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| Date | February 5, 2012 (2012-02-05) | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Kickoff time | 6:30 p.m.EST (UTC-5) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis,Indiana | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Eli Manning,quarterback[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Patriots by 2.5[2][3] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | John Parry | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 68,658[4] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ceremonies | |||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Kelly Clarkson | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coin toss | Curtis Martin representing the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame class | ||||||||||||||||||
| Halftime show | Madonna featuringLMFAO,M.I.A.,Nicki Minaj, andCee Lo Green | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | NBC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Al Michaels (play-by-play) Cris Collinsworth (analyst) Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen ratings | 47.0 (national)[5] 56.7 (Boston) 56.4 (Indianapolis) 49.7 (New York)[6] US viewership: 111.3 million est. avg.,[6] 166.8 million est. total | ||||||||||||||||||
| Market share | 71 (national)[7] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of 30-second commercial | $3.5 million[8][9] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Radio in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | Dial Global | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Boomer Esiason (analyst) James Lofton andMark Malone (sideline reporters) | ||||||||||||||||||
Super Bowl XLVI was anAmerican football game between theNational Football Conference (NFC) championNew York Giants and theAmerican Football Conference (AFC) championNew England Patriots to decide theNational Football League (NFL) champion for the2011 season. The Giants defeated the Patriots by the score of 21–17.[10][11] The game was played on February 5, 2012, atLucas Oil Stadium inIndianapolis, the first time that theSuper Bowl was played inIndiana.
In addition to winning their eighth championship in team history, the Giants set a new record for the lowest regular season record (9–7, win percentage of 56.3%) by a Super Bowl champion.[12] The Patriots entered the game with a 13–3 regular season record, and were also seeking their fourth Super Bowl win.[13] This was a rematch ofSuper Bowl XLII, which the Giants also won, spoiling the Patriots' run at aperfect 2007 season. The Giants and the Patriots also played in Week 9 a few months earlier, with the Giants winning on the road 24–20.
The Giants jumped to a 9–0 lead in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI before the Patriots scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17–9 lead in the third quarter. But the Giants prevented the Patriots from scoring again, and two consecutive Giants field goals chipped away the Patriots' lead, 17–15, late in the third quarter. The Giants capped off an 88-yard drive with running backAhmad Bradshaw's 6-yard game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds left in the game.Eli Manning, who completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, was namedSuper Bowl MVP for the second time in his career.[1] He became the third consecutive quarterback to win the award afterAaron Rodgers inSuper Bowl XLV andDrew Brees inSuper Bowl XLIV. He was also the first Giants quarterback to start and win two championship games sinceEd Danowski in1938.
The broadcast of the game onNBC broke the then record for themost-watched program in American television history, previously set duringthe previous year's Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLVI was watched by an estimated average audience of 111.3 million US viewers and an estimated total audience of 166.8 million, according toNielsen, meaning that over half of the American population watched at least some of the initial broadcast.[14] The game also set the record for mosttweets per second during a sporting event, with 13.7 million tweets from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. (PST).[15]
Per convention as an even-numbered Super Bowl, the Patriots as the AFC representatives had thehome team designation. Super Bowl XLVI was the sixth Super Bowl in which the two teams had competed in a previous Super Bowl matchup, as the Giants and Patriots had previously met inSuper Bowl XLII.[16] Both head coaches (Tom Coughlin andBill Belichick) and both starting quarterbacks (Eli Manning andTom Brady) returned from Super Bowl XLII.
Three cities presented bids for the game:
NFL franchise owners selected the Indianapolis bid at their meeting on May 20, 2008, in Atlanta.[21]
A labor dispute had threatened the postponement or cancellation of the game during the spring and summer of 2011; league officials had set contingency plans to postpone the game one week if it had been necessary to postpone regular season games into the second week of January.[22] Since the dispute was resolved well before the start of the regular season, no postponements were implemented, and the game remained as originally scheduled.
This was the first Super Bowl to be played in Indianapolis,[23] and only the fourth time that the Super Bowl has been played in a cold-weather city, after Detroit (XVI andXL) andMinneapolis (XXVI).Downtown Indianapolis, the home of Lucas Oil Stadium, featured an outdoor Super Bowl Village and other programs at theIndiana Convention Center.
Working around a series of injuries, the Giants ended with a 9–7 record during the regular season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2008, winning theNFC East and finishing the season as the NFC's No. 4 seed.[24] Finally back to full strength, the Giants entered their week 17 matchup with theDallas Cowboys with both teams tied for the division lead with 8–7 records. The Giants took a 21–0 first half lead and while the Cowboys closed the gap to make the score 21–14 early in the 4th quarter, the Giants held on to defeat the Cowboys 31–14, clinching the divisional title and a playoff berth.[25][26]
New York's offense was led bySuper Bowl XLII winning quarterbackEli Manning, in his seventh season as the team's starter. Manning set new career highs in nearly every statistical category in 2011, throwing for a franchise record 4,933 yards and 29 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions, giving him a 92.9 passer rating. His top target was receiverVictor Cruz, who caught 82 passes for a franchise record 1,536 yards (3rd in the NFL) and 9 touchdowns.[27] He had plenty of other targets, includingHakeem Nicks (76 receptions, 1,192 yards, 7 touchdowns),Mario Manningham (39 receptions and 523 yards in 12 games) and tight endJake Ballard (38 receptions, 604 yards).
Although not on the field for four games due to injury, running backAhmad Bradshaw was the team's leading rusher with 659 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was also a reliable weapon in the passing game, hauling in 34 receptions for 267 yards and two touchdowns.Brandon Jacobs also made contributions on the ground, rushing for 571 yards and 7 touchdowns.
New York's defensive line was led by defensive endsJustin Tuck,Jason Pierre-Paul andOsi Umenyiora. Pierre-Paul racked up 86 combined tackles and ranked fourth in the NFL with 16.5 sacks, earning him the only Pro Bowl selection on the Giants defense, while Umenyiora, limited to 9 games because of injury, recorded 9 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Giants secondary was led byCorey Webster, who intercepted a career-high 6 passes. Defensive backsKenny Phillips andAaron Ross added four interceptions each, while safetyAntrel Rolle picked off two passes and led the team in combined tackles with 96.
The Giants joined the2008 Arizona Cardinals and1979 Los Angeles Rams as the only other team to advance to the Super Bowl with fewer than ten victories since the NFL expanded to a 16-game season in 1978, and the only one of those three to win the Super Bowl they had advanced to. They have won six consecutive playoff games away from their home stadium, dating back to their victory over theTampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2007 Wild Card round. That includes theirSuper Bowl XLII victory over these same Patriots, although that game was played at a neutral site (and the Giants were the designated "away" team for the game). The 2011 Giants are the first team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl after having been outscored by their opponents in the regular season (394 points scored, 400 points allowed).[28]
The Patriots finished with a 13–3 record, winning theAFC East and clinching the AFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs. New England lost 2 consecutive games to theSteelers and Giants in week 8 and 9 respectively, before rallying to win their remaining eight games.[29]
Back at the helm of the offense was 12-year quarterbackTom Brady, who earned his 7th Pro Bowl selection. Starting every game of the season, Brady completed 65.6% of his passes for a career-high 5,235 yards (the second highest total in NFL history at the time) and 39 touchdown passes, with just 12 interceptions and a rating of 105.6. Brady also added 109 yards and three scores on the ground.[30] His main weapon in the passing game was Pro Bowl receiverWes Welker, who led the NFL with 122 receptions (22 receptions ahead of second place) for 1,569 yards and 9 touchdowns. New England also had two of the best tight ends in the NFL: Pro BowlerRob Gronkowski, who set new tight end records for receiving (1,327 yards) and touchdown catches (17); andAaron Hernandez, who caught 79 passes for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also rushing for 45 yards. Another big element of the passing game was veteran receiverDeion Branch, who caught 51 passes for 702 yards and 5 scores. ReceiversChad Ochocinco,Tiquan Underwood,Julian Edelman, andMatthew Slater made minor contributions to the passing attack; the latter two also served as emergency defensive backs. Edelman was also a superb punt returner, returning 28 punts for 296 yards and a touchdown.
New England had several key contributors in the ground game. Their main rusher wasBenJarvus Green-Ellis, who rushed for 667 yards and 11 touchdowns. Running backStevan Ridley added 447 yards and a 5.1 yards per carry average.Danny Woodhead contributed 351 yards with a 4.6 YPC average, and gained another 437 yards returning kickoffs. New England also had a solid offensive line, which was anchored by Pro Bowl guardsLogan Mankins andBrian Waters. With all these weapons, New England ranked third in the NFL with 513 points.
The Patriots' defensive line featured two Pro Bowl selections:Vince Wilfork, who generated 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble; andAndre Carter, who contributed 10 sacks and forced two fumbles. Defensive EndMark Anderson was also a major force on the line, earning 10 sacks and two forced fumbles of his own. Behind them,Rob Ninkovich excelled at linebacker, gaining 74 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two interceptions. In the secondary, cornerbackKyle Arrington had a breakout season. After recording just one interception in his first three years, Arrington picked off 7 passes in 2011 to lead the NFL in that category, while also making 88 tackles. LinebackerJerod Mayo led the team in tackles with 95.
With the victory in the 2011 AFC Championship Game Brady and head coachBill Belichick became the first quarterback-head coach combination to reach the Super Bowl five times, surpassing the record held byTerry Bradshaw andChuck Noll of thePittsburgh Steelers' 1970s Super Bowl teams. Belichick tiedTom Landry for second most appearances as a head coach in the Super Bowl, behind onlyDon Shula's six.
The Patriots and Giants faced each other in New England during the regular season; the Giants won that game, 24–20.[31] Incidentally, the Giants and Patriots hadalso faced each other in New York during the regular season prior to Super Bowl XLII with the Patriots winning that regular season matchup and the Giants going on to win that Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLVI marked the 13th Super Bowl that was a rematch of a regular season game. The loser in the regular season had been 7–5 in these games prior to Super Bowl XLVI.
The Giants finished the season as the NFC East champion and the No. 4 seed in the conference. The Giants defeated the No. 5 seedAtlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round 24–2, the first playoff game atMetLife Stadium. Eli Manning threw for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions, while the Giants defense shut down the Falcons, with the only Falcons points coming from a safety given up by Manning's intentional grounding penalty in his end zone.[32]
The Giants then moved on to face the No. 1 seed and the defendingSuper Bowl XLV championGreen Bay Packers in the divisional round. The Giants never trailed in the game, winning 37–20. One of the key plays in the game was aHail Mary pass by Manning toHakeem Nicks, giving the Giants a 20–10 lead at the end of the first half. As they did to 2007 MVPTom Brady and thePatriots' record-breaking offense, the Giants generated significant pressure on Packers quarterback and season MVPAaron Rodgers, sacking him four times and disrupting his talented receiving corps.[33] This was the first time in NFL history a 15–1 team failed to make it past the divisional round in the playoffs.
The Giants then faced the No. 2 seededSan Francisco 49ers in theNFC Championship Game. After a series of defensive standoffs in the fourth quarter, the game went into overtime. Both teams continued to struggle on offense, until Giants linebackerJacquian Williams stripped the ball from 49ers wide receiverKyle Williams after a punt return. The Giants recovered the ball at the 49ers 24-yard line, setting up a 31-yard field goal attempt by Giants kickerLawrence Tynes. Unlike Cundiff earlier that day, Tynes' kick was successful, giving the Giants a 20–17 victory.[34]
As the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Patriots earned a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. In the divisional round, the Patriots defeated theDenver Broncos 45–10. The Patriots dominated the game throughout, setting new franchise postseason records for total yards (509), points (45), and margin of victory (35). Tom Brady completed 18 of 25 passes for 246 yards and a postseason record five touchdowns in the first half. The Patriots defense had a breakout performance: Broncos quarterbackTim Tebow was held to just 9 of 26 completions and was sacked five times.[35]
In theAFC Championship Game, the Patriots faced off against the No. 2 seededBaltimore Ravens. Brady was out-dueled by Ravens quarterbackJoe Flacco, who threw for more yards and touchdowns on the same number of completions and attempts. Nevertheless, the Patriots managed to take a 23–20 lead in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Brady. With 1:44 left in the quarter, The Ravens got the ball back with one last chance to tie or win the game, driving all the way to the Patriots 14-yard line. But the Patriots managed to hold them there, with cornerbackSterling Moore breaking up two consecutive Ravens pass attempts in the red zone, including one in the end zone. Facing fourth down, the Ravens attempted a 32-yard field goal by kickerBilly Cundiff that would tie the game and possibly bring it to overtime. Cundiff missed the kick wide left, allowing the Patriots to advance to the Super Bowl.[36]
The Patriots, as the designated home team, had a choice of wearing their home navy blue jerseys or their white away jerseys. Briefly, there was speculation that the Patriots might wear the white away jerseys in order to switch the jerseys fromSuper Bowl XLII, where the Patriots wore dark blue and the Giants wore white. Also, the Giants were 4–0 in playoff games in their white away jerseys since the2007 season. However, the Patriots announced on the Monday following the Conference Championship Games that they would be wearing their customary navy blue home jerseys as the home team in Super Bowl XLVI.[37]
Hospitality experts speculated that "Indianapolis will have seen the most severe hotelprice gouging in Super Bowl history." The city has 6,000 hotel rooms, fewer than typical for a Super Bowl host city. Some rooms in downtown Indianapolis reportedly cost more than $4,000 a night. By contrast, rooms close to the stadium in previous Super Bowls were usually available for about $200. The room shortage and high prices caused some attendees to plan to stay in Chicago, 180 miles away, and ride buses to events.[38]
Because the Giants and Patriots drew their fan bases fromNew York City andBoston respectively, the Super Bowl echoed the fiercerivalry between theNew York Yankees and theBoston Red Sox inMajor League Baseball.[39][40]Tom Brady said of the rivalry: "There is a great rivalry...between Boston and New York...When I got to the team, it was always Red Sox-Yankees. We've had some pretty meaningful games against the Giants over the past few years, so I don't think anyone is disappointed that it's the Giants."[41] Overall, this was the seventh meeting between teams fromBoston andNew York City for amajor professional sports championship. This previously occurred inSuper Bowl XLII in 2008, two Stanley Cup Finals (1929,1972), and three World Series (1912,1916,1986).[42]
In the United States, the game was televised nationally byNBC.[43]
Al Michaels calledplay-by-play for NBC, marking the eighth time that he was behind the microphone for a Super Bowl and the second time he called a Super Bowl for NBC (Michaels had previously done play-by-play for Super BowlsXXII,XXV,XXIX,XXXIV,XXXVII, andXL forABC andSuper Bowl XLIII for NBC). This was the first NBC Super Bowl without John Madden as he retired afterSuper Bowl XLIII.Cris Collinsworth was thecolor analyst for the game, his second Super Bowl as a game analyst and first since he was in the booth forSuper Bowl XXXIX forFox.Michele Tafoya was thesideline reporter.Bob Costas andDan Patrick (who also presided over the trophy presentation ceremony) hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage for NBC withFootball Night in America analystsTony Dungy andRodney Harrison and special guest analysts (who were seated next to Costas during the pre-game festivities),Aaron Rodgers andHines Ward. Also helping out on NBC's broadcast were reportersAlex Flanagan,Liam McHugh, andRandy Moss and NFL insidersMike Florio andPeter King.
All commercials for the game sold out by Thanksgiving 2011, at an average price of $3.5 million per thirty-second ad, by far the highest rate forSuper Bowl advertising in the event's history.[44] At least one thirty-second advertisement commanded a price of $4 million.[45]
Anti-abortion activistRandall Terry has said he was planning to run an advertisement featuring graphic photos of aborted fetuses during Super Bowl XLVI.[46] Terry was not allowed to air the ad nationwide, given that the networks have a policy underequal time rules to reject all political and issue related advertising during the Super Bowl.[47] He was able, however, under the then-current Federal Election Commission "reasonable access" rules, to force up to 35 local stations (those located in states in which theDemocratic Party primaries are within 45 days of Super Bowl Sunday; Terry entered the primary as adummy candidate primarily for the purpose of this advertisement) to run the advertisement uncensored, regardless of whether it meetsStandards and Practices or Federal Communications Commission guidelines. The FCC ruled against Terry on February 3, two days before the game, when NBC owned-and-operatedWMAQ-TV inChicago refused to air the ad, citing the same equal-time statutes and the fact that Terry did not appear to be abona fide candidate.[48] The largest station to allow Terry to air his advertisement wasWHDH inBoston,Massachusetts.[49]
An advertisement fromPepsi featuredMelanie Amaro, the winner ofseason one of theFox seriesThe X Factor.[50] Other confirmed advertisers includedDoritos (continuing itsuser-generated "Crash the Super Bowl" contest),Bridgestone,Volkswagen (a 60-second spot advertising the third-generationBeetle featuring dogs barking to the tune of "The Imperial March"),General Motors (four forChevrolet; including a commercial featuring "We Are Young" byfun. that led to a massive sales spike; and one forCadillac),Toyota,Hyundai,Acura (featuringJerry Seinfeld in an ad for theNSX),[51]Kia Motors (advertising theOptima with a spot starringAdriana Lima),Audi (parodying theTwilight series with an ad for theS7),Honda (starringMatthew Broderick in a reprisal of the lead role inFerris Bueller's Day Off), newcomersDannon Yogurt andCentury 21 Real Estate,[44]Teleflora,Mars, Incorporated (introducing theM&M's brown spokescandy),The Coca-Cola Company,CareerBuilder.com (reprising their chimp advertisement campaign),Cars.com,Skechers,Relativity Media (running four advertisements forAct of Valor),[52]Paramount Pictures,Walt Disney Pictures, andUniversal Pictures.[53]Anheuser-Busch has purchased nine slots during the game.[54] An advertisement forPriceline.com purportedlykilled off the "Priceline Negotiator", which would have endedWilliam Shatner's role as spokesman for the company (a role he has held for over a decade), to make way for a new campaign that will premiere during the game; however, it was later revealed that the new campaign would keep Shatner.[55] An ad forOld Milwaukee beer featuringWill Ferrell aired a single time on only one station in Nebraska.
Disney's ad for its upcomingJohn Carter was seen as exacerbating concerns about the expensivetentpole film's marketing that had been raised by itsteaser the preceding August.[56] While admitting he was "pleasantly surprised" by it,Collider's Adam Chitwood said he was "still not convinced that the general audience has a handle on what the film's about."[57] An executive at a competing studio said the trailer strongly reinforced concerns that the film had experienced serious production problems that adversely affected its quality and box-office prospects. "It's like, 'Guys, this is yourHail Mary?'"[58] The ad's ineffectiveness was cited as one of many reasons the movie failed upon its release the following month, leading Disney to take a $200 millionwritedown on the film.[59]
Chrysler aired a two-minute half time advertisement titled "Half Time in America", produced by theWieden+Kennedy agency and narrated byClint Eastwood.[60] The ad drew the criticism of several leading U.S.conservatives, who suggested that its messaging implied that President Obama deserved a second term and, as such, was political payback for Obama's support for the federal bailout of the company.[61] Both Chrysler chief marketing officer Olivier François and Chrysler Chairman and CEOSergio Marchionne denied that the ad was intended as a politically oriented message.[62] Overall, the ad was considered one of the better ones that aired during the game.[63]
There has also been some conjecture regarding the possible plagiarism of Australian bandJohn Butler Trio's song "Zebra" by Yogurt giantDannon. Spokesman for the band, Tom McNamara, commented that the band was currently exploring their proprietary rights with regards to the similarity of the tune to the band's hit single.[64]
Matthew Broderick reprised hisFerris Bueller's Day Off role in aHonda commercial aired during thisSuper Bowl which featured theOh Yeah song.[65] A teaser for the ad had appeared two weeks prior to the Super Bowl, which had created rumors of a possible film sequel.[66][67] It was produced by Santa Monica-basedRPA and directed byTodd Phillips.[68]AdWeek's Tim Nudd called the ad "a great homage to the original 1986 film, with Broderick this time calling in sick to a film shoot and enjoying another day of slacking."[68] On the other hand,Jalopnik's Matt Hardigree called the spot "sacrilegious".[69]
NFL International televised the game to viewers outside of North America, withKenny Albert andJoe Theismann calling the English language feed.
| Country | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 Australia | ESPN,Network Ten,One | |
 Austria | Puls 4 | 120,000 viewers, 45.1% market share[70] |
 Belgium | Be Sport 1, Prime Sport 1 | |
 Brazil | ESPN (available in HD) andTV Esporte Interativo | |
 Canada | CTV,RDS | NBC coveragesimulcast on CTV and subject tosimultaneous substitution.TSN Radio carried theDial Global U.S. radio broadcast. Estimated 8.1 million viewers, with 50% of national population (17 million people) tuning in at some point (statistics from TSN). |
 China | Dragon TV,G-Sports | |
 Denmark | TV3+, TV3+ HD | |
 Finland | Nelonen Pro 1,Nelonen Pro 2 | Pro 1 Finnish commentary, Pro 2 English commentary |
 France | BV sports W9 ESPN | 326 000 viewers, 9.4% share and 17.3% in Men 15–49[71] |
 Germany | Sat.1, ran.de (online),Sport1+,ESPN America HD | 1.23 million viewers, 27.1% market share;[72] Sat.1 has been criticised for its vast extent of commercial breaks during its broadcast, e.g. the touchdown that made the score 10–9 and field goal have not been shown live due to broadcast of image trailer[73] |
 Greece | Nova Sports | |
 Hungary | Sport 1 | NFL Network coverage. |
 Ireland | BBC,Sky Sports (UK channels) | |
 Iceland | ESPN America | |
 Israel | Sport 5 (available in HD) | |
 Italy | Sportitalia andESPN America | |
 Japan | NHK BS1,NTV G+ | |
| Latin America | ESPN andFox Sports (both available in HD) | |
 Mexico | Televisa,TV Azteca | |
 Netherlands | ESPN | |
 New Zealand | ESPN[74] | |
 Norway | Viasat Sport Norge, Viasat Sport HD | |
 Poland | Polsat Sport,ESPN America | |
 Portugal | SportTV | Live and in High-Definition onSportTV 2 andSportTV 2 HD from 11:00 pm WET. The event was also shown live and in HD onESPN America andESPN America HD. |
 Romania | Sport 1 | |
 Russia | NTV Plus[75] | |
 Serbia | ESPN America | |
 Slovenia | Šport TV | |
 South Africa | ESPN | |
 Spain | Canal+ 1 | |
 Sweden | TV10,Viasat Fotboll, Viasat Fotboll HD | |
 United Kingdom | BBC,Sky Sports (both available in HD) |
This was the first legal onlinestreaming of a Super Bowl telecast in the United States, available on computers via NFL.com and NBCSports.com, and mobile devices viaVerizon Wireless's NFL Mobileapp.[76][77]
As part of "Operation Fake Sweep",Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with theUnited States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, seized and shut down 16 websites that had provided access to piratedInternet television feeds of NFL games on February 2, in an action similar to the crackdown they had implemented the previous year. For the first time, domains in the.tvtop-level domain were also seized, despite that TLD's allocation toTuvalu.[78]
Super Bowl XLVI was carried nationwide on radio over theDial Global radio network, withKevin Harlan as play-by-play announcer,Boomer Esiason as color analyst, andJames Lofton andMark Malone as sideline reporters. Locally, the game was broadcast by theNew York Giants Radio Network flagship (WFAN) and theNew England Patriots Radio Network flagship (WBZ-FM).Bob Papa called the game for the Giants withCarl Banks as his analyst andHoward Cross as sideline reporter, whileGil Santos was at the microphone for the Patriots withGino Cappelletti as analyst andScott Zolak as sideline reporter. Santos and Cappelletti returned for their sixth Super Bowl as broadcast team for the Patriots while Papa and Banks called their third and second Super Bowls, respectively, for the Giants. This was the first Super Bowl broadcast for the Giants not to feature longtime analystDick Lynch, who had retired from the team's radio booth following the 2007 season and died in 2008. As per the NFL's rules, all the other stations in the Giants and Patriots radio networks (as well asWCBS-AM in New York, which serves as a preseason overflow station for the Giants) carried Dial Global's feed.
BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra produced its own radio broadcast, with Darren Fletcher, Rocky Boiman, andGreg Brady announcing.[79]
TheIndiana University Marching Hundred performed during the pre-game show.[80]
On January 12, 2012, it was reported that formerAmerican Idol winnerKelly Clarkson would sing the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLVI.[81] It marks the fourth time in the previous five years that anAmerican Idol contestant has performed the national anthem (joiningCarrie Underwood,Jennifer Hudson andJordin Sparks). Clarkson was accompanied by the Indianapolis Children's Choir. Husband-and-wife country musiciansBlake Shelton andMiranda Lambert performed "America the Beautiful" as part of the ceremonies.[81]American Sign Language translation for both songs was performed by Rachel Mazique, the currently reigning Miss Deaf America.[82]
The coin toss ceremony featured the recent inductees to thePro Football Hall of Fame.Curtis Martin, one of the inductees, was originally selected to toss the coin,[83] but in whatNESN described as "a rather awkward scene", referee John Parry ended up flipping the coin himself while Martin stood beside and watched.[84] The Patriots won the toss, the first AFC team to do so in the Super Bowl in 15 years.[85] Because the coin toss landed on heads, the pizza chainPapa John's offered free pizza to millions of Americans who participated in a promotional contest.[84]
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Word had leaked as early as October 2011 thatMadonna would be the performer for theSuper Bowl halftime show,[86] withM.I.A. andNicki Minaj performing as well; all three are featured on Madonna's new single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" which was performed as part of the show.[87][88] The league confirmed Madonna as the performer on December 4.[89] Other collaborators on the project includedLMFAO,Cee Lo Green, long time Madonna collaboratorJamie King,Cirque du Soleil, and Moment Factory.
The setlist included an Egyptian-themed "Vogue" with costumes byGivenchy,[90] a medley of Madonna's "Music" and LMFAO's two largest hits ("Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It", with the LMFAO singers remaining fully clothed, unlike in the latter song's music video), followed by her then-current single "Give Me All Your Luvin'", excerpts from "Open Your Heart" and "Express Yourself" (in a duet with Green), and the finale, "Like a Prayer", also featuring Green. Green and Shelton (who sang "America the Beautiful" as part of the pregame show) are both judges on the NBC TV seriesThe Voice, which the networkbroadcast after the game.
M.I.A. came under controversy for giving themiddle finger during the performance of "Give Me All Your Luvin'", which was caught by the broadcast feed. The gesture was given when she appeared to sing "I don't give a shit", although it was hard to hear clearly if the expletive was said, stopped short, or cut off, as the censor unsuccessfully tried to blur the screen to cover the gesture.[91]
The show broke the record for the most viewed Super Bowl halftime show ever, defeating Michael Jackson's previous record, with 114 million viewers throughout the world.[92]
The Patriots won the coin toss and deferred. This ended a stretch of 14 consecutive Super Bowls in which the NFC team won the coin toss.[93]
The Giants opened the game with a drive to the Patriots' 33-yard line, threatening to score first. After quarterbackEli Manning completed a 19-yard pass to wide receiverHakeem Nicks, the Patriots' defense stepped up to prevent a score. First, defensive endBrandon Deaderick sacked Manning for a 2-yard loss, then running backAhmad Bradshaw was tackled behind the line of scrimmage on a blitz by cornerbackKyle Arrington. On third down, defensive endMark Anderson sacked Manning for a 6-yard loss, pushing the Giants out of field goal range and forcing them to punt.
The Giants got a boost from punterSteve Weatherford, whose 36-yard kick pinned the Patriots back at their own 6-yard line. On the Patriots' first offensive play of the game, quarterbackTom Brady attempted aplay action pass, but a heavy rush from defensive endJustin Tuck forced Brady to throw deep into the middle of the field, with no receiver anywhere near it. Brady was flagged forintentional grounding, and since he was in the end zone when he threw the pass, the play resulted in asafety,[94] giving the Giants an early 2–0 lead.[95] It was the first safety in a Super Bowl since theArizona Cardinals scored one inSuper Bowl XLIII. After receiving the free kick, the Giants drove 78 yards in 9 plays. Aided by a key 24-yard run by Bradshaw, the Giants increased their lead to 9–0 on Manning's 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverVictor Cruz.[96]
On the Patriots' following drive, Brady completed passes to running backBenJarvus Green-Ellis for 7 yards and wide receiverDeion Branch for 15, while wide receiverWes Welker picked up 29 yards on a reception and a run on a reverse, moving the ball to the Giants' 17-yard line.
The Giants managed to stop the drive at their own 11-yard line, butStephen Gostkowski kicked a 29-yard field goal to cut the Patriots' deficit to 9–3 early in the second quarter.
After the next three possessions resulted in punts, Weatherford's 51-yard punt gave the Patriots possession on their 2-yard line with 4:03 left in the half. However, this punt did not affect the Patriots, as they stormed 96 yards down the field in 14 plays, tying the record for the longest drive in Super Bowl history.[97] Brady completed a 20-yard pass to tight endRob Gronkowski, then followed it up with four consecutive completions to tight endAaron Hernandez for a total gain of 38 yards. The drive ended with Brady's 4-yard touchdown pass to running backDanny Woodhead, giving the Patriots their first lead of the game, 10–9, at halftime.
The Patriots took the second half kickoff and started out strong; Brady completed a 21-yard pass to wide receiverChad Johnson (his only reception of the postseason and Brady's longest pass of the game), and a reception and two runs by Green-Ellis gained 29 yards to the Giants' 24-yard line. Brady eventually finished the eight-play, 79-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez, increasing the Patriots' lead to 17–9.
Starting their first drive of the half from their own 35-yard line after wide receiverJerrel Jernigan's 34-yard kickoff return, aided by Manning's two completions to Nicks for 19 yards, the Giants reached the Patriots' 20-yard line, where kickerLawrence Tynes made a 38-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 17–12.
On the Patriots' next drive, the Giants forced a three-and-out, and safetyWill Blackmon returnedZoltán Meskó's 43-yard punt 10 yards to the Patriots' 47-yard line. The Giants subsequently drove back into scoring range on a drive that utilized several different players, including a 12-yard reception by seldom used tight endBear Pascoe to reach the Patriots' 9-yard line. On third down, however, a sack by Anderson and linebackerRob Ninkovich forced the Giants to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Tynes, cutting the score to 17–15 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter.
On the second play of the fourth quarter, the game's only turnover occurred when Giants linebackerChase Blackburn stepped in front of Gronkowski and picked off a deep Brady pass at the Giants' 8-yard line.[98] The Giants then drove to the Patriots' 43-yard line, but were stopped there and had to punt. The Patriots took the ball back at their own 8-yard line with less than 10 minutes left in the game. After Brady completed four consecutive passes for 34 yards to reach the Giants' 44-yard line, he threw to a wide-open Welker, but his pass was high and Welker was unable to reel it in while falling to the ground, crucially preventing a huge gain.[99] Brady's next pass was incomplete, and the Patriots were forced to punt, after which Brady's wife supermodelGisele Bündchen famously blamed Welker, saying her husband could not both "[T]hrow and catch the ball."[100] The television footage of the game showed Patriots head coachBill Belichick exhorting his defense to focus on stopping Cruz and Nicks, and to force the Giants to go to secondary optionsMario Manningham and Pascoe.[101]
The Giants took possession from their own 12-yard line with 3:46 left in the game and one timeout. On the first play, in what would end up being one of the key plays of the game,[102] Manning completed a deep pass along the left sideline to Manningham for a 38-yard gain to midfield (the longest play from scrimmage in the game), which would later draw comparisons tohis pass to David Tyree in Super Bowl XLII.[103] Belichick challenged the catch, but the call on the field stood and it cost him the Patriots' first timeout. Two more completions from Manning to Manningham gained another 18 yards. Manning then completed a 14-yard pass to Nicks on the Patriots' 18-yard line at the two-minute warning. Three plays later, the Patriots called their second timeout with 1:03 left after Bradshaw's 1-yard run set up 2nd-and-goal on the 6-yard line.
On the second down play, whichSports Illustrated later called "perhaps the strangest play in Super Bowl history", Bradshaw's path to the end zone was clear as the Patriots chose to let him score. Once he realized what was happening, Bradshaw tried to stop running at the 1-yard line, but his forward momentum carried him over the goal line and the Giants took the lead on the uncontested touchdown run.[104][105][106] The intentionally surrendered touchdown gave the Patriots 57 seconds to mount a game-winning drive, and they trailed 21–17 after Giants running backDJ Ware was stopped on thetwo-point conversion attempt.[107]
The game's final drive began on the Patriots' 20-yard line. Brady's first two passes fell incomplete and then he was sacked by Tuck for a 6-yard loss on third down, bringing up 4th-and-16 and forcing the Patriots to use their final timeout. Facing heavy pressure in the pocket, Brady eluded defensive endJason Pierre-Paul and linebackerMathias Kiwanuka, then threw a 19-yard bullet to wide receiverDeion Branch, who ran out of bounds at the 33-yard line for a first down. An 11-yard completion from Brady to Hernandez advanced the ball to the Patriots' 44-yard line, followed by a twelve-men-on-the-field penalty against the Giants, which moved the ball to the Patriots' 49-yard line with nine seconds left. After an incomplete pass, Brady, on the game's final play, threw aHail Mary pass intended for Hernandez in the end zone, but the ball was deflected by five Giants defenders. Gronkowski dove with outstretched arms toward the ball but was still a yard away when it hit the ground, giving the Giants their fourth Super Bowl title in franchise history.[108] As of 2024, this was the most recent North American professional sports championship won by a New York City-based team until the New York Liberty won the WNBA Finals in October 2024.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants (NFC) | 9 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 21 |
| Patriots (AFC) | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
atLucas Oil Stadium,Indianapolis, Indiana
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For the Giants, Manning completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Bradshaw was the top rusher of the game with 72 yards and a touchdown, also catching two passes for 19 yards. Nicks was the top receiver with 10 receptions for 109 yards. Blackburn, who had been cut by the Giants earlier in the season before being re-signed, had 6 total tackles and an interception. Tuck made 3 tackles and two sacks. For the Patriots, Brady completed 27 of 41 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, becoming the first quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in five separate Super Bowls. His top target was tight endAaron Hernandez, performing in a role similar to the one he played atFlorida, catching 8 passes for 67 yards and one score. A2010 4th-Round selection, Hernandez's stellar performance in the game would only add to the tragedy when his career was cut short by a self-destructive spiral into crime, resulting in his conviction in 2013 for the murder ofOdin Lloyd. Fellow second-year tight endRob Gronkowski, who came into Super Bowl XLVI battling a severe ankle injury, tallied 2 catches for 26 yards and Welker, despite the infamous drop, finished with 7 receptions for 60 yards and two carries for 21. Defensively, linebackersJerod Mayo andBrandon Spikes each had 8 solo tackles, 3 assists, and a forced fumble.
With the win the Giants became the fifth team to win at least four Super Bowls, while the Patriots became the fourth to lose four. At the time, Brady had yet to win in Lucas Oil Stadium and had not won a game in Indianapolis since 2007, when the Patriots defeated theIndianapolis Colts on their way to a perfect regular season. Belichick dropped to 3–2 as a head coach in the Super Bowl, whileTom Coughlin won his second Super Bowl in as many tries. Some news organizations, among themThe St. Louis Post-Dispatch, said that their victory made them NFL's version of the2011 World Series championSt. Louis Cardinals, saying that these two championship teams that had been given the last rites by many near the end of the season, emerged as champions at the end.[110] Eli Manning was the only quarterback to throw for more than 4,900 yards and win a Super Bowl in the same season untilPatrick Mahomes threw for 5,250 yards and wonSuper Bowl LVII during the2022 NFL season.[111]
The Giants and Patriots became the 3rd and 4th teams (after theOakland Raiders andPittsburgh Steelers) to appear in Super Bowls in four different decades (both in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s) and the second and third to appear in Super Bowls in four consecutive decades (joining the Pittsburgh Steelers). The Giants became the first and only team in Super Bowl history to win Super Bowls in four different decades (1986,1990,2007, 2011). Conversely, the Patriots became the first and only team in Super Bowl history to lose Super Bowls in four different decades (1985,1996,2007, 2011).
Dan Shaughnessy said in a piece inThe Boston Globe about Boston on the loss to the Giants under the headline, "History Repeats": "Instead of celebrating a grand slam–championships in every major sport over a period of four years and four months–New Englanders are spitting out pieces of their broken luck, bracing for the avalanche of grief from the New Yorkers they envy so badly."[112]
The Giants went into the half trailing 10–9. The Giants have trailed at halftime in all of their Super Bowl appearances, trailing 10–9 to the Broncos, 12–10 to the Bills, 10–0 to the Ravens, and 7–3 to the Patriots.[113]
This would be the fourth time in the Giants' five Super Bowl appearances that they faced their AFC opponent earlier during the regular season. In every season in which the Giants have won the Super Bowl they have faced their AFC Super Bowl counterpart previously during the regular season.
The Giants are now 4–0 in Super Bowls in whichBill Belichick has been on the sidelines. Belichick was the Giants' defensive coordinator for their first two Super Bowl victories, and the opposing head coach in their last two. Three of the Giants' victories have come againstAFC East teams, with the Giants having defeated theBuffalo Bills and Patriots twice.[114]
The Giants continued their winning streak in road playoff games with their win in Super Bowl XLVI. The team won every playoff game they played away from their home stadium (Giants Stadium andMetLife Stadium) from 2007 to 2011. Prior to this run, last time the Giants were defeated in a game away from the Meadowlands was in 2006, when they were defeated by thePhiladelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round.[115] This streak came to an end in the2016–17 NFL playoffs, where the Giants were defeated 38–13 by the Green Bay Packers atLambeau Field in the Wild Card round.[116] Two of the Giants' road playoff victories during this streak occurred at Lambeau.
This was the second Super Bowl, afterSuper Bowl X, resulting in a final score of 21–17 with the winning score including a safety and a missed extra point as part of its 21-point total (although in this case it was a failed 2-point attempt while in the earlier case it was a blocked kick).[117]
This was the 5th set of teams to have a rematch in Super Bowl history and overall the 6th rematch. The others were the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins, who met inSuper Bowl VII andSuper Bowl XVII; the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, who met inSuper Bowl X,Super Bowl XIII, andSuper Bowl XXX and are the only teams to meet in the Super Bowl more than twice; the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals, who met inSuper Bowl XVI andSuper Bowl XXIII; and the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, who met inSuper Bowl XXVII andSuper Bowl XXVIII and are the only teams to face each other in two consecutive Super Bowls; and later the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles becoming the 6th set of teams to have a rematch in Super Bowl history and 7th overall, meeting inSuper Bowl LII after previously meeting inSuper Bowl XXXIX.[118]
Sources:NFL.com Super Bowl XLVI,Super Bowl XLVI Play Finder NYG,Super Bowl XLVI Play Finder NE,The Football Database Super Bowl XLVI
| New York Giants | New England Patriots | |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 26 | 21 |
| First downs rushing | 7 | 6 |
| First downs passing | 18 | 15 |
| First downs penalty | 1 | 0 |
| Third down efficiency | 5/11 | 6/12 |
| Fourth down efficiency | 0/0 | 1/1 |
| Net yards rushing | 114 | 83 |
| Rushing attempts | 28 | 19 |
| Yards per rush | 4.1 | 4.4 |
| Passing – Completions-attempts | 30/40 | 27/41 |
| Times sacked-total yards | 3–14 | 2–10 |
| Interceptions thrown | 0 | 1 |
| Net yards passing | 282 | 266 |
| Total net yards | 396 | 349 |
| Punt returns-total yards | 1–10 | 0–0 |
| Kickoff returns-total yards | 4–75 | 3–73 |
| Interceptions-total return yards | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Punts-average yardage | 4–40.8 | 3–41.0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| Penalties-yards | 4–24 | 5–28 |
| Time of possession | 37:05 | 22:55 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Records set[119][120] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oldest Winning Head Coach | 65 | Tom Coughlin(surpassed byBill Belichick inSuper Bowl LIII) |
| Most Consecutive Completions To Start Game | 9 | Eli Manning |
| Most Consecutive Completions | 16 | Tom Brady |
| Most Passing Yards, Career | 1,277 yards | |
| Most Passes, Career | 197 | |
| Most Completions, Career | 127 | |
| Most Punts Inside 10-yard-line, Game | 3 | Steve Weatherford (New York Giants) |
| Most First Downs Passing, Both Teams | 33 | New York Giants 18, New England 15 |
| Records tied | ||
| Most Games Started | 5 | Tom Brady &Matt Light (New England)[121] |
| Longest Touchdown Drive | 96 yards | New England |
| Fewest Turnovers, Game, Team | 0 | New York Giants |
| Most Safeties, Game, Team | 1 | New York Giants |
| Fewest Touchdowns Rushing, Game | 0 | New England |
| Fewest Passes Had Intercepted, Game | 0 | New York Giants |
| Fewest First Downs By Penalty, Game | 0 | New England |
| Fewest Punt Returns, Game | 0 | New England |
| Fewest Fumbles, Game | 0 | New England |
| Fewest Fumbles Lost, Both Teams | 0 | New York Giants 0, New England 0 |
| Giants passing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/ATT1 | Yds | TD | INT | Rating | |
| Eli Manning | 30/40 | 296 | 1 | 0 | 103.8 |
| Giants rushing | |||||
| Car2 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Yds/Car | |
| Ahmad Bradshaw | 17 | 72 | 1 | 24 | 4.24 |
| Brandon Jacobs | 9 | 37 | 0 | 11 | 4.11 |
| DJ Ware | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6.00 |
| Eli Manning | 1 | –1 | 0 | –1 | –1.00 |
| Giants receiving | |||||
| Rec4 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Target5 | |
| Hakeem Nicks | 10 | 109 | 0 | 19 | 13 |
| Mario Manningham | 5 | 73 | 0 | 38 | 9 |
| Bear Pascoe | 4 | 33 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Victor Cruz | 4 | 25 | 1 | 8 | 4 |
| Ahmad Bradshaw | 2 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Henry Hynoski | 2 | 19 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Jake Ballard | 2 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
| DJ Ware | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Brandon Jacobs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Patriots passing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/ATT1 | Yds | TD | INT | Rating | |
| Tom Brady | 27/41 | 276 | 2 | 1 | 91.1 |
| Patriots rushing | |||||
| Car2 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Yds/Car | |
| BenJarvus Green-Ellis | 10 | 44 | 0 | 17 | 4.40 |
| Wes Welker | 2 | 21 | 0 | 11 | 10.50 |
| Danny Woodhead | 7 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 2.57 |
| Patriots receiving | |||||
| Rec4 | Yds | TD | LG3 | Target5 | |
| Aaron Hernandez | 8 | 67 | 1 | 12 | 14 |
| Wes Welker | 7 | 60 | 0 | 19 | 8 |
| Danny Woodhead | 4 | 42 | 1 | 19 | 4 |
| Deion Branch | 3 | 45 | 0 | 19 | 6 |
| Rob Gronkowski | 2 | 26 | 0 | 20 | 3 |
| BenJarvus Green-Ellis | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| Chad Ochocinco | 1 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
1Completions/attempts2Carries3Long gain4Receptions5Times targeted
Source:[122]
This was the last game officials wore the traditional whiteknickers. Beginningthe next season, officials wore the full-length black pants introduced in 2006 for cold-weather games full-time.
The Giants seemingly are the NFL's version of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals: a rather ordinary team, prematurely counted out, only to launch an improbable and magical comeback to a world championship.
