The Super Quasi Live Blog, Fourth Quarter: Giants-Patriots

Giants start at their 20 following a Hanson failed punt. Frank Caliendo starts us off by looking asleep. Yes sir! Manning hits Boss in stride from a clean pocket, and he runs away from Rodney Harrison for 30 yards -- BECAUSE THE TIGHT END IS ALWAYS OPEN AGAINST THE PATRIOTS -- for 45. Bradshaw for 3 hard yards. Aikman disagrees that the Giants are better without Shockey, because of all of the playoff wins they had with... well, because Troy Aikman Is A Dumb Ass. Three more for Jacobs, and it's 3rd and 4 from the 30. Huge play, and Manning from the shotgun has all day to throw and an open Steve Smith to throw to. He makes the catch, and Blue is at the Patriots 12.

Bradshaw from the shotgun draw gets 7, and we are five yards away from the Giants having the lead again. Play action, and the ball is perfect to David Tyree.. and voila, there's the lead. Tynes hits the PAT, and it's 10-7 Giants. Wow, wow, wow. Patriots with the over is also looking like a DOA bet.

Maroney with a good return... but ref Mike Carey has a holding call, and the Pats will start at their 10, instead of the 33. There's 11 minutes left in this game, and if Blue can keep playing defense like this, Some Serious Interest, Really.

Moss makes his second catch of the day, this one for 17, on play action that's a high throw, but a good one. The Welker screen is anticipated, but the WR makes a man miss as always, and gets 3. Brady overthrows Moss, who didn't look all that perturbed at the idea of going for it, shall we say. 3rd and 7 is another monstrous play... and Brady ducks traffic, but then misses Welker, and the Patriots will punt. On the play, Umenyiora is hit in the head, and Madison closed beautifully to get the stop. McQuarters fields the punt, stays in bounds, and gets 10 hidden but important yards. For the fourth straight playoff game, the Giants are making the other team's QB play his worst game of the year.

9:20 left when the Giants stat the drive, and Jacobs gets a yard. A long drive and points here is what Blue is dreaming of, and given the time of possession advantage, well within the possibilities. Manning spins away from a sack, then misses Burress, who was wide open in the flat. That's the kind of play that loses football games. Wow. On 3rd and 9, from the gun, Toomer is a yard shy of the first down... and the Patriots are very, very lucky to get the three and out. Even if Manning runs instead of throwing to Burress, they get the first and keep the ball. Big, big break for the Pats. Welker calls for a fair catch just inside his 20, and with just under 8 minutes left, the Pats have the ball.

Will the Blue defense do it again? From first, it's shotgun for Brady, who finds Welker for 5. It really looks like Brady doesn't want to hold the ball for any longer than necessary. Moss runs a Welker route for 9, and the Pats have a first down. Maroney for 9 and out of bounds, and the Pats look a little better right now. Six minutes left. Welker to the Giants 43, he now has 10 catches for 93 yards, and it's another first down. First drive all night where Brady has looked like Brady. Faulk gets 4 on an out route. Welker's 11th catch is for 10 more yards, and the Pats are in theoretical field goal range with 4:15 left. The first incompletion of the drive is to Stallworth, and again, it's a quick out route. Brady is now 26 of 40 for 237 yards. Play action to Moss gets another first down and the Pats are in the red zone. The Giants pass rush has picked a bad time to disappear. Faulk for 12 over the middle, and Giant defenders are dropping like flies; this time it's Robbins, previously it was Tuck and Umenyiora. Bad moment for Blue, who have had time of possession, to also run out of gas.

First and goal from the 7. 3:12 left. Both teams have all of their timeouts. Fake handoff, pump fake right to Gaffney, then Brady misses a wide-open Moss to the left. Second down is a blitz where Brady throws behind Welker, who gets hammered to boot. James Butler for the Giants is down, and it's merely the biggest play of the season right now. Aikman gives the mouth job to Brady, as if he didn't just miss Moss on first down for the go-ahead touchdown. Seriously, how stupid do you have to be to get an NFL announcing job with Fox?

The biggest play of the game and season is from the gun. Brady to Moss, touchdown, as Webster los his feet. Gostkowski hits the PAT, and it's 14-10 Patriots, with 2:49 left. The perfect season is 2:42 away, assuming the Patriots defense can get it done.

Hixson goes down hard after a 14 yard return, so the Giants will have to go long distance to win this game. First and ten from their 17. First down is a good ball to Toomer, for 11 and the first. The Giants don't hurry. Manning takes a low snap and misses Burress in traffic. Burress has one catch for 14 yards, in his bid to be the new Freddie Mitchell. Under pressure, Manning throws high and away to Burress, and we're at the two minute warning.

3rd and 10, and Aikman is already talking about punting, Manning finds Toomer, who is marked just short of the first. Toomer could have rolled after the catch, but didn't, and with 1:40 left, the Giants are going for it. Aikman admits this is the right decision. No, you think?

AGAIN, HOW STUPID DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GET A JOB WITH FOX?

Jacobs just makes it on fourth and short. 1:22 left, and Blue keeps it. They still have all three timeouts, and are now 73 yards away. Manning scrambles for five, and was down before the ball comes loose. Blue calls time, and it's second and five with 80 seconds left, but this drive is not exactly inspiring confidence right now.

57 yards away. Manning airmails a ball to Tyree, and Samuel doesn't make the pick; Manning is bent at his WR. 3rd and 5, 1:15 left... and Manning makes the play of his life. Shaking off pressure from several players, he throws a jump ball to Tyree, who also makes the play of his life, holding off Harrison and keeping the ball, with one hand, off his freaking HELMET. Unreal. Giants call time, 59 seconds left, ball on the Patriots 25, and what was a terrible game is having a HUGE finish.

1st and 10 on the 24. Manning gets dragged down by Thomas, and Blue uses its last time out with 50 seconds left on the clock. That Could Be Important. Blue needs to protect its QB better. From the gun, its a flutter that Tyree almost catches on the deflection. 3rd and 11 with 45 seconds left. I'd think about a draw, but Manning finds Smith in the flat, who gets the first down and stops the clock. Huge play.

First and 10 on the 14. Patriots with a sell out blitz, and Manning finds Burress all alone in the corner for the go-ahead touchdown with 35 seconds left. Wow, wow, wow. Tynes sneaks the extra point through, and it's 17-14 Giants with 35 seconds left.

Heck of a time for Burress to finally make a play in this game. He's officially overtaken Freddie Mitchell. And for that, I have no higher praise.

A big return makes overtime very possible, as the Pats still have all of their timeouts, but Maroney won't get it, as he's wrapped up at the 25. 29 seconds left, first and 10 from the 25. The Giants blitz on first, and Brady misses downfield. 25 seconds left. On second down, Jay Alford, a rookie, blows up Brady on a sack, 19 seconds left, the Patriots take a timeout. It's 3rd and 20. Wow.

From the gun, Brady tries Moss from 60 yards away, and Webster knocks it away. 10 seconds left. The ball was there, but the DB made a great play. And on the last play of the NFL season, Brady can't connect. Embarrassingly for the NFL, there is still a second left on the clock, and it's a mess to close, but close they do.

Giants 17, Patriots 14. Much, much more later. (My inner Masstermind is just CRUSHED.)