On Sunday, New York Giants fans across the globe will get to re-live the elation of a Super Bowl XLII upset of the New England Patriots as FOX re-airs the game at 3:00 p.m. ET.
As part of that, a debate is likely to be rekindled: should Eli Manning have been named the Super Bowl MVP?
The easy answer is yes, but many still believe that honor belonged to defensive end Justin Tuck, who recorded two sacks and five stops in the game.
However, the use of advanced analytics has taken off in the years since that Super Bowl and now, 13 years after the fact, the entire game has been graded courtesy of Pro Football Focus and we’re able to see their interpretation of events.
[vertical-gallery id=644432]
For arguments sake, Eli Manning earned an overall grade of 84.2, while Tuck earned an overall grade of 85.9.
On the surface — and assuming all other things are equal — that lends credence to those who believe Tuck deserved the MVP Award. But as it turns out, Tuck wasn’t the highest-graded Giant. He wasn’t even the highest-graded defender. That distinction goes to defensive end Osi Umenyiora.
Umenyiora earned a team-high grade of 86.9 in Super Bowl XLII, which just barely edged out defensive end Michael Strahan (86.5). And Osi’s 86.4 grade against the run was far and away the best on the team. His 83.6 pass rush grade was also second on the team, behind only Strahan (86.2).
In total, Umenyiora took 67 defensive snaps, recording four tackles, two stops, two QB hits and a team-leading six QB hurries.
We’re not saying Umenyiora deserved the MVP Award, but it is interesting to look back now and evaluate how the players were graded. So if you’re re-watching the game on Sunday, be sure to keep an eye on Umenyiora, whose performance had previously been lost in the shadows.
Also, be sure to join Pro Football Focus for grades, advanced analytics, game breakdowns, player rankings, draft guides and just about anything else you heart desire. Use promo code SCORE20 for 20% off.
[lawrence-related id=644271,620576,614846]