Was anyone really surprised with tonight’s outcome?

Eli Manning. Ball in Hand. Down two points. Four minutes to go. How many times have seen it before?

Eli to Manningham(3x). Eli to Nicks a few times. Highlighted by a Bradshaw TD run with one minute to go. G-Men up, 21-17.

I don’t care what any NFL analyst or talking head has to say. Belichick allowing the Giants to score and take the lead was one of the dumbest plays I’ve ever seen. He only had one time out, no healthy, big end zone targets capable of catching a jump ball. A team that has a bunch of slot, possession receivers, less their biggest and best target isn’t capable of taking it 80 yards on the G-Men defense in less than a minute. I get the notion of giving your offense another shot, but so many bad things can happen on a field goal try. (Just ask Tony Romo or Billy Cundiff).

Eli Was Eli.

Belichick apparently ducked the post-game interview and there’s no doubt that his legacy takes a hit. Same with Brady. Arguably the most dominant franchise in football over the last decade was beaten TWICE by Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. They go right into the conversation now.

That’s all for today. Everyone is probably too full from eating snacks and passed out on their couches. The G-Men are officially Super Bowl champs for the fourth time. Now a two-time Super Bowl MVP, Eli is Eli.

Watching the Giants take on the 49ers in the first half I kept saying how impressed I was with the offensive line and the protection of Eli in the pocket. He looked like he had as much time as he wanted to go through and pick apart the defense, which he and Victor Cruz did by putting up 8 catches for over 100 yards in the first half alone. In the second half and later in the game, the pocket was collapsing quicker and quicker. I could see on TV (which isn’t a good sign) that Kareem McKenzie was getting pushed aside and beat on almost every play. To make it worse, he looked like he was barely putting any effort in once he was beat to try and ward off that defender at least an extra second for Eli to continue performing his surgery.

In-game adjustments are what separate good teams from truly great teams (coaches and players). I’m sure that was in play with the great coaching of Harbough and the Niners great defense, but this showed me a serious lack in conditioning for the Giants offensive linemen. With the two weeks off, hopefully everyone on the squad will be well rested, especially those most important to creating that time that gets Eli into a rhythm with his receivers and then elevate their game to the explosive offense that we’ve seen generate 99 yard touch down plays.

The Patriots aren’t afraid to make those kind of adjustments, which could see their monster Vince Wilfork shift sides to be attacking on McKenzie and bum rushing the quarterback to cause pressure to cause a slight mistake or big turn over. And like the Giants in the Conference Championship, the Patriots are a team that capitalize on opponents mistakes.

Todd Giannattasio is a guest blogger for New York State Of Sports. Todd newest venture is an online store for quality beer fridges and wine coolers. You can follow him on Twitter @Tresnic.

Yesterday, I profiled why Chad Ocho Cinco is flying under the radar and the Pats’ inefficiency without Rob Gronkowski. While I do stand behind my initial article that Gronkowski will not have a true impact on the Super Bowl, one player kept the Gronkster in check during the regular season. Sure, Gronkowski brutualized the Giants for eight catches, 101 yards, and a touchdown, but when Mr. Deon Grant covered Gronkowski, he did not record a reception.

Deon Being Deon--AP Photo

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Can anyone think of a more unorthodox offense than the 2011 New England Patriots?

Tom Brady threw for 5,325 yards, but no traditional receiver accumulated more than 702 yards. Instead, Brady fed a slot receiver and two tight ends 3,800 yards and 34 TDs. At the forefront of this offense was a 6’6″, 265 behemoth known as ‘The Gronk’, who hauled in 1,327 yards and 17 TDs during the regular season. Rob Gronkowski routinely opened up the middle of the field by running seam routes and preying upon undersized linebackers and safeties. In turn, Gronkowski presence opened up the underneath routes for slot receiver Wes Welker and fellow tight end, Aaron Hernandez, giving the speedy duo one-on-one opportunities. 

Unfortunately for Gronk, he suffered an extremely vicious high ankle sprain late in the third quarter of the AFC Championship and was not a factor for the rest of the game. On the surface, the injury doesn’t seem like a huge deal, given that the Patriots won the game, but after Gronk left the game, the data indicates that the Patriots may have huge issues on Sunday night.

Will Gronk's Injury Cost The Pats?--AP Photo

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When I first contacted the editor of this site, part of my pitch was that I wanted to write about how Eli was going to finish with a better career than Peyton. Since then, the topic has blown up everywhere and I don’t feel it necessary to add much to the now over saturated conversation.

The best comparison that I’ve heard of the two of them was by Colin Cowherd when he said that Peyton is A-Rod and Eli is Jeter. That holds very true in my eyes, Peyton will have the higher numbers (we’ll see by how much) and overall is the more talented player. But when it comes down to it, crunch time, third down, fourth quarter, final minute of the biggest game in the football world, if your heart hasn’t told you that it’s Eli that you want just yet, your eyes and the statistics are all more than convincing.

During this time that Eli’s play has put him in this Peyton Manning conversation, he’s silently put himself in the room with Tom Brady in two ways. One, he’s carried his team to the wins they need in the big time moments, just as Tom Brady has made his career. At the same time, he earned his first ring against Tom, shutting down his undefeated, record setting season. Keeping his hand from adding a fourth ring and putting him hands down in the top few quarterbacks ever. Again entering his fifth Super Bowl, Brady is looking to add that fourth ring…Or is it going to be Eli adding his second (more than Peyton, now only one behind Brady) and holding Brady back once again from that fourth championship?

It’s not a far reach to see Eli and the Giants heading to another Super Bowl or two in the next 6 years, possibly another against Brady. Putting his appearances and winning percentage in that all-time class. Super Bowl 46 is going to be a great game and a great rematch of the the epic 2008 game and the earlier battle this season. But how about Eli and Coughlin with an experienced receiving corp that’s no longer emerging no-names going for his third ring against Tom Brady and Belichick? Eli 3 for 3 in the Super Bowl (also would be adding at least 3 more playoff wins) matching Brady’s championships in just half the appearances.

That’s the Super Bowl I’m waiting for…

Todd Giannattasio is a guest blogger for New York State Of Sports. Todd runs an online store selling Giants themed apparel, Deja 42. You can follow him on Twitter@Tresnic.

After Eli Manning led the Giants past the San Francisco 49ers, the Eli admiration was at an all-time high. During his five ‘must-win’ games, Eli went 5-0, throwing 12 TD passes to only one interception. Manning was so good in the fourth quarter this season, leading six game winning drives. Eli’s fourth quarter passer rating was also the highest in the league. If Eli is able to defeat Tom Brady, he’ll collect his second Super Bowl, tied for the second most among active quarterbacks. In a league where great QB play is imperative to a team’s success, where does Eli rank in terms of his counterpats?

AP PHOTO

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One word to describe this game:

Exhausting.

Eli Was Eli--AP Photo

In what was a four-hour roller coaster ride, the Giants pulled out an exciting, hard-fought, draining, win over the Niners. In my preview this week, I highlighted how the Niner prided themselves on not turning the ball over. True to form, the Niner offense did not turn the ball over. However, punt returner Kyle Williams fumbled two punts–resulting in ten decisive Giant points. Eli Manning threw for 306 yards, but he earned every single yard. In his 63 dropbacks, Eli was hit 21 times–and got up after every single one. Mario Manningham had his weekly post-season appearance in the end zone and the Giant defense looked awesome–outside of two blown plays to Vernon Davis.

We’ll have more for you in the coming days, but after that game, I think everyone just needs to sleep to start having dreams of February 3, 2008. You know–Super Bowl rings, decking Tom Brady, salsa-ing …

Victor In Cruise Control--AP Photo

If the Giants wanted any bulletin board material, they didn’t have to look too hard. Jerry Rice called Brandon Jacobs soft and Vernon Davis is already planning the NFC Championship post-season celebration party?!?

Like Giant fans needed anymore motivation for today’s NFC Title Game…

The “49ers NFC Championship After Party” is scheduled to be held at Manor West in San Francisco, CA shortly after the NFC Championship game concludes, and tickets are already being sold for little over $21 a pop. Davis himself is slated to host this “championship event.”

Everyone has been talking about how the Giants won’t be able to run against the 49ers this weekend and it could be a factor in determining the game. The 49ers defense is legit; I’m not taking anything away from them, but they will not be able to hold the Giants to less points than Alex Smith will be able to muster together with the help of David Akers foot.

First of all, the Giants were last in rushing yards per game this year, so I don’t even think an extraordinary running game is a necessary for Eli and the Giants offense to have a big game and come out with a convincing victory. Secondly, when the Giants went out to San Francisco earlier this year, they had 92 rushing yards and 311 passing yards (2 TDs, 2 INTs). Ahmad Bradshaw didn’t play, but Brandon Jacobs had 18 carries for 55 yards and Danny Ware had 9 rushes for 34 yards.

During the regular season, the 49ers gave up 308 total yards per game and 77 rushing yards per game. The Giants took them for more than that on both accounts in their last encounter and that was without Ahmad Bradshaw. The Giants averaged 295 passing yards and 89 rushing yards a game, so not only did they take the Niners defense for more than they usually allowed, but they took them for more than they took the rest of the league on average throughout the regular season.

After looking at the SF defensive dominance last week, the Saints runners are soft and got shook early. Pierre Thomas took a huge hit in the first quarter that set the tone for the rest of the game. You could tell that they were scared to run hard and take those blasts from San Fran’s hard hitting unit, but Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw feed off of hard hitting runs. They’ll both be laying hits just as hard right back at the defenders. It’ll just be a difference if it’s at the line of scrimmage or in the open field where they’ll be plowing over anyone in there way between them and the goal line (ask the Jets).

In the last four games, the Giants have won by a margin of  121 – 50. Dominant on both sides of the ball and convincing me (like I’m a hard sell on the Giants ability) that they are clicking on all cylinders and just have too much going on right now to be stopped.

And by the way, the Giants are undefeated in NFC Championship Games.

Todd Giannattasio is a guest blogger for New York State Of Sports. Todd also contributes simple recipes for guys at Easy Recipes For Beginners. You can follow him on Twitter@Tresnic.