While Cunningham is getting much deserved credit for the pressure on Manning (the decision was horrific but Cunningham turned the throw into a punt), nobody is talking about the fact that Cunningham was tackled on that play. Cunningham clears the edge as Manning is about to begin his throw...and then Diem locks his right arm and takes him to the ground.
If you aren't going to call holding on that play, you just aren't going to call it. I don't know why the officials seem intent on reinforcing the "Manning Comeback" narrative, but it is really hard to dismiss at this point. When your offense is able to hold, your receivers get flags on any contact while your DBs never have to worry about illegal contact or PI...well it makes a comeback almost inevitable.
It really puts the Pats at a severe disadvantage to be up big in the 2nd half (as crazy as that sounds). In a close game, the officials don't have the opportunity to get caught up in the comeback frenzy. Any calls (or non-calls) would not be seen as THE call that changed the whole flow of the game.
Give the Pats (and Cunningham in particular) credit for coming up big in a huge spot. Give Manning all the blame since that decision was borderline incompetent. Even if the throw wasn't altered, McCourty had Garcon blanketed and would have been in good position to break up the pass. Of course he would have had to do it without brushing, bumping or otherwise upsetting Garcon.
