from those images, it looks like a clear catch with 2 feet in, to me
i was perplexed at why your head coach would challenge that sb catch
his guy(s) upstairs had time to let him know it was clearly a catch with 2 feet in.
The circumstances made it difficult.
First of all, the Giants ran to the line to try and get the play off. There was not time for Ernie Adams (or whomever it may be) to relay that information. Sometimes there just isn't the time to access a good look 4 and 5 times over from different angles during that elapsed 30 or so seconds.
Secondly, we've seen other clear-cut instances where there should have been a challenge but it was not. As talked about in the Pittsburgh game, CBS did not replay the play in question in enough time, and Belichick said that he just didn't have a good enough angle all the way at the opposite endzone to see if Gronkowski crossed the line or not. Hence his proposed idea about cameras in the pile-ons to give a better view. Eventually I believe it will happen.
There was also the instance of the play in this thread from the AFCCG. Sometimes it's hard to get a good enough view and the looks upstairs aren't clear enough, or fast enough. That's why this particular play was not challenged, as important as it was. Belichick does not like to waste a timeout, and views those as possibly being very precious at the end of games. That's just his style, and judging by his 8 for 9 attempts on challenges this yr (the best in the NFL) it works the majority of the time.
As far as the SB play...it was damn close. Manningham went on the record to admit that if he had worn a shoe that was size 11 1/2 (instead of 11) that he would not have made it inbounds. It is very easy for us to say "that play was clear-cut" after NBC showed us 7 different views from every camera angle known to man. If you remember the situation, both announcers could not make up their minds until after seeing it multiple times. Unfortunately, when you are in the Super Bowl in the final drive of the opposing team, with the entire season on the line---you rely on instincts. With Manning and the offense booking up to the line, and the season at hand--Belichick took a risk.
Put it this way...can you imagine the backlash that would have incurred had Manningham NOT been in bounds clear enough? The potential of the season would have been handed to the Giants. I would have to imagine that 32 out of 32 NFL coaches would have easily done the same thing.
We've seen those kinds of 'desparation challenges' before in just about every single game that we've all watched all year long; and only one of them was in the Super Bowl.
I know I would have challenged the SB play every single time. How could anyone NOT??? What do you really have to lose at that point if you're wrong? A timeout with less than 2-3 minutes in the biggest game of the year? C'mon!!