Eli Manning Bests Tom Brady Once Again, Giants Win Super Bowl XLVI

As far as Super Bowls go, this one was pretty entertaining. The match-up was a near dream scenario for the NFL, with teams from two of the largest viewing markets squaring off for the title. The fact that Tom Brady was playing in the game ensured the transcendent star power that only a handful of NFL quarterbacks consistently deliver. And the game was in doubt until, literally, the very last play.

Trailing 17-15 with under four minutes to play, the New York Giants drove the length of the field and scored the go-ahead touchdown with just about a minute left in the game. To start that drive from deep in their own territory, Eli Manning hit Mario Manningham down the left sideline in what will be remembered as one of the most spectacular catches in Super Bowl history. The play was challenged by Bill Belichick, but the correct call on the field was upheld and the Giants had started their march toward securing their second Super Bowl victory in four years.

To cap off the late scoring drive, the New England Patriots employed the controversial strategy of "letting" the Giants score a touchdown with about a minute left on the clock. Doing so ensured that the Patriots would get the ball back and allowed them to save one timeout as well. Of course, if the Patriots had been able to hold New York out of the end zone, the Giants would have likely been forced to make a short field goal to win the game, which we know is never a sure thing.

Eventually, the Patriots could only advance the ball to midfield on their final possession and a Hail Mary pass into the end zone fell incomplete as time expired. Eli Manning was named the MVP of the Super Bowl for the second time in his career. He now has one more championship than his iconic brother Peyton - and two head-to-head Super Bowl victories over Tom Brady, who along with Peyton Manning has defined the quarterback position for the last decade.