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Stay tuned throughout the night as I blog my way through Super Bowl XLII between the New England Patriots and New York Giants in Glendale, Arizona.
6:04PM - FOX officially begins their broadcast of the big game with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, nearly twelve hours after beginning their coverage on Sunday morning. Buck is the Tom Brady of announcing, which means I respect him but hate seeing him succeed.
6:10PM - It doesn't matter how corny these video montages are, I can't help but love them. They help make the game the huge spectacle it has become and pump me up in the process.
6:12PM - Eli Manning and the Giants march out to Kayne West's "Stronger". All I'm hoping for is a close, exciting game, but I'd love to see Manning lead the Giants to an upset win over the Patriots. No one ever thought we'd be seeing Eli in the Super Bowl just a few weeks ago, and now he has a chance to represent long foreheaded, baby-faced guys all over the world.
6:14PM - The Pats walk out to Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" in a business-like fashion; just like I'm sure Bill Belichick instructed them to do. Either way, we're going to witness history tonight - so sit down, grab a few brews and watch as several pages are added to NFL lore.
6:18PM - Anyone else think Jordin Sparks is going to throw up?
6:23PM - I just want to reiterate my prediction before the kickoff: New England 30, New York 21. You heard it hear first...
6:26PM - Hey, Jason Taylor finally made it to the Super Bowl! Congratulations on winning the NFL's 'Man of the Year' award.
6:28PM - Here we go...which Eli is going to show up tonight? We'll know in just a few minutes when he's handed the ball to start Super Bowl XLII.
New England kicks to New York
6:31PM - Thankfully, Eli hands the ball off on the first play of the game to shed some of his Super Bowl jitters. He's starting to look more and more like Peyton behind center as he connects with Plaxico Burress for the game's first third down conversion.
6:35PM - Eli completes on third down for the second straight series. This time he hits Steve Smith for a handful of yards.
6:37PM - I love the Godfather reference in the Audi commercial, but I haven't been impressed with any advertisements in the past few years.
6:40PM - If the Giants are going to upset the Patriots tonight, they are going to have to establish a running game early. They have been successful thus far, with 23 yards on six carries.
6:42PM - Wow. Yet another third down completion by Eli "The Ice" Manning. Is this really happening?
6:45PM - Manning completes on third down for the fourth time, just ten minutes into the game, but the Giants are short of the first down marker. Lawrence Tynes hits a 32-yard field goal to give New York a 3-0 lead.
The Giants' opening drive was impressive as they ate up the first ten minutes of the game, keeping Brady on the sideline. The more the NFL's MVP sits, the better New York's chances in Super Bowl XVII.
6:48PM - If the Patriots lose tonight, it's going to be Belichick's fault. After wearing a torn gray sweatshirt for eighteen games, he has switched to a gaudy red one...what on Earth is he thinking?
6:51PM - Laurence Maroney saves the Patriots with a strong runs on second and third down after Brady threw an uncharacteristic incompletion on first down. Tom's first two throws look terrible, but that doesn't last long as he hooks up with Donte Stallworth for seven yards.
6:54PM - A floating pass from Brady to Welker earns the Patriots a much-needed first down as we head towards the second quarter.
6:58PM - A pass interference call on the Giants' Antonio Pierce gives New England the ball on the one-yard line. He saved a touchdown, but seven points for the Patriots seems inevitable.
End of First Quarter: NYG 3, NE 0
7:00PM - No wonder Doritos is putting less and less chips into their bags; they paid millions to have some unknown girl sing in their Super Bowl commercial. How does that relate to chips?
7:02PM - Maroney fights his way into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. The Patriots take a 7-0 lead after the extra point. After just three first-quarter points, seven are scored only three seconds into the second stanza.
7:04PM - How many hits do you think GoDaddy.com just got?
7:09PM - Another huge third down pass by Manning, this time to Amani Toomer. It's good for 38 yards, moving the Giants into Patriots' territory.
7:13PM - Manning is intercepted by Ellis Hobbs, but the blame should be placed on Steve Smith. Eli threw him a very catchable ball, but Smith bobbled it around, giving Hobbs the opportunity to pick it off. The turnover costs the Giants at least three points.
7:17PM - The Giants' defense rallies back to stop New England on third down, saving Smith from more humiliation. I hope you had your DVR on because the Pats don't punt often.
7:26PM - New York's defense has looked incredible tonight. That one pass interference penalty, which looked like a lapse anyway, is their only bad play of the game thus far. Two straight Brady sacks forces New England to punt for the second time in as many possessions.
7:32PM - Ahmad Bradshaw rushes up the middle for thirteen yards, bringing New York into New England territory with less than five minutes left in the first half. Just two plays later, Brandon Jacobs breaks through for another fresh set of downs.
7:35PM - Manning fumbles the ball after being hit by Adalius Thomas. The Giants recover the football but lose ten yards on a "batted ball" penalty on Bradshaw. Weird play if you ask me.
7:39PM - My favorite commercial so far, 'Barkley finally adds Wade to his Fav Five'.
7:41PM - The Giants punt instead of attempting what would have been a 56-yard field goal; smart move when battling the Patriots' potent offense.
7:45PM - New England gets a huge first down on a beautiful fake to Kevin Faulk by Brady that sets up space for Stallworth in the middle of the field. Faulk then bursts through for another first down, but it's called back after Benjamin Watson is called for holding.
Rarely this season have we seen the Patriots commit costly penalties, or Brady get hurried and hit as much as we have seen tonight.
7:49PM - Faulk earns a first down that stands, but New England has just 28 seconds left on the clock. Brady connects with Moss for 18 yards but then fumbles on the following play.
The Giants take over with ten seconds left before the half.
7:52PM - Eli launches the ball over the head of Smith, and now there are just five seconds left in the second quarter. New York should attempt a Hail Mary to end the first half, but Tom Coughlin might opt for a safer play.
7:53PM - Manning launches a prayer, but it falls incomplete - and with that the first half of Super Bowl XLII comes to a close.
End of Second Quarter: NE 7, NYG 3
8:10PM - This is one of the best halftime shows I've seen in a while. I'm a huge Tom Petty fan, which explains my pleasure, and the show hasn't been too flashy so far - which I'm happy about.
I've never had a musical experience quite like the one I did back in 2001 during that telethon following 9/11. When Petty played "I Won't Back Down" that night I was almost moved to tears; it is definitely one of the most memorable events in my life.
8:21PM - I expect the Patriots to put together a nice drive to open the third quarter, giving New England a two-possession lead in the process.
Here we go...we're 30 minutes from history...
8:27PM - New England gains 22 yards on two plays, and they look a lot more like the record-setting offensive machine we saw eighteen times this year.
8:28PM - Osi Umenyiora is playing like a man possessed.
8:30PM - The Giants' defense comes back and forces the Pats to punt for the third time tonight. Steve Spagnolo is going to be the next Belichick.
8:33PM - Speaking of Belichick, he decides to challenge that a Giant defender didn't get off the field in time on third down - contending that New York had twelve men on the field.
If the play is overturned, New England will have a first down.
8:37PM - Ruling overturned. The Patriots earn themselves a first down by the skin of their teeth on a penalty. Second chances are something you can give this team.
8:40PM - Faulk gets a first down on a screen pass from Brady; New England is showing flashes of brilliance midway through the third quarter.
8:42PM - Michael Strahan sacks Brady for a loss of six yards on third down, but Belichick opts to go for it on fourth down.
Brady overthrows the ball slightly into coverage, and the Giants take over on downs. Eli has a chance to lead New York on a crucial scoring drive here, but New England's defense and costly turnovers have kept the Giants off the board since their first drive.
8:46PM - A sideline shot of the Patriots' cheerleaders makes many a night.
8:48PM - Toomer catches a 8-yarder from Manning, giving New York a big first down into New England territory.
8:50PM - Plaxico Burress nearly makes an amazing circus catch in the end zone on a Manning bomb, as the hearts of millions drop in Massachusetts.
8:51PM - Randall Gay blankets Burress on third down, and the Giants will be forced to punt as they are a good ten yards out of field goal range.
8:56PM - Brady connects with Wes Welker for an important first down, getting them out of their own end zone. Maroney follows that up with a nine-yard run, and once again it appears as though New England is going to bust out their offensive whooping stick.
9:00PM - Yet another offensive penalty on the Patriots as they continue to give New York chances to stop them in their tracks.
End of Third Quarter: NE 7, NYG 3
9:01PM - If you had 7-3 New England in your Super Bowl pool, you've now collected in consecutive quarters. Make sure you claim that money on your taxes.
9:07PM - The Giants get the ball and immediate record the longest play of the game. Manning connects with Kevin Boss for 45 yards as New York advances to New England's 35-yard line.
9:09PM - Three plays later, Manning hooks up with Smith for another first down, this one on the Patriots' 12-yard line.
9:11PM - Eli hits David Tyree for a 5-yard touchdown, as Peyton celebrates from his luxury box. The Giants take a 10-7 lead with eleven minutes left in Super Bowl XLII.
I quickly pump my fist in the air in a room full of New England fans and immediately draw a dozen or so scornful stares. I'm not a Giants' fan by any stretch of the imagination, but the Patriots have won too much - and their win over my Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX is still fresh in my mind.
9:17PM - As if nothing happened, Brady connects with Moss for a nice 17-yard gain. This is when New England usually plays their best...
9:19PM - Once again, just when I think the Patriots are going to return to their 'perfect' ways, they stink up the joint. Brady has looked normal tonight against a very tough New York defense.
Brady is 21-for-34 with less than ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the Giants get the ball back just ninety seconds after scoring the go-ahead touchdown.
9:24PM - Manning overthrows Burress on the run as he narrowly evades a sack. A completion would have been a nice gain and wasted at least another few minutes or so. Eli connects with Toomer on third down, but they fall a yard or so short.
9:26PM - If New England is going to capture another Super Bowl title and finish the season 19-0, it's going to take another heroic effect from the Brady Bunch.
9:28PM - No wonder the Giants have injury problems, their athletic trainer is 100 years old.
9:30PM - For what seems like the hundredth time, Brady begins a drive on fire with two completions. If New England is going to take the lead from New York, though, this drive it going to have to end much differently than most have for the Patriots tonight.
9:33PM - Brady connects with Moss for a first down inside the 20-yard line. For the most time all night I realize that a New England score could win me some serious cash. The game immediately takes on a whole new intensity.
9:36PM - Brady misses Moss in the end zone on first down.
9:37PM - Brady throws behind Welker on second down. With a little more than 2:45 left in the game, New England has one more down to score a touchdown - and possibly earn me some serious coin.
9:39PM - Brady hits Moss for a 6-yard touchdown to give New England a 14 to 10 lead over New York. If the scores remains as is I collect, if not the Giants make history by taking down the mighty Patriots. For me, it's a win-win.
9:42PM - Manning hits Toomer on first down to start the Giants' drive. With the two-minute warning and all three timeouts, these final moments could take hours.
9:43PM - Faster than you can say 'Peyton's Little Brother' New York is left with third down deep in their own territory at the two minutes warning.
9:44PM - Anyone else recognize the fat kid from 'Salute Your Shorts' in the Amp commercial? I miss my childhood...
9:46PM - Eli hooks up with Toomer for what could be a first down as the clock is stopped with 1:40 left in the game. After the measurement, New York is just a few feet shy of moving the chains.
9:48PM - Jacobs motors through the middle of the pile for a first down as the Giants take their first timeout. There is now just 1:28 left on the clock, and I'm sweating profusely.
9:49PM - New England contends that Manning lost control of the football after a tackle from behind on first down. The Giants retain the football with 1:20 left in the Super Bowl, what a game...what a game.
9:52PM - I may have just witnessed the greatest play in Super Bowl history. Eli somehow gets himself out of a sack, runs around to free himself and launches the ball downfield, in traffic, to Tyree. It stands as a 32-yard gain. And yes, that was one hell of a run-on sentence.
New York is now in New England territory with 59 seconds left.
9:53PM - The Giants are 25 yards from shocking the world; the Patriots are 50 seconds from history; and I'm a heart attack away from an early death.
9:55PM - Smith catches a pass from Manning, giving the Giants a first down with 39 seconds left.
9:56PM - Manning hits Burress for the go-ahead score! The Giants take a 17 to 14 lead with just 35 seconds left on a 13-yard touchdown.
Is this really happening?
Eli Manning has cemented himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the game today.
9:58PM - New England has 29 seconds to preserve history...can they convert a miracle?
10:01PM - Brady goes down on second down after yet another New York sack. New England takes their first timeout with 19 ticks left on the clock.
I'm going to channel Al Michaels here:
'Do you believe in Miracles?'
10:02PM - With ten seconds left, the Patriots have one more shot at pulling off an amazing last-ditch effort.
10:04PM - This is absolutely unreal and refreshing at the same time; the New York Giants have won the Super Bowl!
10:05PM - Belichick embarrasses himself by refusing to get the Patriots back on the sideline with one second left on the clock. He insists on marching off the field, a pout smeared across his face.
10:06PM - A play must be run, but Belichick refuses to return to the field. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a grown man acting like a child.
End of Super Bowl XLII: NYG 17, NE 14
10:12PM - ...and I'm spent.
I just want to quote myself to end the night:
6:48PM - If the Patriots lose tonight, it's going to be Belichick's fault. After wearing a torn gray sweatshirt for eighteen games, he has switched to a gaudy red one...what on Earth is he thinking?
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com. Feel free to contact him with comments or questions at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com.
