GLENDALE, Ariz. – By following Steve Spagnuolo’s brilliant defensive gameplan, Justin Tuck nearly backed up his own brash talk last night.
Tuck, the Giants’ versatile defensive lineman, said during the week leading up to Super Bowl XLII that he could envision himself winning the game’s Most Valuable Player award.
Helped by the note-perfect play calling of Spagnuolo, the Giants’ on-the-rise defensive coordinator, Tuck almost made it come true in Big Blue’s incredible 17-14 upset of the Patriots with a first half for the ages against Tom Brady.
With aid from timely linebacker and safety blitzes that confused the Patriots’ normally unshakable offensive line, Tuck led a fearsome charge by the line in the first half against Brady that resulted in three sacks – two by Tuck – and at least eight knockdowns.
At one point in the first half, the same quarterback who rarely gets touched (just two playoff sacks absorbed before last night) had been sacked or knocked down more than half the times he dropped back to pass.
A shaken Brady was sacked five times overall after Tuck set the tone early.
“I just wanted it more,” Tuck said. “This was my time to shine, and I was going to do everything I could to make the most of it. In a game like this, you have to leave it all on the field – and that’s exactly what I did.”
Although they were Tuck’s first two sacks of the postseason, the Giants couldn’t have been surprised. The former third-round pick from Notre Dame was outstanding as a third-year pro during the regular season, notching 10 sacks despite starting just two games.
Relentless determination was the key to Tuck’s early success. Several of his team-high five tackles before intermission were on second or even third efforts as Tuck would not be denied.
“Justin’s been doing that all year long,” Spagnuolo said. “He’s a warrior. He’s a great character guy who we love having. He’s very special because he’s very versatile.”
That was most obvious on Tuck’s biggest play of the game – his sack and strip of Brady in the final seconds of the first half to stop a Patriots march inside Giants territory. Tuck got to Brady with a quick spin move, then slapped the ball into the arms of defensive-line mate Osi Umenyiora.
That play maintained a 7-3 Giants deficit, something that would prove crucial in the end.
Tuck had just one tackle the rest of the way (finishing with six), but the die was cast – Brady would not be allowed to get comfortable all night against a Giants defense that led the league in sacks.
“We weren’t going to let him rest, because we knew getting to him was the only way we were going to win this game,” Tuck said.
bhubbuch@nypost.com