INDIANAPOLIS -- After a sack that ended the New England Patriots' drive with 6:12 left in the third quarter, team physicians were examining quarterback Tom Brady's neck on the sidelines, according to Ian Rappaport of the Boston Herald. The Giants sacked Brady after the quarterback couldn't find any one open on an obvious coverage sack. Backup Brian Hoyer was seen throwing on the sideline.
Sports injury expert Will Carroll of SI.com, who happens to be sitting next to this intrepid reporter in the Lucas Oil Stadium press box, mentioned that sometimes, a trainer will rub a player's neck when checking him for a concussion -- possibly to throw off anyone looking for such things.
[ Giants win Super Bowl behind another comeback by Eli Manning ]
Not surprisingly, the defender making the play on the sack was defensive lineman Justin Tuck, who forced Brady into the first-quarter intentional grounding penalty that gave the Giants a safety and a 2-0 lead.
Good news for Patriots fans, though -- after the Giants were forced to punt on the next drive, Brady re-entered the game. At that point, he was 20 of 24 for 210 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions. At the end of that drive, however, Brady threw a long interception to linebacker Chase Blackburn, who was covering tight end Rob Gronkowski one-on-one 45 yards downfield.
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