The Patriots have taken the lead for the first time in Super Bowl XLVI after Tom Brady capped off a 96-yard (98 after a false start) drive with his first touchdown pass of the game.
Once again pinned very deep by Giants punter Steve Weatherford, who left the Patriots at the 4-yard line on a terrific directional punt. After a false start, the Patriots opened up with an empty backfield, with Brady finding Wes Welker for seven more yards of breathing room. Shortly thereafter, Rob Gronkowski finally made his way into the books with a 20-yard reception with Brady throwing perfectly over the top of numerous Giants defenders to find his tight end.
From there, it was a two-man game between Aaron Hernandez and Tom Brady. Hernandez picked up 18 yards on the next two passes, and after a holding call backed the Patriots up into a 2nd-and-12 situation, it was Hernandez who made the next two for another 20 yards. Patriots fans had a nervous moment when Hernandez lost the ball at the end of one of his catches, but with his elbow hitting the ground, New England held on to possession at New York's 33-yard line.
The push to the end zone would come down to the wire both in terms of time and downs as passes to Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead brought the Patriots to the 3-yard line with only 20 seconds left. Woodhead would end up being stuffed for a loss on the next play, but facing 3rd-and-2, Brady fired to the end zone, where the diminutive running back was waiting to give the Patriots the 10-9 lead.
That's 10 straight points from the resurgent Patriots, who can now look to build their lead when they get the ball to start the second half.
0 comments
Comments