Giants stun Patriots to win Super Bowl

[Trainspotter 0]

Giants stun Patriots to win Super Bowl

BY RALPH VACCHIANO

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, February 3rd 2008, 11:18 PM

 

 

Lyons/Getty

Eli Manning was named Super Bowl XLII's MVP a year after his brother Peyton

won the award.

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The imperfect Giants pulled off the perfect upset Sunday night.

 

In what will go down as one of the biggest shockers in the history of the NFL, the surprising Giants ended one of their wildest seasons ever by stopping the New England Patriots' quest to make history of their own. They beat the previously undefeated Pats, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII, to win their first NFL championship in 17 years and third overall.

 

The Giants backed up a week of tough talk and guarantees with a dominating defense that spent much of the night pounding NFL MVP Tom Brady into the University of Phoenix Stadium turf. That gave just enough room to Eli Manning to punctuate his breakout season with a Super Bowl MVP performace that featured his sixth fourth-quarter comeback of his remarkable year.

 

In fact, he had to come back twice. And the finale was a heart-stopping drive that was the perfect ending to this heart-stopping season. In what will go down as one of the greatest Super Bowl highlights ever, Manning escaped a seeming sack and completed a 32-yard pass to little-used receiver David Tyree - who outfought Rodney Harrison for the ball and balanced it on his helmet and kept it from hitting the ground at the Patriots' 24. Then, on another third down, there was a big 12-yard catch at the sideline from rookie Steve Smith at the 13.

 

And the finale was a 13-yard pass to Plaxico Burress, who had been the center of a firestorm all week long after he guaranteed the Giants' would win. He backed up his words by backing off Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs and catching the touchdown pass that finally put the Patriots' dynasty to rest.

 

"It's the greatest feeling in professional sports," said Burress. "For us to come out and win the world championship, nobody gave us a shot . . . we never got down on ourselves. We had to make plays, and we made it.

 

Manning completed 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. And Justin Tuck had two of the Giants' five sacks to lead a powerful defense, one that didn't allow the Patriots to gain a single yard when they got the ball back with 36 seconds left.

 

It all added up to the Giants' 11th straight win away from Giants Stadium, as they became the second team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl after winning their first three playoff games on the road.

 

Most importantly, the Giants (14-6) did what no one else had been able to do this season - they handed the Patriots (18-1) a loss.

[Pablo M 201 35]

LETS GO GIANTS!

 

THOSE PATRIOTS AIN'T GOT NOTHING!

 

These guys deserve that parade! That trophy is definately for the late Wellington Mara.

[TransitGuy 1]

Yeah the New York Giants are Super Bowl Champs. It's a fact of life people. Was anyone at the parade? I was there and it was amazing. Go Big Blue!

[Broad St. Belle 0]

I actually took an early lunch (being that it was 2 blocks away from Broad St.) and went at exactly 11:00. It was so packed at that point that I just saw the back of heads, but I managed to move my way up just in time to see Manning and Strahan! It was great! It was nice to have that energy down there being that it's always so quiet...

[Harry 1,088]

I actually took an early lunch (being that it was 2 blocks away from Broad St.) and went at exactly 11:00. It was so packed at that point that I just saw the back of heads, but I managed to move my way up just in time to see Manning and Strahan! It was great! It was nice to have that energy down there being that it's always so quiet...

 

At least you got to go. I could have gone but most likely I would have had to day the whole day off.

 

Any pics of the event?

[Queens Surface 434]

Go giants yeaa