New York Giants, 24 Atlanta Falcons, 2
The New York Giants started slow on offense with a safety but turned in a solid performance overall, the Giants handling of the Falcons seemed routine. Falcons QB Matt Ryan and the offense failed to generate even a single point. There was a definite lack of playmaking but the real daggers were the awful short-yardage conversions, whether it be 3rd or 4th down The Falcons simply lost the game at the line of scrimmage.
The rest was just a matter of time for the Giants offense to click into some production. QB Eli Manning was able to find WR Hakeem Nicks for a pair of TDs, WR Mario Manningham added some nice production to close out the game.
RB Ahmad Bradshaw, RB Brandon Jacobs, and the Giants D-line looked vitage 2007. That certainly will set off a few alarm bells throughout the league. Today, Atlanta was exposed as an inferior team.
KEY PLAY: The two 4th-and-1 QB sneaks by QB Matt Ryan. Both failed. The first, in field goal range early on, set a dark defensive tone for the game. The second deflated the Falcons and, although there was still a quarter or so, essentially ended their fighting chances. The Giants' D-line known with it's three big-name pass-rushers came through on two non-passing plays.
MVP: WR Hakeem Nicks made two big plays in a game that was more about stellar defensive line play than big lights and fast-clicking scoreboards. He hauled in a beautiful 4-yard TD for the first offensive points of the game and then took a slant route 72 yards in to give the Giants' D the breathing room they never even needed.
Denver Broncos, 29 Pittsburgh Steelers, 23
I will admit, I was surprised by QB Tim Tebow on Sunday. He threw the passes he needed to. So much of the credit goes to the Denver O-line. They were amazing, throwing the Steelers around and if it wearn't for a late 4th quarter by RB Willis MaGahee (who played well anyways) the O-line looked on the verge of wrapping the game up without fireworks and drama.
But this is Tebow TV, we had to have the drama. Following the fumble, QB Ben Rothlisberger (on a bum ankle that seemed to improve in the 2nd half) rallied the Steelers back tied the game, forcing OT. RB Isaac Redman ran hard and impressed many, the tide really felt lie it was going to swing to the veterans of the stage despite their myriad of injuries.
It was the Steelers D who let Pitsburgh down, they could not come up with the turnovers they needed or the stops they usually deliver. LB James Harrison apparently thought there was no such thing as a fake handoff because he lost contain on Tebow at least once a quarter, giving up some important conversions. All of Tebow's critics, including me, can point to wobbly passes and poor choices but he's winning. No, he isn't doing it by himself but these same teammates didn't win much last year and were 1-4 before he came onto the field.
KEY PLAY: This one is a no-brainer, The first play of OT and the final dramatic play of the game, of the weekend. QB Tim Tebow hit WR Demaryius Thomas cutting across an apparently empty secondary. Thomas did the rest with a solid stiff arm and the speed to finish those final 50 yards. S Troy Polamalu has gotten a free pass from the media, but he was way too close to the line of scrimmage and jogged back into coverage when he could have made the tackle. Darling Polamalu does not get a pass here, that was awful.
MVP: WR Demaryius Thomas deserves some credit for what he has done. Much of the accolades goes to Tebow and he did exceptionally well, but the Broncos knew they needed big plays and the main source of those came from this man. "Just" four catches (as the sports pages say) for 204 yards. This is 51 yards a reception and the majority of it was after the catch.
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