Super Bowl 46: Letting Ahmad Bradshaw Score a Touchdown Was New England's Only Option

For reasons that I don’t quite get, Joe Posnanski called this, “perhaps the strangest play in Super Bowl history.” Hyperbole much, Joe?

The play before this, the Giants got a first down, and were all set to milk the clock and kick the game-winning field goal. The only decision New England had was to let the Giants score. Everyone yelled this at their television right after Hakeem Nicks caught the first down pass.

New York, however, had many options. Eli could have taken a few kneel downs and then Tynes could have kicked another game-winner with :10 left on the clock (3rd down kick in case the snap was botched). They could have chewed up more time setting the ball in the middle of the field for Tynes. And of course, Bradshaw could have fallen down at the one, something he tried to do. Was this really that strange of a TD? I wouldn’t even call it strange. Funny works. I laughed when Bradshaw tried to stop, but then fell into the end zone.

If you’re “ranking” the biggest plays in the game, here’s my list:

1. Wes Welker’s drop
2. Eli bomb to Manningham
3. Chris Snee recovers Bradshaw’s fumble at the Giants
4. Patriots having 12 men on the field on the same play they recovered a Giants’ fumble at the 10-yard-line; Giants scored two plays later
5. Chase Blackburn’s interception of a terribly underthrown Tom Brady pass early in the 4th quarter
6. Deion Branch’s drop on the final drive. The pass was tipped by a NYG DB, but it still hit Branch in the hands