When push came to shove it was all Brady

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tom Brady doesn’t have the strongest arm, but it was strong enough on a pivotal touchdown pass. He wasn’t perfect Sunday night, but he was awfully close.

And for the first time in New England’s three Super Bowl titles, he wasn’t even the MVP.

But he made all the difference in a title game that ultimately was decided by the quarterbacks.

Brady led the Patriots on touchdown drives at the end of the first half and the start of the second half that gave them control against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 24-21 victory.

And he left the mistakes to Donovan McNabb, who threw three interceptions and had to rely on great plays by his receivers to keep the Eagles moving.

“I felt I was very prepared tonight, more so than ever before,” Brady said. “I wish we had gotten things going a little quicker, but I knew I was looking in the right places.”

McNabb acquitted himself well in his first Super Bowl by going 30 of 51 for 357 yards and three touchdowns, including a 30-yard shot to Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone that kept Philadelphia’s hopes alive.

But that’s not what he will take away from this game.

“I don’t look at the touchdowns. I don’t look at any of that,” McNabb said. “I look at the three interceptions. As the quarterback, you want to make sure you take care of the ball. Turnovers kill you. And they hurt us today.”

If there was a moment that defined the magic of Brady it came late in the first half, on a play that easily could have put the Patriots in a 14-0 hole at intermission.

On second-and-goal from the 4, Brady dropped back and looked to his right, then back over the middle. With the Eagles’ pass rush closing in, he saw David Givens standing on the far right side of the end zone. Cornerback Lito Sheppard relaxed slightly, perhaps not believing anyone could get the ball to Givens.

That was all the hesitation Brady needed.

He slung the pass sidearm, some 20 yards across the field, and it arrived just before Sheppard did.

“Tom threw it right where he had to throw it,” Givens said. “I looked up and it hit me exactly where I wanted it. Tom placed the ball right on the money.”

It had to be. Anything less, and Sheppard had an easy pick – and 100 yards of grass ahead of him.

“The touchdown to Givens, that was about his third read on the play down there,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “That was an outstanding play, because he just read his progression all the way out and made a great read and a throw to Givens.”

Equally impressive, but not nearly as picturesque, was the Patriots’ next drive.

With the score tied at 7, the Patriots needed to establish control and set the tone for the first half. They had struggled against the Eagles’ defense to start the game, picking up only one first down on their first four possessions.

The nine-play, 69-yard drive began with a safe, simple route to Deion Branch for 8 yards, setting up an easy first down on a run off left tackle by Corey Dillon.

Then came three more good throws to Branch, one of them on third-and-10. The drive ended with a great read, and a great throw, to linebacker Mike Vrabel, who had lined up as a tight end and fought through a hold by defensive end Jevon Kearse to make the catch.

Brady’s favorite play?

Taking a knee to clinch New England’s third Super Bowl in the last four years. Brady now joins Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman among quarterbacks with at least three NFL titles; Bradshaw and Montana won four.

Brady made only one mistake.

With the Patriots trailing 7-0, he drove them 82 yards in seven plays to the 5. But on a play-action fake to Kevin Faulk, the ball bumped into Faulk’s hip and hit the ground, and Brady failed to secure it in the pile for New England’s only turnover.