Patriots vs Giants: 5 Things We Learned from Super Bowl XLVI

Behind another fourth-quarter drive led by MVP Eli Manning and a circus catch from Mario Manningham that sparked the march, the New York Giants defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI from Indianapolis.

Here are five things we learned:

1. Tom Brady's Legacy Took a Hit

The game's most successful quarterback over the last 10-15 years has now lost two straight Super Bowls to the same clutch quarterback and head coach. Five Super Bowl appearances or not, Brady played poorly in the two losses and deserves a good chunk of the blame.

While he's still among the best ever at his position, the opportunity to vault himself to the very top of the quarterbacking totem pole was lost Sunday night.

2. Eli Manning is the Most Clutch Quarterback in the NFL

Maybe we learned this during the regular season, when Manning led the Giants to six come-from-behind wins that saved New York's season. Maybe we should have accepted it as fact after he beat Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith in succession in the postseason.

But after Sunday night's fourth-quarter drive that won Super Bowl XLVI, there's no longer any question. Manning now has the same ice water running through his veins that Brady always appeared to have in his early Super Bowl days. If you had to pick one quarterback to lead a game-winning Super Bowl drive, there's no one better right now than Eli Manning. 

3. You Can Only Neutralize Mismatches for so Long

You have to credit Bill Belichick for coming up with a defensive gameplan that helped hide the Super Bowl's biggest mismatch: New England's 31st-ranked pass defense against New York's three-headed receiving corps.

But while the Patriots all but took Victor Cruz out of the game and limited Hakeem Nicks to underneath completions, the game plan couldn't hold for 60 minutes. Nicks eventually made some plays down field, and Mario Manningham changed the game with his sideline reception on the final drive.

In the NFL, and especially in the Super Bowl, you can only hide a mismatch for so long. And in the end, when it mattered most, the Patriots deficiency reared its ugly face.

4. Strong Pass-Rush Beats a Strong Passing Offense

As the NFL continues to evolve towards the passing game, the other 31 teams will attempt to emulate what the Giants have created on their defensive line.

With four skilled pass-rushers on the defensive line at all times, the Giants almost never need to bring an extra rusher. And despite a four on five advantage at the line of scrimmage, the Giants are rarely contained up front.

New York proved in the Super Bowl and throughout the playoffs that a strong pass rush will beat a top passing offense more often than not. That front four battered and rattled quarterbacks all postseason long.  

5. The Regular Season Means Very Little

Maybe the next big NFL clique should be "disappoint during the regular season, heat up when you have to and sneak into the postseason." That's the formula the Packers used last season, but it's also what the Giants have now done twice in five years.

While the regular season still has importance in terms of getting into the postseason, records, home-field advantage and seeding has lost significance. Hot teams with hot quarterbacks can go anywhere at any time to win postseason football games.