In the NFL these days, you have to leave nothing to chance. The Giants, down 17-15 with a little over a minute to play, had the ball on the Patriots’ six-yard-line. The plan was to run the clock down as much as possible, force the Patriots to burn their timeouts and them kick a go-ahead FG. That would’ve have left the Patriots and Tom Brady only seconds to get up the field and into FG range.

They did not want to score a TD and leave Tom Brady a minute and a timeout and a chance to beat them in the last seconds.

But RB Ahmad Bradshaw did not understand. Until it was too late. He took a handoff from Eli Manning and knifed through the line untouched before he realized what was happening.

That was Bill Belichick’s plan. He instructed his defense to give up a touchdown, citing that the clock and the odds were stacking up against him.

“Yes,” admitted Belichick when asked if he allowed Bradshaw to score. “Yes we did.”

“Ball was inside the 10-yard line, a 90 percent field goal conversion (in that territory),” the coach said deflecting any criticism that his team should have tried to stop the Giants.

Once Bradshaw realized he was being set up, he tried to stop himself from scoring, but his momentum carried into the end zone.

“Eli was telling me to go down,” Bradshaw said afterward in the Giants’ locker room as per Brendan Prunty of the Star-Ledger. “He was saying, ‘Don’t score! Don’t score!’ I grabbed the ball and it really didn’t click at the 1-yard line, so I tried to put myself down. But my momentum just took me in.”

“I did not expect that,” Giants’ OC Kevin Gilbride admitted. “We were counting on just running the ball, milking it out and then it kind of caught us off guard. As it happened, we said, ‘Get down!’ and he thought he did. He thought he tapped down”.

OL Chris Snee also did not know what was happening at the time. Then it hit him. He threw his arms up in frustration.

“I didn’t realize it at the time, but when it parted like the Red Sea I saw it was their strategy,” Snee said. “Right away, no, I did not know.”

It would prove to be moot. At the end of the day, the Giants’ defense threw a monkey wrench in Belichick’s plans by staving off the Patriots’ last minute effort to pull out a victory, very much like they had done four years ago in this very game.

In 2007, rookie DL Jay Alford that sacked Brady on the final drive. Last night, it was captain Justin Tuck who put the Patriots’ celebrated QB on the ground.

“I think our coverage made him hold the ball a little bit longer, and we feel very confident up front that if we get a little extra time, we are going to be able to get to anybody,” said Tuck. “So, it was just an inside move where I was able to beat the guard, and I got to him.”

And the Giants went home champs again.

Giants’ RB Ahmad Bradshaw has had a trying season. He signed a new deal before the year (four years, $18 million with $9 million guaranteed and a $5 million bonus), and was on his way to earning that contract in Week 6 with a 3 TD performance against the Buffalo Bills. He fractured a bone in his foot two weeks later in the Giants’ win over Miami, forcing him to miss the next four games, which included the first contest against the 49ers. He continues to be plagued by the foot, only practicing once a week with the team and playing sporadically in games.

After breaking off a few good runs in the playoff wins over Atlanta and Green Bay, Bradshaw hopes to contribute more tomorrow in the NFC Championship Game in San Francisco…he spoke briefly with the media yesterday…

Does the weather matter?
It doesn’t matter what the conditions are. If it is a rainy game, hopefully we run the ball more. Just stick your cleats in and keep digging.

What do you see from San Francisco?
They are a great defense. We just have to stick to our game plan. Linebacker-wise, they have great linebackers and a great DB corps. I just want to go out and play my game. We have a great plan and I think we will be fine.

What has helped you prepare this week?
Right now, we have a lot of confidence. We have a lot of guys that have been in this situation. We have a great game plan going into it. Playing them the first time gave us a lot of ammo and we have things to use against them. If we can go out and execute, we will be fine.

What did you take from that game?
We learned a lot and we have a lot of stuff on film. I think our coaches handled what our game plan is going to be and like I said, if we execute, we will be good.

What is it like to be the road team?
Our plan is to take their crowd out the game and that is just by making plays. We had seven big plays last week and if we can stick to that routine, we can hopefully take their crowd out of it.

Is it important to run the ball against them?
No question and that is the plan in every game to run the ball especially because of how good we have been these last couple games running the ball.

Does David Baas’ stomach bug affect the offense?
It is not a concern. We have great guys that can back everybody up and who can do the job. My confidence in those guys is the same as with our starters. Our backups do a great job and my hat goes off to all the linemen.

Some bad news for the Giants today: WR Mario Manningham (knee) did not practice. He is doubtful for Sunday.

Other injury news: DE Osi Umenyiora (ankle) and LB Mark Herzlich (ankle) have been both ruled out of Sunday’s game.

Bradshaw (foot) and LB Michael Boley (hamstring) are questionable. Both were limited in practice.

WR Hakeem Nicks (concussion/ribs), WR Victor Cruz (hip), DE Justin Tuck (ankle) and CB Derrick Martin (hamstring) are listed as probable.

Fennelly: “Vince Lombardi used to say – ‘everyone plays hurt…if you’re injured, you don’t play.’ The question is whether Ahmad is still injured or not. He says he is determined to play Sunday, but it’s a pretty much a rule of thumb that if you don’t practice, you don’t play…he hasn’t practiced in nearly a month. 

On the other hand, the Giants are desperate for a win to halt their freefall. Their offense is 75% better when Bradshaw plays, plus Dallas is playing Arizona and will most likely be 8-4 after this week.  The Giants will be 6-6 should they lose, meaning they will have to win their final four games (in which two are vs Dallas) if they have any designs on the post season this year…”

With the Packers invading MetLife Stadium this Sunday, the Injury-riddled Giants will need everyone and anyone that can help.

Bradshaw, who last played in the victory over Miami on October 30, has been battling to overcome a fractured bone in his foot. He says if he can withstand the pain Sunday, he’ll be out there…

“It’s a bone, and I’m just trying to let it heal,” Bradshaw told Dan Salamone of Giants.com. “All it is is just dealing with the pain. If I can deal with the pain in the game, then I’ll be fine.”

But that is a major obstacle. He has not been pain-free enough to even begin practicing. In Giantland if you don’t practice, you usually don’t play. Plus, he doesn’t neat to come back too early and worsen his condition.

“I don’t want to get out and play and sit out the next game, I don’t want to do it that way. I want to play the rest of the year.”

Bradshaw knows this game is integral on several levels. Jobs and livelihoods are at stake in the next two weeks. He may just suck it up and strap on the pads.

“I feel good and I’m planning on playing.”

Bradshaw re-fractured his foot in the Week 8 victory over Miami and has not dressed since. The Giants have gone 1-2 without Bradshaw and are averaging less than three yards-per-carry in his absence.

Naturally, OT Will Beatty (eye) is listed as OUT as is DB Derrick Martin (hamstring).

LB Michael Boley (hamstring) is doubtful for Monday. He has been running, but not practicing . It is believed that he is not quite ready to return.

WR Mario Manningham (knee), who also sat out of practice again today, is questionable and he is now in danger of missing Monday’s game. WR Michael Clayton (knee) – a late add to the report – has a torn meniscus and is headed for IR.

RB DJ Ware (concussion), OT Kareem McKenzie (toe), DE Justin Tuck (shoulder/ankle) and DE Osi Umenyiora (knee) are all listed as probable.

“We are all hoping and we have to see. He needs to do some things on the practice field. I know the position of the medical staff, exactly, they are not quite ready to turn him loose.”

LB Michael Boley (hamstring) is still holding out hope that he can play Sunday, but he has not practiced and is listed as doubtful. LT Will Beatty (back) returned to practice today.

DE Justin Tuck did not practice and is questionable after getting his ankle stepped on yesterday in practice.

Coughlin did not say whether the team planned to activate recently reinstated DT Jimmy Kennedy this week.

Coughlin admitted that Danny Ware, who goes by the moniker DJ, has looked good in practice. He refuses to address him by that name, though.

“You mean Danny. I call him Dan or Danny, just to get him going. Yes and I think so. He is still productive. When you look at the stat sheet, he is still productive. He is a productive guy. The ability to play with more energy and when you need him in that clutch period, he has that extra gear.”

Eagles QB Michael Vick, who was rumored earlier to be ruled out of Sunday’s game is still listed as questionable on the injury report as is WR Jeremy Maclin.

From Giants SNY insider Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger:

The Giants will head to San Francisco to face the league’s best run defense with Brandon Jacobs and D.J. Ware leading the way. Rookie Da’Rel Scott could see a few reps after getting one carry for 5 yards and a first down against New England.

Bradshaw hasn’t made any appearances on the practice field since he suffered the injury against the Miami Dolphins late last month.

“But he’s in every meeting,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “They don’t want him to stand around out here.”

Someone informed of the team’s thinking said Da’Rel Scott is in line to be the No. 1 kick returner on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

The person, who requested anonymity because the Giants haven’t announced who will be their returner, said the likelihood of Ahmad Bradshaw‘s being sidelined again and Ware’s being the No. 2 back are factors.

“We have a lot of confidence in Da’Rel, someone who we’ve been working with since day one,” special teams coach Tom Quinn said. “We’ll see how it plays out the rest of the week. … We’d like to put the ball in his hands at some point.”

The team is excited about the potential duo of Scott and Jernigan.
“Jernigan’s a guy we want to see run the ball and Da’Rel’s a guy…” Quinn said trailing off. “So we’ve been hoping to work them in and get to the point where Jerrel could be the punt returner and Da’Rel could be the kickoff returner.

For more Giants coverage, follow Mike Garafolo on Twitter attwitter.com/MikeGarafolo 

Giants’ RB Ahmad Bradshaw has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Buffalo Sunday….

• Bradshaw rushed for 104 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in the Giants’ 27-24 victory over Buffalo.
• Scored all three of New York’s touchdowns against the Bills, registering a one-yard rushing TD in each of the first three quarters.
• Broke free for a 30-yard run in the fourth quarter, his longest of the day, to help set up Lawrence Tynes’ game-winning 23-yard field goal with 1:32 remaining.
• Accounted for 26 of the Giants’ 31 rushing attempts (excluding kneel downs).
• Leads the Giants with 390 rushing yards and five touchdowns this season.
• In his fifth season from Marshall, this is Bradshaw’s second career Offensive Player of the Week Award (Week 4, 2010).
• He is the second Giant to be honored this season (Eli Manning, Week 3)

WR Ramses Barden, who has been on PUP since August, says he is going to play in the Giants’ next game vs the Dolphins Oct 30th:

“Mentally, I plan on playing. I plan on being in the game plan and I plan on contributing in whatever way the team sees necessary. I can’t wait. By the time next week comes around, it would have been 11 ½ months.”

The Giants have a few days off, and here is what some of them plan to do on their “vacation.” MORE 

The Philadelphia Eagles, who acquired the running back Ronnie Brown in August, traded him to the Detroit Lions today. In return, the Eagles obtained running back Jerome Harrison and a 2013 seventh-round draft pick. MORE 

He did. With 104 yards rushing and three one-yard TD dives, Bradshaw had his best day as a Giant, rivaling his 2007 breakout game which was also against Buffalo.

Bradshaw was especially candid in his post game presser after logging in the first 100-yard performance by a Giant this season…

Talk about making the big 30-yard run?

Anytime I have a chance, trying to put the team on my back, keep making plays and that is what I plan to do. Anytime they give me a shot I try to take advantage of it. They called a great play, a misdirection, and those guys up front did a heck of a job today. My hat goes off to those guys. We’ve worked hard all week and I think we were successful today.

With your resume, are you surprised that they seem to lose sight of the fact that you can carry the ball all day?

Every play they call, my heart is all in it every down, every play. So whatever they call I am going to stick with it. They do a great job of calling great plays and all I can do is just run.

What was your mindset at the start of the last drive when it was a tie game?

Just to make a play. When the battle gets deep we look at each other every time at the same moment and we look at each other to make a play. Like I said, I depend on those guys up front and they depend on me.

Can you go into the details of why the 30-yard run worked?

Like I said, it was a misdirection. It split wide open and Mario Manningham came on a block on the safety, I was able to make the corner miss, and just tried to use my speed from there.

What does it mean to have Brandon Jacobs supporting you from the sidelines?

Oh man, he is my big brother. I had a brother that passed when I was 10 and I look at him as the same way. I look up to him and we help each other. To have him there, it’s all love.

Does it get you energized?

Oh yeah, definitely. That is what we are here together for, I think. Everything happens for a reason and I think we are here on this team together for a reason.

What were you thinking on your dive into the end zone on the one touchdown?

It was kind of cloudy at the bottom and I have been visualizing it all week, how I was going to try to go over the top if I had to, and I just tried to use my athletic ability to get over the top and get the ball over the line.

Were the first two touchdowns the same play?

Yes they were.

Was it good to have the running game going in the fourth quarter?

That is what we depend on. Eli (Manning) did a great job today. He opened it up and I think that is what kept them back on their heels a little bit and we were able to just run it.

Did you ever think of the fourth quarter in the last game you played against Buffalo?

Yeah, all week I have been thinking about it. Just trying to make the same exact play anytime I could. It was a great play then and that is in the past, but now I just depend on my front line.

Is there any correlation between the frustration you displayed last week and your success this week?

Every time I am out on the field I put my heart out there and I just try to run with anger and use my speed and my power.

Was the 30-yard run today similar to the long run from the last game against Buffalo?

No, the one in Buffalo was a power and I was able to hit it front side and cut it back and use my speed for 88 yards. This one was a misdirection and we were able to open it up.