FANTASY FURNACE

WR Mario Manningham is this year’s version of WR David Tyree!!

#82 Mario Manningham makes 'The Catch' that propelled the Giants to victory! Photo: AP

In another nail bitter, the N.Y. Giants did it again! Another close game, another last minute drive, another Eli Manning masterpiece. The game changed momentum most of the evening but cool, calm, Eli, as he’s done most of the season and certainly throughout the playoffs, came through in the fourth quarter with a gem of a throw to Mario Manningham down the sidelines with 3:39 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Manningham, in what will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history, somehow made the catch, kept two feet inbounds, and maintained possesion of the ball all the way to the ground and with two defenders on him. It was, and remains, the longest play of the game by either side. Who would have thought that a 38 yard play would be the longest all day between these two teams?

The Giants as predicted right here at fantasyfurnace.com, had enough of a running game  to help maintain control the clock 37:05  to the Pats 22:55. It was even more lopsided in the first half. And RB Ahmad Bradshaw, who we said would be a key to a Giants win, scored the go ahead touchdown with 59 ticks left in the fourth.

We also said that Eli would be the Super Bowl’s MVP so we’ll take credit for that call as well. Manning finished the game with 30-40 296 1TD and no INT’S. Just a brilliant performance; one that Giants fans have been so accustomed to seeing especially over their last six games.

Eli Manning after leading him team to a stunning 21-17 victory over the N.E. Patriots. Photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images

It’s been a great run for the Giants who just seem to be a team of destiny this year, just as they were back in 2007. Coach Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning’s legacies have been reinforced tonight, and there’s no telling what the rest of Eli’s career will bring him. Clearly it can now be argued that he’ll deserve a place, along with Coughlin, in the Hall of Fame at the end of their great careers.

We picked the Giants to win this game and can now boast a 9-2 record which includes every playoff game and the Super Bowl. The Giants win tonight proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their 2008 Super Bowl win over these same Patriots was no fluke. We’ll try to do the same next year when we begin to make our weekly selections in September. Meantime we will celebrate along with the Giants after what was arguably one of the best Super Bowls of all time!