INDIANAPOLIS — You have to hand it to Hakeem Nicks.
Nicks was simply brilliant in the Giants’ 21-17 Super Bowl XLVI triumph over the Patriots, starring in his first career Super Bowl and pacing every one on the field in catches (10) and yards (109).
“This is what I came for,” Nicks said. “This is what I visualized. I feel good for it to come true.”
The magnificent third-year wideout from North Carolina had a fantastic postseason, hauling in 28 catches for 444 yards and four touchdowns in against the Falcons, Packers, 49ers and Patriots — an average of seven catches, 111 yards and a score per playoff contest.
Nicks picked up first downs on a remarkable eight of his 10 receptions, and some of them were highlight-quality. The first pass thrown to him came on the Giants’ first drive, and Nicks reached up and grabbed a high throw from Eli Manning and picked up 19 yards.
He also made a terrific 17-yard grab over the middle on a third-and-6 in the second quarter, a leaping two-hand grab to beat Antwaun Molden. And on a third-and-4 on the Giants’ first drive of the third quarter, he hauled in a huge first-down grab en route to a Lawrence Tynes field goal.
Finally, on the Giants’ championship-winning drive, Nicks snared a 14-yard catch that moved them to the Patriots’ 18-yard line and a four-yarder that brought them to the 7, setting up Ahmad Bradshaw’s go-ahead touchdown run.
“We knew what we were capable of doing,” Nicks said. “We knew we could come through in clutch situations. That’s what we did.”
