Examining Manning to Tyree, the play that changed the Super Bowl.
After Giants quarterback Eli Manning broke free of Patriots defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Jarvis Green, he rolled out to his right.
That's where Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, who led the team with 12.5 sacks, was lined up, and that should have meant Manning had escaped trouble in one spot just to run into trouble in another. But Manning looked surprisingly nimble on the play, and Vrabel had over-pursued in the opposite direction when he thought Seymour and Green were going to bring Manning down. That bought Manning just enough time.
If Vrabel had been able to get to Manning an instant sooner, he might have sacked him. At the very least, Manning wouldn't have had time to set his feet and launch the ball downfield. But Vrabel's momentum had carried him inside, and when Manning rolled outside, he got all the space he needed.
Previous: Ref Mike Carey in Perfect Position
Next: Tyree Leaps
