203-775: Super Bowl XLVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2011 season . The Giants defeated the Patriots by the score of 21–17. The game was played on February 5, 2012, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis ,
406-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
609-554: A perfect 2007 season . The Giants and the Patriots also played in Week 9 a few months earlier, with the Giants winning on the road 24–20. The Giants jumped to a 9–0 lead in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI before the Patriots scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17–9 lead in the third quarter. But the Giants prevented the Patriots from scoring again, and two consecutive New York field goals chipped away New England's lead, 17–15, late in
812-458: A 1-point favorite. That said, going into Super Bowl XVI, most experts agreed that both teams were very evenly matched, but many thought Pete Johnson's rushing ability could prove to be the difference. Some also pointed out that Ken Anderson was an established 11-year veteran who had just finished the best season of his career, while the young Montana was only just starting to emerge as a top-notch quarterback. Furthermore, Anderson had advanced through
1015-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
1218-581: A 13–3 record, winning the AFC East and clinching the AFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs. New England lost 2 consecutive games to the Steelers and Giants in week 8 and 9 respectively, before rallying to win their remaining eight games. Back at the helm of the offense was 12-year quarterback Tom Brady , who earned his 7th Pro Bowl selection. Starting every game of the season, Brady completed 65.6% of his passes for
1421-434: A 19-yard pass from Anderson at the 5-yard line, Collinsworth was stripped of the ball by 49ers cornerback Eric Wright , and cornerback Lynn Thomas recovered the fumble. San Francisco then drove for a Super Bowl record 92 yards on Montana's passes to Solomon and Clark for 20 and 12 yards, respectively, as well as a 14-yard run by fullback Earl Cooper . The drive ended with Montana's 10-yard touchdown pass to Cooper, increasing
1624-562: A 4.6 YPC average, and gained another 437 yards returning kickoffs. New England also had a solid offensive line, which was anchored by Pro Bowl guards Logan Mankins and Brian Waters . With all these weapons, New England ranked third in the NFL with 513 points. The Patriots' defensive line featured two Pro Bowl selections: Vince Wilfork , who generated 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble; and Andre Carter , who contributed 10 sacks and forced two fumbles. Defensive End Mark Anderson
1827-507: A 4th quarter field goal and 2 fumbles in the 2nd quarter that resulted in a touchdown and a field goal respectively) which led to 20 points for San Francisco) ultimately decided the game. The Bengals managed to score their final touchdown with 16 seconds left, but could not recover the ensuing onside kick. Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP , completing 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing for 18 yards and
2030-505: A 6-yard loss. Facing 3rd-and-goal from the 11, Anderson tried to connect with Curtis in the end zone, but 49ers safety Dwight Hicks intercepted the pass at the 5-yard line and returned it 27 yards to the 32. From there, quarterback Joe Montana led the 49ers offense to the Cincinnati 47-yard line with three consecutive completions. Then, the 49ers ran a fake reverse / flea flicker play that involved running back Ricky Patton handing
2233-511: A 92.9 passer rating. His top target was receiver Victor Cruz , who caught 82 passes for a franchise record 1,536 yards (3rd in the NFL) and 9 touchdowns. He had plenty of other targets, including Hakeem Nicks (76 receptions, 1,192 yards, 7 touchdowns), Mario Manningham (39 receptions and 523 yards in 12 games) and tight end Jake Ballard (38 receptions, 604 yards). Although not on the field for four games due to injury, running back Ahmad Bradshaw
SECTION 10
#17327728417892436-621: A 9–7 record during the regular season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2008, winning the NFC East and finishing the season as the NFC's No. 4 seed. Finally back to full strength, the Giants entered their week 17 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys with both teams tied for the division lead with 8–7 records. The Giants took a 21–0 first half lead and while the Cowboys closed
2639-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
2842-407: A blocking audible by Anderson. On third down, 49ers linebacker Dan Bunz made essentially the key defensive play of the game. Anderson faked to Johnson and threw a swing pass out to Alexander, who was isolated on Bunz. Bunz, however, corralled Alexander at the line of scrimmage on an open-field tackle and kept him from reaching the end zone. Highlights showed that Alexander was supposed to have entered
3045-541: A call to enter the game. However, the San Francisco defense stiffened to keep Cincinnati out of the end zone. On first down, Johnson drove into the line and gained 2 yards down to the 49ers' 1-yard line. The Bengals then tried to run Johnson into the line on second down, but lost a yard when a charging rush prevented the Bengals from executing their blocking assignments. Cincinnati receiver David Verser also missed
3248-424: A career-high 5,235 yards (the second highest total in NFL history at the time) and 39 touchdown passes, with just 12 interceptions and a rating of 105.6. Brady also added 109 yards and three scores on the ground. His main weapon in the passing game was Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker , who led the NFL with 122 receptions (22 receptions ahead of second place) for 1,569 yards and 9 touchdowns. New England also had two of
3451-851: A field goal attempt, a false start penalty against San Francisco's offensive line pushed them back 5 yards, but Wersching connected from 26 yards, increasing the 49ers' lead to 20–0, which was the largest halftime lead in Super Bowl history to that date, breaking the previous record of 17 points set by Miami in Super Bowl VIII . The 49ers' 20–0 halftime lead became the largest shutout lead at halftime in Super Bowl history. Since then, four Super Bowls have had teams with leads of at least 20 points at halftime: Super Bowl XX (Chicago led New England 23–3), Super Bowl XXII (Washington led Denver 35–10), Super Bowl XXIV (San Francisco led Denver 27–3) and Super Bowl XLVIII (Seattle led Denver 22–0, which set
3654-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
3857-457: A group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in a game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change
4060-883: A head coach in a Super Bowl. Gregg played in Super Bowls I and II as a member of the Green Bay Packers . (Gregg was on the roster for the Dallas Cowboys for Super Bowl VI , but did not play.) Tom Flores was on the Kansas City Chiefs' roster in Super Bowl IV and coached in Super Bowl XV . However, Flores did not play in Super Bowl IV. This was the first Super Bowl to feature two first-time participants since Super Bowl III (there has been only one since, Super Bowl XX between
4263-549: A joint Canadian-American armed forces color guard, which consisted of members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Camp Grayling color guards. The coin toss ceremony featured Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne , a star with the Lions from 1950 to 1958. Up with People provided the halftime entertainment featuring a salute to the 1960s and Motown. This was the first Super Bowl to be played in
SECTION 20
#17327728417894466-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
4669-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
4872-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
5075-510: A modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as the "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton
5278-574: A montage of the 49ers playing in the game and the city of San Francisco. This Super Bowl was simulcast in Canada on the CTV Television Network , which was airing the Super Bowl for the first time. The game was broadcast on nationwide radio by CBS and featured the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Jack Buck and color commentator Hank Stram . Hosting coverage for CBS was done by Dick Stockton . Locally, Super Bowl XVI
5481-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
5684-406: A pass intended for Collinsworth. After returning the interception 25 yards, Wright fumbled while being tackled by Bengals guard Max Montoya , but 49ers linebacker Willie Harper recovered the ball at the Bengals' 22. The 49ers then ran the ball on five consecutive plays, taking 3 minutes off the clock, to advance to the Cincinnati 6-yard line. Wersching then kicked his fourth field goal to increase
5887-445: A penalty on Cincinnati for too many players on the field on the next play cut the loss to 2 yards. Unlike the previous drive, the 49ers could get nothing going here and they, too, were forced to punt. Cincinnati threatened to tie the game early in the second quarter when they got the ball back at their own 49 and advanced across the San Francisco 30-yard line on an 18-yard reception by wide receiver Cris Collinsworth . But after catching
6090-583: A player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits, the game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as
6293-484: A possible film sequel. It was produced by Santa Monica-based RPA and directed by Todd Phillips . AdWeek 's Tim Nudd called the ad "a great homage to the original 1986 film, with Broderick this time calling in sick to a film shoot and enjoying another day of slacking." On the other hand, Jalopnik ' s Matt Hardigree called the spot "sacrilegious". NFL International televised the game to viewers outside of North America, with Kenny Albert and Joe Theismann calling
Super Bowl XLVI - Misplaced Pages Continue
6496-521: A postseason record five touchdowns in the first half. The Patriots defense had a breakout performance: Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was held to just 9 of 26 completions and was sacked five times. In the AFC Championship Game , the Patriots faced off against the No. 2 seeded Baltimore Ravens . Brady was out-dueled by Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco , who threw for more yards and touchdowns on
6699-556: A preseason overflow station for the Giants) carried Dial Global's feed. BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra produced its own radio broadcast, with Darren Fletcher, Rocky Boiman, and Greg Brady announcing. The Indiana University Marching Hundred performed during the pre-game show. On January 12, 2012, it was reported that former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson would sing the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLVI. It marks
6902-608: A previous Super Bowl matchup, as the Giants and Patriots had previously met in Super Bowl XLII . Both head coaches ( Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick ) and both starting quarterbacks ( Eli Manning and Tom Brady ) returned from Super Bowl XLII. Three cities presented bids for the game: NFL franchise owners selected the Indianapolis bid at their meeting on May 20, 2008, in Atlanta. A labor dispute had threatened
7105-537: A price of $ 4 million. Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry has said he was planning to run an advertisement featuring graphic photos of aborted fetuses during Super Bowl XLVI. Terry was not allowed to air the ad nationwide, given that the networks have a policy under equal time rules to reject all political and issue related advertising during the Super Bowl. He was able, however, under the then-current Federal Election Commission "reasonable access" rules, to force up to 35 local stations (those located in states in which
7308-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
7511-456: A rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over
7714-511: A round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with
7917-491: A safety when Anderson completed a 10-yard pass to Ross from his own end zone, but they could only advance to their 25 before having Pat McInally boot a 47-yard punt, and with just over 4 minutes left in the half, Montana led the 49ers on another scoring drive. First, he completed a 17-yard pass to Clark at the Cincinnati 49. Then Patton ran twice for a total of 10 yards, advancing the ball to the 39-yard line. Montana's next two completions to Clark (his fourth and final reception of
8120-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
8323-403: A separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble a gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following
Super Bowl XLVI - Misplaced Pages Continue
8526-530: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Super Bowl XVI Super Bowl XVI
8729-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
8932-515: A suburb of Detroit . It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held in a cold-weather city. The domed stadium saved the crowd at the game from the cold and snowy weather, but the weather did affect traffic and other logistical issues related to the game. Super Bowl XVI also became one of the most watched broadcasts in American television history, with more than 85 million viewers, and a final national Nielsen rating of 49.1 (a 73 share). For
9135-520: A total of 1,129 yards and 9 touchdowns. Fullback Pete Johnson was the leading rusher on the team with 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a good receiver out of the backfield, catching 46 passes for another 320 yards and 4 touchdowns. Halfback Charles Alexander contributed 554 all-purpose yards and 28 receptions. A big reason for Cincinnati's production on offense was their line, led by future Hall of Fame tackle Anthony Muñoz and guard Max Montoya . On special teams, punter Pat McInally made
9338-416: A touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish
9541-697: A touchdown on the ground. Cincinnati tight end Dan Ross recorded a Super Bowl-record 11 receptions (still the most ever by a tight end in a Super Bowl) for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns. The NFL awarded Super Bowl XVI to Detroit on March 13, 1979, at the owners' meetings in Honolulu . For the first time, three Super Bowl host cities were deliberated and selected at the same meeting ( XV , XVI, and XVII ). A total of eight cities submitted bids: New Orleans, Detroit ( Silverdome ), Pasadena ( Rose Bowl ), Los Angeles ( Coliseum ), Miami , Seattle ( Kingdome ), Dallas ( Cotton Bowl ), and Houston ( Rice Stadium ). For
9744-424: A touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown from quarterback Joe Montana and two field goals by Ray Wersching . The Bengals began to rally in the second half with quarterback Ken Anderson's 5-yard touchdown run and 4-yard touchdown pass, but a third-quarter goal line stand by the 49ers defense and two more Wersching field goals (and Cincinnati's 4 turnovers (2 interceptions which resulted in a 1st quarter touchdown and
9947-478: A touchdown, while rushing for another 18 yards and a touchdown. Wright had an interception and forced a fumble. Cris Collinsworth (the game's leading receiver) caught 5 passes for 107 yards, an average of 21.4 yards per catch. Dan Ross had 11 receptions for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns. Collinsworth and Ross became the second pair of teammates to each have 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl. Collinsworth had 107, while Ross had 104. John Stallworth and Lynn Swann were
10150-460: Is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with
10353-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
SECTION 50
#173277284178910556-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
10759-579: Is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in the United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However,
10962-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
11165-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
11368-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
11571-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
11774-776: The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on the field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league;
11977-710: The Buffalo Bills 28–21, then beating the San Diego Chargers 27–7 in a game known as the Freezer Bowl because of the −59 wind chill conditions at Riverfront Stadium. Meanwhile, the 49ers would defeat the New York Giants 38–24, then narrowly beat the Dallas Cowboys 28–27 on a last-minute touchdown pass known as The Catch . The 49ers had handily beaten the Bengals in a December game played in Cincinnati and consequently were installed as
12180-685: The Canadian National Anthem , which was not televised. Singer Diana Ross (a Detroit native) then performed the U.S. national anthem, which followed a moment of silence in support of the Polish trade union Solidarity following the crackdown by the communist government of Poland on the pro-democracy union. Ross would later perform at the halftime show for Super Bowl XXX . This was the first of two Super Bowls, both held in Michigan, in which two national anthems were performed, and to have
12383-491: The Chicago Bears and New England Patriots ). This was also the only Super Bowl to date between two teams who had losing records the previous season, although Super Bowl XXXIV matched a team that had a losing record in 1998 (St. Louis Rams) against a team that finished a mediocre 8–8 that year (Tennessee Titans). This is the most recent Super Bowl in which both teams had never appeared in any AFL/NFL title game before
SECTION 60
#173277284178912586-569: The Democratic Party primaries are within 45 days of Super Bowl Sunday; Terry entered the primary as a dummy candidate primarily for the purpose of this advertisement) to run the advertisement uncensored, regardless of whether it meets Standards and Practices or Federal Communications Commission guidelines. The FCC ruled against Terry on February 3, two days before the game, when NBC owned-and-operated WMAQ-TV in Chicago refused to air
12789-493: The Midwest . Cincinnati had the first opportunity to score early in the game. After returning the opening kickoff 17 yards, 49ers running back/returner Amos Lawrence was hit by Bengals linebacker Guy Frazier and fumbled at his own 26-yard line (the first time in a Super Bowl that a turnover took place on the opening kick), where cornerback John Simmons recovered the ball for Cincinnati. Quarterback Ken Anderson then started
12992-598: The NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in the world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but
13195-717: The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award . He completed 300 of 479 (62.6 percent) passes for 3,754 yards and 29 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions. Anderson was also an outstanding scrambler, rushing for 320 yards and one touchdown, leading all NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards. The Bengals' main deep threat was rookie wide receiver Cris Collinsworth , who caught 67 passes for 1,009 yards and 8 touchdowns. Tight end Dan Ross had 71 receptions for 910 yards and 5 touchdowns, while wide receivers Isaac Curtis and Steve Kreider each recorded 37 receptions, combining for
13398-1021: The NSX ), Kia Motors (advertising the Optima with a spot starring Adriana Lima ), Audi (parodying the Twilight series with an ad for the S7 ), Honda (starring Matthew Broderick in a reprisal of the lead role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off ), newcomers Dannon Yogurt and Century 21 Real Estate , Teleflora , Mars, Incorporated (introducing the M&;M's brown spokescandy), The Coca-Cola Company , CareerBuilder.com (reprising their chimp advertisement campaign), Cars.com , Skechers , Relativity Media (running four advertisements for Act of Valor ), Paramount Pictures , Walt Disney Pictures , and Universal Pictures . Anheuser-Busch has purchased nine slots during
13601-603: The Super Bowl rematch 7 years later), Deion Branch , and Wes Welker until Demaryius Thomas broke that record in Super Bowl XLVIII with 13 catches. Anderson finished the game completing 25 of 34 pass attempts for 300 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also gained 14 rushing yards and a touchdown on 6 carries. Anderson's 25 completions and his 73.5 completion percentage were both Super Bowl records. Wersching scored 14 points on 4 field goals and 2 PATs. Wersching's squib kickoffs caused 2 Cincinnati fumbles;
13804-522: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2007 Wild Card round. That includes their Super Bowl XLII victory over these same Patriots, although that game was played at a neutral site (and the Giants were the designated "away" team for the game). The 2011 Giants are the first team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl after having been outscored by their opponents in the regular season (394 points scored, 400 points allowed). The Patriots finished with
14007-412: The center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until the snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform
14210-409: The commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to a league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of
14413-499: The forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered
14616-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
14819-407: The neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912, the field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance
15022-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
15225-565: The 13th Super Bowl that was a rematch of a regular season game. The loser in the regular season had been 7–5 in these games prior to Super Bowl XLVI. The Giants finished the season as the NFC East champion and the No. 4 seed in the conference. The Giants defeated the No. 5 seed Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round 24–2, the first playoff game at MetLife Stadium . Eli Manning threw for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions, while
15428-413: The 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained a tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement
15631-536: The 2-yard line. According to the NFL's highlight film for the game, the 49ers had discovered Wersching's ability to effectively use the squib during their 1981 season opener when a leg injury kept him from fully powering into the football; because that game was also played at the Silverdome, Walsh felt that Wersching would be able to recreate the crazy bounces of a squib on the hard AstroTurf by shortening his stride and seeing what happened. The Bengals managed to escape
15834-567: The 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap
16037-808: The 49ers recovered one of them, leading to their 2nd field goal. With the victory, Montana became at the time the second youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl (just behind his idol Joe Namath ; Namath was 25 years, 7 months, and 12 days old when he won Super Bowl III , while Montana was a day older). at Pontiac Silverdome , Pontiac, Michigan Sources: NFL.com Super Bowl XVI , Super Bowl XVI Play Finder SF , Super Bowl XVI Play Finder Cin Completions/attempts Carries Long gain Receptions Times targeted The following records were set in Super Bowl XVI, according to
16240-411: The 49ers' lead to 14–0. The play Cooper scored on had not been called by Bill Walsh for two years. Cooper's leaping, celebratory spike of the football after the touchdown became the photo Sports Illustrated used for its post-game cover. Following Cooper's touchdown came a squib kick by kicker Ray Wersching that was finally recovered by Bengals wide receiver David Verser , who was quickly tackled at
16443-475: The 49ers' lead to 26–14 with less than 2 minutes left in the game. Wersching's 4 field goals tied a Super Bowl record set by Green Bay Packers kicker Don Chandler in Super Bowl II . Because of his 4 field goals and the close score, this is the only Super Bowl in which the losing team scored more touchdowns than the winning team (Cincinnati 3, San Francisco 2). Anderson completed six consecutive passes on
16646-410: The American population watched at least some of the initial broadcast. The game also set the record for most tweets per second during a sporting event, with 13.7 million tweets from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. (PST). Per convention as an even-numbered Super Bowl, the Patriots as the AFC representatives had the home team designation . Super Bowl XLVI was the sixth Super Bowl in which the two teams had competed in
16849-443: The Bengals back to their own 37, but on 3rd-and-23, Anderson's 49-yard pass to Collinsworth (the longest play of the game) moved the ball to the San Francisco 14. Johnson then later successfully converted on a fourth down run, giving the Bengals a first down on the 3-yard line. On that play, the 49ers only had 10 players on the field because linebacker Keena Turner , who was seriously ill with chicken pox during Super Bowl week, missed
17052-411: The Bengals doing a long-run coverage on Wilson anytime he ran a pass route over 20 yards; Wilson simply ran 25 yards straight out and then cut back to receive Montana's precision pass. Wersching ended the drive with a 40-yard field goal to put San Francisco back up by two scores, 23–14, with just 5 minutes left in the game. On the Bengals' first play after receiving the ensuing kickoff, Wright intercepted
17255-401: The Bengals got the ball back after receiving Jim Miller 's 44-yard punt at their own 47-yard line. Taking advantage of their great starting field position, the Bengals marched 53 yards in 8 plays, which included a 12-yard reception by Collinsworth, two 9-yard receptions by Ross, and a 14-yard pass interference penalty on Lott. The drive ended with Anderson's 4-yard touchdown pass to Ross, cutting
17458-405: The Bengals' deficit to one score at 20–14 with 10:06 left in regulation. However, the 49ers responded with a 50-yard, 12-play drive that took 4:41 off the clock and included Montana's 22-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Wilson (his longest and final pass of the game) and seven consecutive running plays. Wilson's reception was a play Walsh specifically designed for the Super Bowl that capitalized on
17661-534: The Bengals' ensuing drive, the last one a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ross to make the score 26–21. However, none of the receivers on Anderson's completions were able to get out of bounds to stop the clock. By the time Ross scored, only 16 seconds remained in the game. The Bengals tried an onside kick, but Clark recovered the ball for the 49ers, allowing San Francisco to run out the clock and claim their first Super Bowl title. The game featured several great performances by players on both teams. Montana threw for 157 yards and
17864-456: The Detroit host committee. Michigan governor William Milliken , Detroit mayor Coleman Young , and Pontiac mayor Wallace E. Holland were part of the delegation, and notably offered the Silverdome rent-free. Detroit received rousing support from several NFL owners, including George Halas , Art Rooney , and Paul Brown . New Orleans (XV) and Pasadena (XVII) were other cities chosen at
18067-736: The English language feed. This was the first legal online streaming of a Super Bowl telecast in the United States, available on computers via NFL.com and NBCSports.com, and mobile devices via Verizon Wireless 's NFL Mobile app . As part of "Operation Fake Sweep", Immigration and Customs Enforcement , along with the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York , seized and shut down 16 websites that had provided access to pirated Internet television feeds of NFL games on February 2, in an action similar to
18270-491: The Giants a 20–10 lead at the end of the first half. As they did to 2007 MVP Tom Brady and the Patriots' record-breaking offense , the Giants generated significant pressure on Packers quarterback and season MVP Aaron Rodgers , sacking him four times and disrupting his talented receiving corps. This was the first time in NFL history a 15–1 team failed to make it past the divisional round in the playoffs. The Giants then faced
18473-613: The Giants and Patriots drew their fan bases from New York City and Boston respectively, the Super Bowl echoed the fierce rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball . Tom Brady said of the rivalry: "There is a great rivalry...between Boston and New York...When I got to the team, it was always Red Sox-Yankees. We've had some pretty meaningful games against
18676-500: The Giants defense shut down the Falcons, with the only Falcons points coming from a safety given up by Manning's intentional grounding penalty in his end zone. The Giants then moved on to face the No. 1 seed and the defending Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers in the divisional round. The Giants never trailed in the game, winning 37–20. One of the key plays in the game was a Hail Mary pass by Manning to Hakeem Nicks , giving
18879-401: The Giants over the past few years, so I don't think anyone is disappointed that it's the Giants." Overall, this was the seventh meeting between teams from Boston and New York City for a major professional sports championship. This previously occurred in Super Bowl XLII in 2008, two Stanley Cup Finals ( 1929 , 1972 ), and three World Series ( 1912 , 1916 , 1986 ). In the United States,
19082-590: The LMFAO singers remaining fully clothed, unlike in the latter song's music video), followed by her then-current single " Give Me All Your Luvin' ", excerpts from " Open Your Heart " and " Express Yourself " (in a duet with Green), and the finale, " Like a Prayer ", also featuring Green. Green and Shelton (who sang "America the Beautiful" as part of the pregame show) are both judges on the NBC TV series The Voice , which
19285-516: The NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at the time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from
19488-570: The NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in the FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by
19691-409: The NFL with 16.5 sacks, earning him the only Pro Bowl selection on the Giants defense, while Umenyiora, limited to 9 games because of injury, recorded 9 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Giants secondary was led by Corey Webster , who intercepted a career-high 6 passes. Defensive backs Kenny Phillips and Aaron Ross added four interceptions each, while safety Antrel Rolle picked off two passes and led
19894-578: The No. 2 seeded San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game . After a series of defensive standoffs in the fourth quarter, the game went into overtime. Both teams continued to struggle on offense, until Giants linebacker Jacquian Williams stripped the ball from 49ers wide receiver Kyle Williams after a punt return. The Giants recovered the ball at the 49ers 24-yard line, setting up a 31-yard field goal attempt by Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes . Unlike Cundiff earlier that day, Tynes' kick
20097-491: The Patriots while Papa and Banks called their third and second Super Bowls, respectively, for the Giants. This was the first Super Bowl broadcast for the Giants not to feature longtime analyst Dick Lynch , who had retired from the team's radio booth following the 2007 season and died in 2008. As per the NFL's rules, all the other stations in the Giants and Patriots radio networks (as well as WCBS-AM in New York, which serves as
20300-615: The Pro Bowl with a 45.4 yards-per-punt average. The Bengals also had a good defense that had not given up more than 30 points in any game that season. Their line was anchored by defensive ends Ross Browner and Eddie Edwards , who did a great job stopping the run. Cincinnati's defense was also led by defensive backs Louis Breeden and Ken Riley , and linebackers Bo Harris , Jim LeClair , and Reggie Williams , who intercepted four passes and recovered three fumbles. The Bengals earned their first playoff victory in team history by defeating
20503-406: The Super Bowl" contest), Bridgestone , Volkswagen (a 60-second spot advertising the third-generation Beetle featuring dogs barking to the tune of " The Imperial March "), General Motors (four for Chevrolet ; including a commercial featuring " We Are Young " by fun. that led to a massive sales spike; and one for Cadillac ), Toyota , Hyundai , Acura (featuring Jerry Seinfeld in an ad for
20706-478: The Super Bowl, behind only Don Shula 's six. The Patriots and Giants faced each other in New England during the regular season; the Giants won that game, 24–20. Incidentally, the Giants and Patriots had also faced each other in New York during the regular season prior to Super Bowl XLII with the Patriots winning that regular season matchup and the Giants going on to win that Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLVI marked
20909-524: The ad, citing the same equal-time statutes and the fact that Terry did not appear to be a bona fide candidate. The largest station to allow Terry to air his advertisement was WHDH in Boston , Massachusetts . An advertisement from Pepsi featured Melanie Amaro , the winner of season one of the Fox series The X Factor . Other confirmed advertisers included Doritos (continuing its user-generated "Crash
21112-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
21315-572: The ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of
21518-410: The ball back at their own 10-yard line and nearly committed a turnover when Montana's pass intended for wide receiver Dwight Clark was nearly intercepted by cornerback Ken Riley . Had Riley intercepted the pass, he could have walked into the end zone for a game-tying pick six. On the next play, Patton was tackled for a 7-yard loss by defensive end Ross Browner , backing the 49ers up to their own 3, but
21721-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
21924-401: The ball off to wide receiver Freddie Solomon , who then handed it off to Montana, who then completed a 14-yard pass to tight end Charle Young at the 33. Three running plays and Montana's 14-yard completion to Solomon moved the ball to the 1-yard line. Montana finished the drive himself with a 1-yard touchdown run, giving San Francisco a 7–0 lead. After forcing the Bengals to punt, the 49ers got
22127-430: The ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on the offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except
22330-475: The band, Tom McNamara, commented that the band was currently exploring their proprietary rights with regards to the similarity of the tune to the band's hit single. Matthew Broderick reprised his Ferris Bueller's Day Off role in a Honda commercial aired during this Super Bowl which featured the Oh Yeah song . A teaser for the ad had appeared two weeks prior to the Super Bowl, which had created rumors of
22533-510: The best regular-season record in the AFC at 12–4. Cincinnati was also a surprise team because, like the 49ers, they had recorded a 6–10 record during the previous season. Until the 1981 season, they had never won a playoff game in their entire history. Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson (who had the best season of his career) was the top rated passer in the league and won both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and
22736-420: The best season of his career, recorded seven interceptions and tied an NFL record by returning three of them for touchdowns. Three-year veteran defensive back Dwight Hicks led the team with nine interceptions, which he returned for 239 yards and a touchdown, giving the secondary a total of 23. Defensive end Fred Dean and linebacker Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds were big contributors up front, making it difficult for
22939-582: The best tight ends in the NFL: Pro Bowler Rob Gronkowski , who set new tight end records for receiving (1,327 yards) and touchdown catches (17); and Aaron Hernandez , who caught 79 passes for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also rushing for 45 yards. Another big element of the passing game was veteran receiver Deion Branch , who caught 51 passes for 702 yards and 5 scores. Receivers Chad Ochocinco , Tiquan Underwood , Julian Edelman , and Matthew Slater made minor contributions to
23142-527: The college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with
23345-500: The conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for the second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of
23548-551: The conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in the United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of
23751-525: The crackdown they had implemented the previous year. For the first time, domains in the .tv top-level domain were also seized, despite that TLD's allocation to Tuvalu . Super Bowl XLVI was carried nationwide on radio over the Dial Global radio network, with Kevin Harlan as play-by-play announcer, Boomer Esiason as color analyst, and James Lofton and Mark Malone as sideline reporters. Locally,
23954-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
24157-441: The day of the game, a 49ers bus which had Bill Walsh and Montana on board was stuck in traffic due to bad weather and a motorcade carrying then-Vice President George H. W. Bush . As a result, they did not arrive at the stadium until 90 minutes before kickoff time. "Coach Walsh was pretty loose on the bus," Montana told Sports Illustrated after the game. "He said, ‘I’ve got the radio on and we’re leading 7–0. The trainer’s calling
24360-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
24563-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
24766-426: The drive himself with a 5-yard touchdown run to cut Cincinnati's deficit to 20–7. This seemed to fire up their defense, which limited the 49ers to only 8 plays and 4 offensive yards for the entire third quarter. After the next three possessions ended in punts, Bengals safety Mike Fuller 's 17-yard punt return gave Cincinnati the ball at midfield. Two penalties and a 4-yard sack by 49ers defensive end Fred Dean pushed
24969-418: The drive off with a completion to wide receiver Isaac Curtis for 8 yards, and fullback Pete Johnson 's 2-yard run then picked up a first down. Anderson followed with an 11-yard pass to tight end Dan Ross , moving the ball to the 5-yard line. However, running back Charles Alexander was unable to move the ball forward on first down, and then Anderson was sacked by defensive end Jim Stuckey on second down for
25172-429: The end zone before making his cut, and his early turn prevented a touchdown pass. After calling a timeout, rather than attempting a field goal on fourth down, the Bengals sent Johnson into the middle of the line one last time. But cornerback Ronnie Lott and linebackers Bunz and Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds tackled him for no gain, giving the ball back to the 49ers. The 49ers only gained 8 yards on their ensuing drive, and
25375-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
25578-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
25781-499: The feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create a standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from
25984-432: The first time in Super Bowl history that a team which was outgained in total yards won. The Bengals also committed four turnovers to San Francisco's one, which played a major factor in the outcome. Anderson was also sacked five times, while Montana was only sacked once. Super Bowl XVI was initially dominated by the 49ers. Three of Cincinnati's turnovers helped San Francisco build a then-Super Bowl record 20–0 halftime lead, off
26187-423: The first time since Super Bowl III , both teams were making their first Super Bowl appearance. The 49ers posted a 13–3 regular season record, and playoff wins over the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys . The Bengals finished the regular season with a 12–4 record, and had postseason victories over the Buffalo Bills and the San Diego Chargers . Cincinnati's 356 yards of offense to San Francisco's 275 marked
26390-515: The first time that the Super Bowl was played in Indiana . In addition to winning their fourth Super Bowl in team history, the Giants set a new record for the lowest regular season record (9–7, win percentage of 56.3%) by a Super Bowl champion. The Patriots entered the game with a 13–3 regular season record, and were also seeking their fourth Super Bowl win. This was a rematch of Super Bowl XLII , which New York also won, spoiling New England's run at
26593-761: The first time, a northern , cold weather climate city was picked to host a Super Bowl. The game would be played inside the Pontiac Silverdome , in the Detroit suburb of Pontiac . Former NFL executive director Don Weiss wrote in his book "The Making of the Super Bowl" that the game had been awarded to the Silverdome by the league as a "reward" to the locally headquartered automobile companies Ford Motor Company and Chrysler for their "many years of sponsoring pro football". Automotive executives Tom Murphy ( GM ), Henry Ford II ( Ford ), John J. Riccardo ( Chrysler ), and Gerald C. Meyers ( AMC ) were all members of
26796-477: The first to do so in Super Bowl XIII . Patton was the game's leading rusher with 55 yards on 17 carries. 49ers linebacker Jack Reynolds and Bengals defensive lineman Ross Browner each had 8 tackles. Fuller gained 35 yards on 4 punt returns. Ross caught 11 passes (the most ever by a tight end in a Super Bowl) and he was tied for the most receptions in a Super Bowl with Jerry Rice (who tied Ross' record in
26999-528: The following month, leading Disney to take a $ 200 million writedown on the film. Chrysler aired a two-minute half time advertisement titled "Half Time in America", produced by the Wieden+Kennedy agency and narrated by Clint Eastwood . The ad drew the criticism of several leading U.S. conservatives , who suggested that its messaging implied that President Obama deserved a second term and, as such,
27202-416: The football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from
27405-558: The fourth time in the previous five years that an American Idol contestant has performed the national anthem (joining Carrie Underwood , Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks ). Clarkson was accompanied by the Indianapolis Children's Choir. Husband-and-wife country musicians Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert performed " America the Beautiful " as part of the ceremonies. American Sign Language translation for both songs
27608-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
27811-655: The game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect
28014-648: The game was broadcast by the New York Giants Radio Network flagship ( WFAN ) and the New England Patriots Radio Network flagship ( WBZ-FM ). Bob Papa called the game for the Giants with Carl Banks as his analyst and Howard Cross as sideline reporter, while Gil Santos was at the microphone for the Patriots with Gino Cappelletti as analyst and Scott Zolak as sideline reporter. Santos and Cappelletti returned for their sixth Super Bowl as broadcast team for
28217-417: The game was televised nationally by NBC . Al Michaels called play-by-play for NBC, marking the eighth time that he was behind the microphone for a Super Bowl and the second time he called a Super Bowl for NBC (Michaels had previously done play-by-play for Super Bowls XXII , XXV , XXIX , XXXIV , XXXVII , and XL for ABC and Super Bowl XLIII for NBC). Cris Collinsworth was the color analyst for
28420-443: The game) and Solomon moved the ball to the 5-yard line. But then Montana threw two straight incompletions, forcing the 49ers to settle for Wersching's 22-yard field goal to increase their lead to 17–0. With just 15 seconds left in the half, Wersching kicked another squib kick that was muffed by Bengals running back Archie Griffin , and 49ers linebacker Milt McColl recovered the ball on the Cincinnati 4-yard line. As they lined up for
28623-459: The game, his second Super Bowl as a game analyst and first since he was in the booth for Super Bowl XXXIX for Fox . Michele Tafoya was the sideline reporter . Bob Costas and Dan Patrick (who also presided over the trophy presentation ceremony) hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage for NBC with Football Night in America analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison and special guest analysts (who were seated next to Costas during
28826-458: The game. An ad for Old Milwaukee beer featuring Will Ferrell aired a single time on only one station in Nebraska. Disney's ad for its upcoming John Carter was seen as exacerbating concerns about the expensive tentpole film 's marketing that had been raised by its teaser the preceding August. While admitting he was "pleasantly surprised" by it, Collider ' s Adam Chitwood said he
29029-411: The game. Robbie convinced the other owners to vote down Miami, in an effort to gain leverage towards building a new stadium. South Florida would not be selected to host another Super Bowl until Joe Robbie Stadium was built, and it hosted XXIII . San Francisco finished the regular season with a league-best 13–3 record. The 49ers' success surprised many because they finished with a 6–10 record during
29232-460: The gap to make the score 21–14 early in the 4th quarter, the Giants held on to defeat the Cowboys 31–14, clinching the divisional title and a playoff berth. New York's offense was led by Super Bowl XLII winning quarterback Eli Manning , in his seventh season as the team's starter. Manning set new career highs in nearly every statistical category in 2011, throwing for a franchise record 4,933 yards and 29 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions, giving him
29435-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
29638-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
29841-678: The home team in Super Bowl XLVI. Hospitality experts speculated that "Indianapolis will have seen the most severe hotel price gouging in Super Bowl history." The city has 6,000 hotel rooms, fewer than typical for a Super Bowl host city. Some rooms in downtown Indianapolis reportedly cost more than $ 4,000 a night. By contrast, rooms close to the stadium in previous Super Bowls were usually available for about $ 200. The room shortage and high prices caused some attendees to plan to stay in Chicago, 180 miles away, and ride buses to events. Because
30044-555: The illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922,
30247-451: The innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become the most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced
30450-471: The meeting. After hosting five previous Super Bowls, Miami was noticeably left out, largely due the aging condition of the Orange Bowl , and for a hotel room mix-up at Super Bowl XIII two months earlier. Dolphins owner Joe Robbie , locked in an ongoing feud with the city of Miami and Dade County over stadium improvements or construction of a new stadium, actually lobbied against Miami hosting
30653-635: The merger (the 49ers had played in the final championship game of the All-America Football Conference before joining the NFL in 1950). This is the only Super Bowl to be played at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Super Bowl did return to Michigan for Super Bowl XL , but that game was played at Ford Field in Detroit, which, in 2002, had replaced the Pontiac Silverdome as the home site for the Detroit Lions . This
30856-400: The network broadcast after the game . M.I.A. came under controversy for giving the middle finger during the performance of "Give Me All Your Luvin'", which was caught by the broadcast feed. The gesture was given when she appeared to sing "I don't give a shit", although it was hard to hear clearly if the expletive was said, stopped short, or cut off, as the censor unsuccessfully tried to blur
31059-428: The new record for largest shutout halftime lead). After receiving the opening kickoff of the second half, the Bengals drove 83 yards in 9 plays. Alexander started off the drive with a 13-yard carry, with a facemask penalty on Hicks giving an additional 5 yards. Three plays later, Anderson converted a 3rd-and-4 on a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Steve Kreider , followed by a 13-yard pass to Curtis, and eventually finished
31262-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
31465-532: The opposing teams to rush the ball; Dean became a 49er after an in-season trade with the San Diego Chargers and piled up 12 sacks for San Francisco. With all these additions, the 49ers defense was ranked 2nd in the NFL and allowed only 250 points all year (up from their 27th ranking in 1980 ), only the Eagles had a better defense in football that year allowing only 221 points. The Bengals finished with
31668-447: The passing attack; the latter two also served as emergency defensive backs. Edelman was also a superb punt returner, returning 28 punts for 296 yards and a touchdown. New England had several key contributors in the ground game. Their main rusher was BenJarvus Green-Ellis , who rushed for 667 yards and 11 touchdowns. Running back Stevan Ridley added 447 yards and a 5.1 yards per carry average. Danny Woodhead contributed 351 yards with
31871-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
32074-418: The playoffs without throwing a single interception, while Montana had been intercepted 4 times, 3 of them in the NFC title game. During the season, both teams had shown impressive ball security. Cincinnati had the fewest turnovers of any team during the 1981 season with 24, while San Francisco ranked second with 25. Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg became the first man to play in a Super Bowl and then be
32277-501: The plays.’" The game was televised in the United States by CBS , featuring the broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator John Madden . This was Madden's Super Bowl debut as a broadcaster. The broadcast also featured the introduction of the telestrator to a national audience, that was named CBS Chalkboard . Still in use today, it enables players and areas of play to be highlighted by
32480-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
32683-411: The postponement or cancellation of the game during the spring and summer of 2011; league officials had set contingency plans to postpone the game one week if it had been necessary to postpone regular season games into the second week of January. Since the dispute was resolved well before the start of the regular season, no postponements were implemented, and the game remained as originally scheduled. This
32886-457: The pre-game festivities), Aaron Rodgers and Hines Ward . Also helping out on NBC's broadcast were reporters Alex Flanagan , Liam McHugh , and Randy Moss and NFL insiders Mike Florio and Peter King . All commercials for the game sold out by Thanksgiving 2011, at an average price of $ 3.5 million per thirty-second ad, by far the highest rate for Super Bowl advertising in the event's history. At least one thirty-second advertisement commanded
33089-469: The previous season and a 2–14 record in 1979 (they even still had home blackouts early on in the 1981 season, the last blackouts for the 49ers to date). A major reason for the team's improvement was the emergence of their young quarterback Joe Montana . In just his third season in the league, Montana completed 311 out of 488 passes (a league-leading 63.7 completion percentage) for 3,565 yards and 19 touchdowns (he also threw 12 interceptions). His favorite target
33292-556: The primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football,
33495-429: The primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play the sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in
33698-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
33901-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
34104-581: The record for total U.S. viewership, with an average audience of 124 million, but only earned a rating of 43.5, it did however break the record for audience share with 82). As of 2024 , Super Bowl XVI remains the highest rated championship game in the history of the National Football League. 60 Minutes was CBS's Super Bowl lead-out program . The pregame festivities featured the University of Michigan Band. The band later performed
34307-473: The red zone, including one in the end zone. Facing fourth down, the Ravens attempted a 32-yard field goal by kicker Billy Cundiff that would tie the game and possibly bring it to overtime. Cundiff missed the kick wide left, allowing the Patriots to advance to the Super Bowl. The Patriots, as the designated home team, had a choice of wearing their home navy blue jerseys or their white away jerseys. Briefly, there
34510-551: The regular season and lost 17–14) and Roger Staubach along with reports by Pat O'Brien reporting from San Francisco, Sandy Hill reporting from Cincinnati and CBS News correspondent Charles Osgood . CBS, for this game, used the theme for the CBS Sports Saturday/Sunday for the intro (CBS had aired a special CBS Sports Sunday prior to the beginning of Super Bowl XVI coverage). At the end of CBS' telecast, they played ABBA 's " The Winner Takes It All " over
34713-631: The rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands the ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
34916-507: The role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when the AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain
35119-434: The same number of completions and attempts. Nevertheless, the Patriots managed to take a 23–20 lead in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Brady. With 1:44 left in the quarter, The Ravens got the ball back with one last chance to tie or win the game, driving all the way to the Patriots 14-yard line. But the Patriots managed to hold them there, with cornerback Sterling Moore breaking up two consecutive Ravens pass attempts in
35322-420: The screen to cover the gesture. The show broke the record for the most viewed Super Bowl halftime show ever, defeating Michael Jackson's previous record, with 114 million viewers throughout the world. American football American football , referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on
35525-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
35728-539: The sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of
35931-439: The sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized
36134-457: The superimposing of lines and rings drawn by a freehand operator. Hosting coverage for The Super Bowl Today pregame (90 minutes), halftime, and postgame shows was the NFL Today crew of Brent Musburger ; Irv Cross ; Phyllis George and Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder , with studio analysis from then- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw (who had faced these very same 49ers during
36337-432: The team in combined tackles with 96. The Giants joined the 2008 Arizona Cardinals and 1979 Los Angeles Rams as the only other team to advance to the Super Bowl with fewer than ten victories since the NFL expanded to a 16-game season in 1978, and the only one of those three to win the Super Bowl they had advanced to. They have won six consecutive playoff games away from their home stadium, dating back to their victory over
36540-470: The team in tackles with 95. With the victory in the 2011 AFC Championship Game Brady and head coach Bill Belichick became the first quarterback-head coach combination to reach the Super Bowl five times, surpassing the record held by Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers ' 1970s Super Bowl teams. Belichick tied Tom Landry for second most appearances as a head coach in
36743-507: The team with a good running and receiving threat, rushing for 330 yards and catching 51 passes for 477 yards. Much of San Francisco's success was aided by their offensive line, which featured Dan Audick (LT), John Ayers (LG), Fred Quillan (C), Randy Cross (RG), and Keith Fahnhorst (RT). Although the 49ers had three rookies starting as defensive backs, they all were major defensive threats: Carlton Williamson recorded four interceptions, Eric Wright had three, and Ronnie Lott , who had
36946-589: The third quarter. The Giants capped off an 88-yard drive with running back Ahmad Bradshaw 's 6-yard game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds left in the game. Eli Manning , who completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career. He became the third consecutive quarterback to win the award after Aaron Rodgers in Super Bowl XLV and Drew Brees in Super Bowl XLIV . He
37149-530: The toss, the first AFC team to do so in the Super Bowl in 15 years. Because the coin toss landed on heads, the pizza chain Papa John's offered free pizza to millions of Americans who participated in a promotional contest. Word had leaked as early as October 2011 that Madonna would be the performer for the Super Bowl halftime show , with M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj performing as well; all three are featured on Madonna's new single " Give Me All Your Luvin' " which
37352-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
37555-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
37758-408: The young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for a common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of
37961-430: Was "still not convinced that the general audience has a handle on what the film's about." An executive at a competing studio said the trailer strongly reinforced concerns that the film had experienced serious production problems that adversely affected its quality and box-office prospects. "It's like, 'Guys, this is your Hail Mary ?'" The ad's ineffectiveness was cited as one of many reasons the movie failed upon its release
38164-460: Was also a major force on the line, earning 10 sacks and two forced fumbles of his own. Behind them, Rob Ninkovich excelled at linebacker, gaining 74 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two interceptions. In the secondary, cornerback Kyle Arrington had a breakout season. After recording just one interception in his first three years, Arrington picked off 7 passes in 2011 to lead the NFL in that category, while also making 88 tackles. Linebacker Jerod Mayo led
38367-584: Was also only the second Super Bowl to not take place in one of the three so-called 'big Super Bowl Cities' (the other was Houston in January 1974). Fourteen of the previous 15 Super Bowls took place in either Miami, Florida , New Orleans, Louisiana or in the Greater Los Angeles Area . As the designated home team, the Bengals wore their black home uniforms with white pants, while the 49ers donned their road white uniforms with gold pants. On
38570-475: Was also the first Giants quarterback to start and win two championship games since Ed Danowski in 1938 . The broadcast of the game on NBC broke the then record for the most-watched program in American television history, previously set during the previous year's Super Bowl . Super Bowl XLVI was watched by an estimated average audience of 111.3 million US viewers and an estimated total audience of 166.8 million, according to Nielsen , meaning that over half of
38773-500: Was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1981 season . The 49ers defeated the Bengals by the score of 26–21 to win their first Super Bowl. The game was played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac , Michigan ,
38976-612: Was broadcast by KCBS-AM in San Francisco with Don Klein and Wayne Walker and by WLW-AM in Cincinnati with Phil Samp and Andy MacWilliams . The game was one of the most watched broadcasts in American television history, with more than 85 million viewers. The final national Nielsen rating was 49.1 (a 73 share), which is still a Super Bowl record, and ranks second to the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983 among television broadcasts in general. ( Super Bowl LVIII holds
39179-418: Was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included the reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams,
39382-440: Was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed a rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football
39585-452: Was performed as part of the show. The league confirmed Madonna as the performer on December 4. Other collaborators on the project included LMFAO , Cee Lo Green , long time Madonna collaborator Jamie King , Cirque du Soleil , and Moment Factory. The setlist included an Egyptian-themed " Vogue " with costumes by Givenchy , a medley of Madonna's " Music " and LMFAO's two largest hits (" Party Rock Anthem " and " Sexy and I Know It ", with
39788-481: Was performed by Rachel Mazique, the currently reigning Miss Deaf America. The coin toss ceremony featured the recent inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame . Curtis Martin , one of the inductees, was originally selected to toss the coin, but in what NESN described as "a rather awkward scene", referee John Parry ended up flipping the coin himself while Martin stood beside and watched. The Patriots won
39991-501: Was political payback for Obama's support for the federal bailout of the company. Both Chrysler chief marketing officer Olivier François and Chrysler Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne denied that the ad was intended as a politically oriented message. Overall, the ad was considered one of the better ones that aired during the game. There has also been some conjecture regarding the possible plagiarism of Australian band John Butler Trio 's song "Zebra" by Yogurt giant Dannon . Spokesman for
40194-556: Was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine a national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to
40397-575: Was speculation that the Patriots might wear the white away jerseys in order to switch the jerseys from Super Bowl XLII , where the Patriots wore dark blue and the Giants wore white. Also, the Giants were 4–0 in playoff games in their white away jerseys since the 2007 season . However, the Patriots announced on the Monday following the Conference Championship Games that they would be wearing their customary navy blue home jerseys as
40600-515: Was successful, giving the Giants a 20–17 victory. As the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Patriots earned a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. In the divisional round, the Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos 45–10. The Patriots dominated the game throughout, setting new franchise postseason records for total yards (509), points (45), and margin of victory (35). Tom Brady completed 18 of 25 passes for 246 yards and
40803-487: Was the first Super Bowl to be played in Indianapolis, and only the fourth time that the Super Bowl has been played in a cold-weather city, after Detroit ( XVI and XL ) and Minneapolis ( XXVI ). Downtown Indianapolis , the home of Lucas Oil Stadium, featured an outdoor Super Bowl Village and other programs at the Indiana Convention Center . Working around a series of injuries, the Giants ended with
41006-495: Was the team's leading rusher with 659 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was also a reliable weapon in the passing game, hauling in 34 receptions for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Jacobs also made contributions on the ground, rushing for 571 yards and 7 touchdowns. New York's defensive line was led by defensive ends Justin Tuck , Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora . Pierre-Paul racked up 86 combined tackles and ranked fourth in
41209-527: Was wide receiver Dwight Clark . Clark, who had the best season of his career, had 85 receptions for 1,104 yards and 4 touchdowns. Fellow wide receiver Freddie Solomon was also a reliable target with 59 receptions, 969 yards, and 8 touchdowns along with tight end Charle Young who caught 37 passes for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns. Running back Ricky Patton was the top rusher on the team with 543 yards and 4 touchdowns, while also catching 27 passes for 195 yards. Multi-talented running back Earl Cooper also provided
#788211