Super Bowl 2012 Halftime Show: Madonna Performance Worked in Giants' Favor

The extended halftime was supposed to be a blessing for the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick was supposed to be able to adjust to the Giants' gameplan, and things were supposed to turn for the better.

The Patriots' first drive of the second half was what most expected from Tom Brady and Belichick. It should have put the Giants to bed once and for all.

But it didn't, and much like the end of the first quarter saving the Giants, the end of the first half saved them too.

Big Blue needed to get their defense off the field, and they did. Brady's no-huddle offense wasn't only working, it was dominating the Giants. At one point the three-time Super Bowl winner completed 16 straight passes, breaking Joe Montana's previous record.

Even though the Patriots came back after halftime and scored another touchdown, the Giants were the ones who needed that halftime break. Rather than riding their momentum, the way they had all postseason, the Giants were the ones who needed to adjust.

And it worked.

Say what you will about the victory and the way it went down, the Giants took advantage of the opportunities they were given and made some spectacular plays along the way.

They can thank Madonna and the extended halftime show for giving them new life as well.

The ageless superstar's halftime show entertained fans, but it also gave the Giants offense the time it needed to regroup. Eli and company scored 12 unanswered points to win the game—two field goals, a touchdown and a failed two-point conversion—and it wouldn't have been possible without halftime.

This Giants team thrived on momentum for the entirety of the postseason. The one time they desperately needed a break to fix things, they used it to their advantage.