4. A 38-yard pass to Mario Manningham starts a Championship winning drive – February 5, 2012
Super Bowl 46. Lucas Oil Stadium, the house that Peyton Manning built, was home to Eli Manning and the New York Giants’ second championship appearance in four years against the same team they defeated in their 2007 meeting.
After defeating the New England Patriots 24 – 20 in Foxboro earlier that season during their Week 9 matchup, it was evident that the Tom Coughlin/Eli Manning duo knew how to beat the dynasty built by their counterparts Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
However, similar to their 2007 victory, the Giants would need just a little bit of luck in their final drive to defeat the Pats. On their first play of their final drive, back at their own 12, Manning would find his third wide-receiver, Mario Manningham, down the sideline to kick off a 9 play, 88-yard championship drive.
Manning would cap off the scoring drive with a 6-yard handoff to his running back, Ahmad Bradshaw who would find his way into the end-zone unchallenged by the Patriots defense and a strategic play-call from Belichick.
In just 2:49 minutes after starting at their own 12, Manning would put Big Blue up 21-17 in what would be recorded as the final score of the teams’ second Super Bowl with Eli Manning under center.
Manning led the Giants offense on six game-winning drives during that regular season, and would continue playing well in the clutch to earn his second Super Bowl MVP honors in as many games.