The New York Giants ended the New England Patriots' perfect season, beating the Pats 17–14 with a last-minute touchdown in Superbowl XLII.
In a game which hinged on defense the Giants won the day with an Eli Manning touchdown pass with 35 seconds left in the final period. The Giants held out against the Patriots' final onslaught, and the wild card Giants went into the history books as the team that kept the Patriots from entering the record books with a perfect season.
The New England Patriots, after a perfect season in which they were eventually able to break down any opponent and dominate, found themselves evenly matched by the New York Giants in Superbowl XLII.
The first half was a back and forth defensive struggle, with each team reaching the Red Zone only once. The Giants were forced into kicking a field goal, while the Patriots managed a short touchdown run.
Pass protection and pass coverage were the keys to the game, as neither team could make headway running.
The New England Patriots carried a four-point lead into the locker room at halftime, scoring last but scoring more; the Patriots managed a TD while the Giants were held to a field goal.
Despite trailing 7–3 in points, the Giants won a psychological victory in the first half. The Giants' defense managed to stop Tom Brady's offense on third down repeatedly; the Giants kept pressure on Brady, and kept him from making any game-breaking plays.
Meanwhile, the Giants' offensive line was able to keep the Pats' rushers away from Eli Manning for the most part. Manning had trouble with interceptions, and fumbles, but got lucky when the Giants recovered some dropped balls that seemingly fell into Patriots players' hands.
The Patriots were in good field position with ten seconds left, but pressure on Brady forced a fumble, which the Giants recovered. Manning tried a Hail Mary but no one could catch it.
The Patriots punted as often in the Superbowl's first half as they did in the entire last game the Pats and Giants played.
Tom Brady's ankle, which was reported injured, did not apparently affect his play. Brady threw several of his patented laser-like long passes with no visible discomfort.
Second Half Starts as Defensive Struggle
On the first drive of the second half, the Patriots started on their own 21. Wes Welker made a fifteen-yard catch. Brady converted on third down but got hit again. Even though Brady was able to complete short passes, the Giants again managed to hold the Pats to three-and-out—almost.
Patriots coach Bill Bellicheck successfully challenged the Giants for having too many men on the field while the Pats were punting, winning his team a first down.
The free first down proved not to be helpful, as the Patriots failed to convert on fourth-and-thirteen and the Giants took oven on downs.
The Giants continued to win the battle at the line of scrimmage, pressuring and hitting Brady and smothering the Patriots' runners in the backfield. Brady was forced to throw laterally, trying screen passes and short passes to sidelines behind the line of scrimmage, with uneven success.
The Patriots seemed to be able to control the Giants' running game, but Manning had all the time he needed to pick out receivers on passing downs. The Pats were able to cover those receivers well, though, and Giants were unable to reach the end zone.
Throughout the Patriots' perfect season, no team had been able to both contain the Patriots' offense and match the Pats in racking up points. The Giants played as though the Patriots were any other NFL team; not the only undefeated team since 1972.
Not until the end of the third period were the Patriots able to make a big passing play, with Brady finding Wes Welker again. The Giants held, however, forcing yet another punt.
On offense, the Giants were able to give Manning all the time he needed to pick out receivers on passing downs. The Pats were able to cover those receivers well, though, and Giants were also forced to kick it away.
The third quarter ended with the score still 7-3.
The Decisive Quarter
The Giants opened the fourth quarter with a brilliant passing attack, culminating in an Eli Manning—David Tyree reception, putting the Giants up, 10–7. Apparently the Patriots' defensive backfield was getting tired, while the Giants pass rush was still able to pressure or tackle Brady on almost every passing play.
The Pats tried to answer back, but the Giants were equal to the task; when they didn't blitz Brady into making an error, they covered downfield so well he had nowhere to throw. But when they had the ball, the Giants were unable repeat their successes.
Fatigue and conditioning were the factors deciding victory and defeat, as players from both teams were collapsing on the sidelines with cramps, exacerbated by the dry Arizona air. Equally matched in skill and determination, it was conditioning that gave an edge in the final few minutes.
With six minutes to go in the final quarter, Brady began connecting, moving downfield with ten completions and a run. The Giants rushers, perhaps worn out, were no longer penetrating, and given time to work, Brady found ways to connect with his receivers.
Finally, on third and goal from the seven yard line and 2:42 left on the game clock, Brady was able to hit Randy Moss in the end zone, giving the Patriots a 14–10 lead.
After the two-minute warning, Eli Manning had one hundred twenty seconds remaining—more than enough time—to march seventy-five yards to take the lead, and probably the game.
With the ball on the Giants 37-yard line, the Giants converted on fourth-and-one. This stopped the clock, and the time taken to determine if the attempt was successful worked in the Giants' favor, as they didn't have to burn a precious timeout.
With one minute to go, Manning converted on a play that could be remembered as history's quintessential Super Bowl highlight. In Harry Houdini style, Manning made an amazing escape from the onrushing Patriots defenders who had him wrapped up by the jersey. Then he slung a soaring pass down field. The intended target David Tyree stretched up into the air, trapping the ball against his helmet. With a daunting level of concentration, he was able to hold on to the ball, completing the pass on the Patriots' 24-yard line.
Manning was then sacked on the next play, and the Giants were forced to burn a timeout.
The Patriots were, for the first time, able to put serious pressure on Eli Manning, while still covering the receivers—but only briefly.
Manning managed to hit Smith for a first down, stopping the clock; then, with 35 seconds left, Manning found Plaxico Burress in the end zone for a touchdown.
Brady and the Patriots fought back, trying to get in range for a game-tying field goal, but the clock, the field position, and the Giants' determination shut the Pats down.
With one tick remaining on the clock, the Giants' players stormed the field in victory, and the two coaches, both former colleagues under the Bill Parcell's Giants era, shook hands.