Short answer
The helmet catch game is Super Bowl XLII, and the drive is the Giants' last one: down 14–10 to an 18–0 New England team, 2:39 left, ball at their own 17, three timeouts each. You call every snap from there, and your calls are graded against Tom Coughlin's, which score in the 80th percentile in our engine.
The situation
Super Bowl XLII, February 3, 2008, in Glendale, Arizona. New England was 18–0 and one win from a perfect season. Late in the fourth quarter, Randy Moss caught a 6-yard touchdown to put the Patriots ahead 14–10.
Eli Manning starts at his own 17 with 2:39 left and all three timeouts; New England has three as well. Down 4, a field goal is worthless. The Giants need 83 yards and a touchdown, and they have time to run if they want to.
How the real drive went, play by play
Manning hit Amani Toomer for 11 yards, then threw incomplete to Plaxico Burress twice. On 3rd-and-10 Toomer caught 9 yards to the 37, leaving 4th-and-1 at 1:34. The Giants went for it, and Brandon Jacobs ran up the middle for 2.
Manning scrambled for 5, the Giants used their first timeout at 1:20, and a deep throw to David Tyree fell incomplete. Then 3rd-and-5 at their own 44 with 1:15 left: Manning was nearly sacked, slipped out of the grasp of two rushers, and threw deep down the middle. Tyree pinned the ball against his helmet with one hand while Rodney Harrison tried to pull it away, for 32 yards to the New England 24.
After a timeout, a sack and another timeout, Steve Smith caught 12 yards on 3rd-and-11 to the 13. With 0:39 at the snap, Burress caught a 13-yard touchdown on the left side. The Giants won 17–14 with 0:35 left.
The calls that decided it
The biggest call isn't the famous one. It's 4th-and-1 at your own 37 with 1:34 left. Going for it is forced, since a punt there ends the game, but the play isn't: a quarterback sneak, a power run with Jacobs, or a pass that stops the clock if it fails. Coughlin gave it to Jacobs.
The other choice is timeouts. The Giants spent all three in the last 1:20, which left them nothing on the last snap. Use them early and you buy plays; save one and you can afford a run inside the 20. You'll make both choices on this board.
More Legends
- Manningham on the Sideline · Super Bowl XLVI, down 2, 3:46 left, own 12
- 28–3 · Super Bowl LI, down 8, 3:30 left, own 9
- The Minneapolis Miracle · NFC Divisional round, down 1, 0:25 left, own 20
- Every Legend and Playoff Run
FAQ
What was the score of the helmet catch game?
The New York Giants beat New England 17–14 in Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008, ending the Patriots' bid to finish 19–0.
Who made the helmet catch?
David Tyree, on a 32-yard pass from Eli Manning on 3rd-and-5 with 1:15 left. Rodney Harrison was covering him.
Who scored the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII?
Plaxico Burress, on a 13-yard pass from Manning with 0:35 left.
How much time was left on the Giants' final drive?
The drive started with 2:39 left at the Giants' 17 and ended with the touchdown at 0:35.
Do I need to pay to play this?
This Legend is part of the Legends Pass, a one-time purchase that also unlocks every Playoff Run and removes ads. The daily drive, Practice and Survivor stay free, and 28–3 is a free Legend you can try first.
Sources
- nflverse play-by-play data — the real drive, snap by snap: down, distance, clock, timeouts and play descriptions
- Super Bowl XLII, New York Giants vs New England box score — Pro Football Reference