Super Bowl XLVI is taking place today (Sun., Feb. 5, 2012) from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, featuring the NFC Champion New York Giants taking on the AFC Champion New England Patriots.
The first half is in the books and what an unbelievable half of football it was. The Giants were dominating early, absolutely crushing the Patriots in the first quarter en route to a 9-0 lead. But the Patriots answered back in the second by scoring 10 unanswered points of their own to take a one point lead.
And Tom Brady and company, who really got into a good rhythm with a 96 yard touchdown drive, will get the ball to open the second half. We've got a great game on our hands, folks.
A live blog with updates from the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVI is after the jump. Remember to refresh often and enjoy the game!
SUPER BOWL XLVI THIRD QUARTER LIVE BLOG AND UPDATES:
Geno here.
Patriots get the ball to start the third with a one point lead.
The kickoff was returned by Julian Edelman to the 21 yard line where New England will start.
1st and 10: Brady quickly found Chad Ocho Cinco for a big 21 yard gain to keep the momentum rolling.
1st and 10: Benjarvus Green-Ellis kept things rolling along with a nice eight yard catch off a play-action over the middle.
2nd and 2: Green-Ellis broke a big 17 yard run to the outside. This is getting ugly for the Giants defense.
1st and 10: Brady found Welker for his 14th straight completion, a Super Bowl record.
2nd and 5: Woodhead back in the game and he goes up the gut for a few. They measure and he's just shy of the first down.
3rd and 1: Green-Ellis easily picked up the few inches for the first down.
1st and 10: Back to the hurry up offense they go and Brady finds Welker once again for an eight yard gain. That's a route he's run a million times.
2nd and 2: Aaron Hernandez got free over the middle and the Giants couldn't get to him with their linebackers before he found his way into the end zone for the TOUCHDOWN.
Patriots: 17, Giants: 9
That drive was just way too easy coming off the long halftime break.
The Giants got a great return from some cat named Jernigan all the way up to the 34 yard line. They need to make something happen here.
1st and 10: Jacobs starts as the running back for the second half and picks up five yards on first down.
2nd and 5:They fake to Bradshaw and the play-action works again for a flat route to Bear Pascoe but the Patriots finally got with the program and exploded to the ball to make the stop after a gain of just one yard.
3rd and 4: The Pats failed to bring pressure and Manning used the time to hang back until Hakeem Nicks broke free over the middle for an eight yard gain and an easy first down. Victor Cruz is getting mauled at the line.
1st and 10: They run another short out route to Pascoe for a pick up of eight with a solid few yards coming after the catch.
2nd and 2: Bradshaw back in and he goes crashing through the middle for a fresh set of downs. This is what the Giants needed, a sustained drive moving down field.
1st and 10: Manning hit Nicks again on an inside cut for yet another chain-moving pick up of 12 yards. The Patriots got caught blitzing on that one.
1st and 10: Patrick Chung made a hell of a play to stop Nicks from making a big catch along the sidelines. That hit was sick and Nicks is holding his arm like he hurt his shoulder. Uh-oh.
2nd and 10: Manning was under heavy pressure and threw the ball away to set up another big third down.
3rd and 10: Mario Manningham got back into the action with a short catch but it went for just five and that sets up a field goal for Lawrence Tynes. He nails it and it's a five point game now.
Patriots: 17, Giants: 12
The Patriots didn't get much of a return on the ensuing kickoff and they'll start from their own 17 yard line.
1st and 10: Chase Blackburn decided to try to get his team pumped up for the final quarter of the year with a huge hit on BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The only problem is his teammate, Jason Pierre-Paul, who has done so much in this game, took the brunt of the hit and was injured on the play. Ouch.
2nd and 8: They ran play-action and while the Giants didn't exactly get pressure, they forced Brady to throw the ball away thanks to awesome coverage in the secondary.
3rd and 8: Again the coverage downfield was solid and Justin Tuck ran up to finish off a sack on Brady, who was running around in the pocket with nowhere to go. Big stop from the Giants.
The ensuing punt wasn't anything special and the Giants will take over already in New England territory with roughly six minutes to play.
1st and 10: Jacobs again starts a Giants drive with a simple dive play up the middle for one yard.
2nd and 9: The Giants got lucky on this one, as Hakeem Nicks made a great catch over the middle but fumbled the ball away when he was hit. New York was able to fall on the ball, though, and ultimately ended up with a first down at the Patriots 33.
1st and 10: Jacobs back to hogging his way through the line, this time picking up seven yards.
2nd and 3: It's never a bad idea to keep pounding away with a big physical runner if it's working and that's what the Giants did here with a first down run from Jacobs.
1st and 10: They gave Jacobs a breather and Manning went to the air for a first down throw to Bear Pascoe, who has come up big in spots scattered throughout this game.
1st and 10: Bradshaw up the middle for two yards to the Patriots nine yard line.
2nd and 8: Nowhere to go for Bradshaw on that play and with under two minutes to go in the third quarter, another big third down is forthcoming.
3rd and 8: The Patriots brought pressure with their linebackers and Rob Ninkovich got to Manning for the sack. Another field goal attempt coming from Tynes. Outstanding coverage around the goal line from New England. The field goal went through from 33 yards out and it's a two point game now.
Patriots: 17, Giants: 15
Tynes' kickoff was a touchback, putting the Patriots at their own 20 yard line to start their next drive.
1st and 10: Brady and the Patriots opened from the shotgun with Brady looking for Aaron Hernandez on a short in route that failed thanks to a solid play by Michael Boley with a big hit.
2nd and 10: A quick flip to Deion Branch on the outside results in an 11 yard gain for a fresh set of downs. No one was covering him. That was too easy.
1st and 10: The Patriots were able to get a play off before the end of the quarter and it was Green-Ellis running up the gut on a draw to the 38 yard line for seven yards. The score as we head to the fourth:
Patriots: 17, Giants: 15
Make sure you head over to our fourth quarter post to follow along with the rest of the action by clicking here.
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