SAN FRANCISCO — Mario Manningham rewarded fellow receiver Hakeem Nicks’ faith with a catch that helped lift the Giants to the Super Bowl.
“I led the prayer [before the game] and told him he was going to make the winning touchdown catch,” Nicks said. “He believed in it, and he went out there and did it.”
Well, nearly. There was no winning touchdown in the Giants’ 20-17 NFC Championship win last night over the 49ers, thanks to Lawrence Tynes’ game-winning field goal in overtime. But Manningham caught the go-ahead 17-yard touchdown from Eli Manning in the fourth quarter, giving the Giants a 17-14 lead.
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No less an authority than Peyton Manning called Manningham’s catch the key play of the game.
“[Eli and I] talked about that coverage on Friday: San Francisco plays a little eight-man coverage, it’s a three-deep form of coverage,” Peyton said. “We talked about [how] there are certain holes and windows in that coverage. Great throw on third-and-15 to Manningham.
“That was really the pivotal play besides the special teams turnovers.”
During the Giants’ regular-season loss to the 49ers in Week 10, Manningham let a chance for a game-changing play slip away. With just a few minutes remaining and the Giants down seven, he had a potential game-tying TD glance off his fingertips — and the Giants went on to lose, 27-20.
During this past week, Manningham talked about the near-miss, saying, “Playing wide receiver, you’ve got to have a short-term memory. Should have had it.”
Last night, Manningham did have it. He hung on — and redeemed himself in the process.
Manningham’s touchdown came on a play that began with him lining up on the left side of the line of scrimmage and cutting toward the middle on his route. He hauled in Manning’s chest-high throw with a jumping catch in the end zone. It was Manningham’s first catch of the night.
Manningham had given the 49ers defense much credit during the week. When asked if the 49ers had the best defense the Giants faced this year — they gave up the second-fewest points in the league this season — Manningham replied, “I’m gonna say they’ve got probably the best linebacking corps that we’ve faced. I ain’t gonna say the best defense.”
Manningham now has a touchdown catch in each of the Giants playoff games this postseason, scoring one apiece against Atlanta, Green Bay and San Francisco.
He will be looking for a fourth against New England in the Super Bowl.