SB Nation Chicago - Super Bowl 2012: New York Giants Defeat New England Patriots, 21-17; Eli Manning Named MVP

2012 Super Bowl Ratings: Big Game Breaks Big Record

2012-02-06T19:49:46Z

Over the past several decades, the Super Bowl has become The Game -- the game advertisers long to be a part of, the game young athletes dream of, and the game that American households watch without fail. Well, that reputation was sustained on Sunday when the record books got a new number scrawled into them:

Super Bowl XLVI was watched by an average of 111.3 million viewers, setting a new viewership record.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) February 6, 2012

Giants 21-17 win in Super Bowl sets viewership record of 111.3 million up a notch from last year.
— Richard Sandomir (@RichSandomir) February 6, 2012

The Super Bowl, which ended with a dramatic 21-17 New York Giants win over the New England Patriots, had more eyes on it than any television event ever, but it still failed to break the Nielsen rating record of 47.9, posting instead a near-record 47.8 rating. The previous viewership record was at 111 million viewers, set during the 2011 Super Bowl.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. For all news and information regarding Super Bowl XLVI, please stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated Super Bowl hub, and for more on the commercials that aired Sunday, check out the Super Bowl commercials stream.

2013 Super Bowl Odds: Packers Favorites, Bears In Top Ten

2012-02-06T17:10:47Z

Despite winning the 2012 Super Bowl, Las Vegas oddsmakers aren't favoring the New York Giants to repeat as champions. According to Bloomberg, the MGM Grand in Vegas lists the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers as the favorites for next year's title, at 5-1 and 11-2 odds, respectively. The Giants, at 8-1 odds, are rated as the fifth likeliest team to win hoist the Lombardi Trophy, behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and NFC East division rival Philadelphia Eagles, both of which come in at 6-1.

The MGM has a rather sunny outlook on the Chicago Bears' run at the 2013 Super Bowl, though, listing the team as 17-1 odds, ahead of playoff teams such as the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons and perennial preseason favorites like the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens.

For more on the Patriots and their Super Bowl run, check out SB Nation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit as well as SB Nation Boston. For more on the Giants and their Super Bowl appearance, visit Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. For all news and information regarding Super Bowl XLVI, please stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated Super Bowl hub, and for more on the commercials that aired Sunday, check out the Super Bowl commercials stream.

2012 Super Bowl TV Ratings: Ratings Down, Madonna Outdraws Game

2012-02-06T16:06:13Z

Maybe America wasn't salivating for a rematch between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants after all? According to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal, the television ratings for the 2012 Super Bowl were actually slightly down from last year's broadcast.

Small correx on the overnights. I'm now being told that it's a 47.8 (not 47.9), which is down a tenth of a ratings point from last year.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) February 6, 2012

Maybe more surprisingly, was that Madonna's halftime show beat out the ratings for the game itself by a slight margin as well.

Madonna is more popular than the NFL. Source says the halftime show drew a 48.3 overnight, which is higher than the game's 47.8.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) February 6, 2012

Super Bowl Commercials 2012: Toyota Reinvents The Couch And The DMV

2012-02-06T13:30:11Z

Toyota claims to have reinvented the Camry -- though they might be better served to save such confident verbiage for when they create a flying Camry or a Camry that can turn into a submarine -- and with that task done, they moved on to re-imagining a few other things.

That DMV is the impossible dream, while the poopless time-traveling baby makes one wonder why Toyota researchers couldn't use the baby to travel ahead and figure out how to make a Camry that flies or turns into a submarine. Then again, the operational details of the baby are unclear. Does one merely hold the baby to travel through time with it, or is no one other than the baby capable of time travel?

Super Bowl Commercials 2012: Jerry Seinfeld Will Do Just About Anything For A New Acura NSX

2012-02-06T13:00:51Z

In this Super Bowl XLVI advertisement, comedian Jerry Seinfeld is so enamored with the new Acura NSX that when he finds out there is another man in line to get the car first, he's willing to go to great lengths to bribe his way into the driver's seat, so to speak.

It almost works, and perhaps if the fellow had been a bigger fan of Seinfeld's television show and appreciated a good reference, it would have been a little easier for Jerry.

Super Bowl Commercials 2012: Dog Bribes Owner With Doritos

2012-02-06T04:31:16Z

The family cat, Fluffy, has gone missing, and when a man discovers that his dog is responsible for the abduction and demise of the cat, he's faced with a difficult decision. That is until the dog approaches him with a little proposition.

This gentleman is either very easy to please or very intimidated by large dogs, or maybe he never really cared much for poor Fluffy. In any case, he accepts a bag of Doritos in exchange for his silence, perhaps in part out of appreciation for the dog's impressively legible paw-writing.

Super Bowl 2012: New York Giants QB Eli Manning Takes Home MVP Honors

2012-02-06T03:10:43Z

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was outstanding in his team's 21-17 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday night. Manning finished 30-40 for 296 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and led a clutch drive in the final four minutes that helped the Giants score the go-ahead touchdown. Manning was named the game's MVP for his efforts.

That final drive began with a perfectly placed deep ball to Mario Manningham, which moved the ball up near midfied. From there, Manning and the rest of the Giants were able to chip away and get down inside the 10, where Ahmad Bradshaw scored the decisive touchdown.

Super Bowl 2012 Final Score: New York Giants Defeat New England Patriots 21-17

2012-02-06T02:54:55Z

Early on it appeared as though it would be New York's night, as they jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead on a safety and a touchdown drive that ended when Eli Manning found Victor Cruz over the middle. The Patriots had run one play from scrimmage and found themselves down two scores, but not surprisingly, they weren't about to make it easy on New York.

New England rallied for 10 points in the second quarter, including a short touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Danny Woodhead, and took a 10-9 lead into halftime. Early in the third quarter, the Patriots extended that lead to 17-9 on another Tom Brady touchdown pass. The Giants put together a pair of scoring drives after that but settled for a field goal in both cases, narrowing the gap to 17-15 as the fourth quarter began.

The game came down to one final drive by the New York Giants, which began with less than four minutes remaining in the game. Eli Manning hit Mario Manningham for a big gain to get the Giants near midfield, and they were able to chip away from there, and eventually Ahmad Bradshaw gave them the decisive margin with a touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining.