Super Bowl XLII: Clutch Brady Comes Up Short

By Tom Torrisi
SportsTicker Pro Football Editor

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - With a perfect season on the line, Tom Brady was looking quite human. That was the good news for the New York Giants, who sacked the league's Most Valuable Player a season-high five times and had the Patriots' record-setting offense reeling. Until, that is, New York forged ahead early in the fourth quarter, putting Brady in a spot from which he has carved out a legendary reputation.

"There's no quit in him," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said of Brady. "He's the type of guy who definitely continues to fight." Already a two-time Super Bowl MVP and a player who had produced 28 career game-winning drives, Brady had the chance to produce some more late magic. And, as usual, Brady did. Taking over with 7:54 to play, Brady hit 7-of-8 passes to move the Patriots to the 6-yard line with 3 1/2 minutes to play. After a pair of incompletions, Brady connected with Randy Moss on a 6-yard scoring strike to give New England a 14-10 lead with 2:42 to play.

Game over? "I just think in a certain sense it gave us a little momentum," Moss said. "We've been able to close out games like that," fellow wideout Wes Welker said. "Unfortunately, this time we weren't able to." That's because Eli Manning stole a page out of Brady's playbook and brought the Giants on a 12-play, 83-yard drive, needing just 2:07 to produce the game-winning touchdown - a 13-yard pass to Plaxico Burress with 13 seconds to play. "Eli and his offense made some great plays on that last drive of the fourth quarter," Moss said. "Hats off to them."

It was an unfamiliar feeling for Brady, who was less than three minutes away from becoming just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to win four Super Bowls. But it's a feeling Brady said will stick with him for quite some time. "I am sure a long time," Brady said. "You never forget these ones. I haven't forgotten the Colts game (a 38-34 playoff loss) from last year. The losses you always remember as much, they are the hardest. "When you are winning with two minutes and 40 seconds left, you are hoping you can pull it out."