012 @ 9:12pm | Report comment
Yeah, and also all the patriots would have had to have done was drive to within FG range, rather than being forced to go for the TD. Giants taking the points was the correct decision, but NE should have let them score earlier
February 8th 2012 @ 12:45pm
Jason said | February 8th 2012 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
The Pats should have let them score about 45 seconds earlier when they were within the easy field goal range.