Super Bowl XLII

We all know who Tom Brady is nowadays, the greatest quarterback in NFL history with 7 Super Bowl victories. Before the 2007 season, the debate was Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning for best active QB. People went with Peyton if they preferred touchdowns and picked Brady if they favored winning. Brady threw for 50 touchdowns that season. Also, the New England Patriots were undefeated going into Super Bowl XLII. Would this season be the magnum opus of Tom's career?

On the other side, you have Peyton's younger brother Eli Manning. The guy who refused to play for the Chargers. The guy who was looking like a busted first overall pick. Former teammate and running back Tiki Barber questioned Eli's leadership. Giants co-owner John Mara even asked, "Can we win with this guy?". The New York Giants went 10-6 and made it to the playoffs as an NFC wild card. The Giants were underdogs throughout the playoffs but got by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers.

16-0 versus 10-6, 50 touchdowns versus 23 touchdowns, three super bowls versus none. No wild card team has ever won the Super Bowl before. Brady already beat Eli once in the regular season, albeit it was a close game with a win by only 3 points. The odds favored Brady. The Patriots were 12 point favorites.

The score was unexpectedly close throughout the game. With 2:39 left in the game, the Giants were down 14-10. Eli led the team down the field to the game-winning touchdown in one of the greatest games ever.